Wranglers top southwest division rival Bossier-Shreveport 59-51

Sunday June 8, 2008

BOSSIER CITY, LA (June 7, 2008)— A week after defeating the Amarillo Dusters, the Austin Wranglers topped the Bossier-Shreveport BattleWings 59-51 on the road. The BattleWings had an opportunity to tie the game with twelve seconds remaining in the fourth quarter when BattleWings QB Gary Cooper lost control of the ball and fell forward shy of the goal line as time expired.

The 4,333 in attendance at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City, La. on Saturday night were thinking they were in for a defensive struggle after each team threw an interception on their first offensive possession of the game. After the teams traded interceptions to begin the game, Wranglers QB Andy Hall connected with WR/DB Mel Long on a 6 yard strike to set the offensive fireworks in motion. The BattleWings quickly answered with a 6 yard touchdown pass from Gary Cooper to WR Chavis McCollister, and ended the first quarter tied at 14.

In the second quarter, the BattleWings grabbed their only lead of the game, 28-21, on a Marvin Byrdsong fumble recovery for a touchdown, but the Wranglers stormed back with three unanswered touchdowns to go into halftime with a 40-28 lead. The BattleWings cut the Wranglers lead to nine in the third quarter with touchdown receptions by Chavis McCollister and Kenneth R. Williams and a 39 yard FG by David Carlton.

The Wranglers drew first blood in the fourth quarter as Austin QB Andy Hall connected with WR John Roberson on a 23 yard touchdown strike to give the Wranglers a 14 point lead, but the BattleWings answered back with a touchdown pass from QB Gary Cooper to OL Chris Hollie with 3:04 remaining in the game. The BattleWings’ defense held strong and thwarted the Austin scoring effort on the next possession, but time was not to be on the side of the BattleWings as the game clock expired with the ball on the 4 yard line.

The win brings the Wranglers to a 5-5 record and puts the team in a position to take the lead in the Southwest Division. The Wranglers will travel next week to face the Corpus Christi Sharks on Saturday, June 14th. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. and live coverage can be heard on AM 1300 The Zone.