July 24, 2010

By Alex Collins

DALLAS, TX -- Following a huge win over the Chicago Rush last week, the Dallas Vigilantes could not find the same mojo and took a tough 51-41 loss at the hands of the Utah Blaze in front of a season high 9,123 fans Saturday night at the American Airlines Center.

The first quarter would see Dallas (2-13) and Utah (2-13) exchange scores on each possession. The Vigilantes’ touchdowns were the result of 20 and 13-yard touchdown passes from Collin Drafts to Derek Lee. Both Utah scores came on Aaron Boone receiving touchdowns.

Drafts found Larry Brackins over the middle for a seven-yard score moments into the second quarter for a 20-14 Vigilantes lead. On Utah’s following possession, a valiant stand by the Dallas defensive line put the Blaze in a fourth-and-goal situation, but once again Utah quarterback Mark Thorson found Boone for a score. Utah would miss the extra point attempt and leave the score 20-20 with just under nine minutes left in the half.

After another Drafts to Brackins TD, the Vigilantes would fail on an onside kick attempt and Thorson found Wendall Williams for a game-tying touchdown on the next play from scrimmage. The Vigilantes would commit the game’s first turnover when Drafts mishandled a snap on the ensuing possession.

Drafts’ night would end after the first half, but he completed 10-of-14 passes for 100 yards and four touchdowns. Lee and Brackins both caught three touchdown passes to provide all of the Vigilantes points.

The final minute of the first half would see wild back and forth action. The Dallas defense stepped up and forced a turnover on downs after Delenall Reid deflected a fourth-down pass in the endzone. Drafts would next cough up another snap which lead to a fourth Boone touchdown and 34-27 Blaze lead they would take into halftime.

The halftime break provided exciting news for the Vigilantes and their fans as Clint Dolezel was announced as the team’s head coach next season. The announcement came shortly after Dolezel’s No. 13 was retired by Dallas.

On the opening drive of the second half, Lee picked off a Thorson pass but was stripped from behind and Utah recovered. They would score shortly after to increase their lead to 41-27.

Daniel Raudabaugh stepped in for Drafts to run the Dallas offense in the second half and tossed a 21-yard TD pass to Brackins on his third career professional pass attempt. Dallas would swing the momentum back in their favor when Jason Harmon picked off a Thorson pass in the end zone late in the third quarter. Minutes later Raudabaugh found Lee over the middle for a long touchdown to knot the score at 41-41. Raudabaugh finished the night 9-of-17 for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

To open the fourth quarter, Thorson fumbled a hand-off and Justin Warren recovered for the Vigilantes but they could not capitalize in Utah territory and turned the ball over on downs. Boone hauled in his fifth touchdown of the game and the Blaze took back the lead 48-41 with five minutes remaining. Dallas did not score in the fourth quarter and a short Ben Scott field goal with less than 15 seconds remaining sealed the Vigilantes’ fate.

Dallas will look to end the season on a high note in Bossier-Shreveport next Saturday night when they take on the Battle Wings at 7:05 CT.