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Dispatch

3/11/06

FORCE 68 | DESTROYERS 50

Force offense dominates

Destroyers sputter early; defense can’t make a stand

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Dave Devereux
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>ADAM CAIRNS | DISPATCH </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>B.J. Barre of the Destroyers outraces Force defenders Derek Lee (8) and Robert Thomas on his way to a touchdown in the third quarter. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


The teams’ records were both .500, but Destroyers coach Doug Kay knew the challenge presented by the Georgia Force, the defending National Conference champion.
"They’re one of the best teams in the league," Kay said. "They have good receivers, and they move the ball well."
No doubt about that.
The Force, which has lost three games by a combined four points, scored touchdowns on its first nine possessions and defeated the Destroyers 68-50 last night in front of 10,801 fans in Nationwide Arena.
Quarterback Matt Nagy threw seven touchdown passes — four to Chris Jackson and three to Jamin Elliott — against a Destroyers defense that was ranked first in the Arena Football League in fewest touchdowns allowed (29) and third in points allowed (43.3 points per game).
"It was our best offensive performance of the year," Georgia coach Doug Plank said. "There’s not a question, this was Matt Nagy’s best game."
The Destroyers (3-4), who are making a habit of falling behind early, trailed 13-0 before their offense touched the ball.
Elliott caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Nagy on the opening drive and then recovered the ensuing kickoff, which was misplayed off the net by B.J. Barre.
"For some reason, we don’t understand the game starts at the opening kickoff," Kay said. "We have difficulty understanding that, and it’s on my shoulders."
Coming off a 305-yard passing performance against New York, Destroyers quarterback John Kaleo remained efficient, completing 28 of 35 passes for 342 yards and five touchdowns.
He got the Destroyers on the board at the 8:31 mark of the first quarter on a 12-yard fade pass to David Saunders, who had eight catches for 70 yards.
But Nagy remained equally sharp. He completed 16 of 18 passes with five touchdowns in the first half, and the Force (4-3) built a 40-24 lead.
"They kept it simple," Kay said. "(Nagy) was just rising up out of a three-step drop. We didn’t cover well."
Barre supplied a spark at the start of the third quarter when he caught a quick screen and raced 41 yards to the end zone to bring the Destroyers to 40-31.
Kaleo added touchdown passes to Saunders, Ken Jones and Eddie Galles, but the Force answered every time.
"We put ourselves in a bind early against a good Georgia team," Barre said. "We had to fight back, but sometimes you don’t make it."
ddevereux@dispatch.com