The best season in Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz history came to an end Saturday night. The Arkansas Twisters advanced to the National Conference semifinals with a 47-43 road win at Cox Arena in Oklahoma City.
With the victory, the Twisters will tackle the Tulsa Talons, another Midwest Division rival, next Saturday night in Tulsa, Okla.
It was a promising start for the Yard Dawgz (0-1 playoffs) as Al Hunt picked off a pass on the opening series. Then Hunt hauled in an 18-yard pass to give the Yard Dawgz the first lead of the game. Arkansas (1-0 playoffs) answered right back as the teams exchanged the first six scores of the game.
But in the second quarter Arkansas reeled off three straight touchdowns and a field goal to take the lead, 33-16 and never trailed again.
The first half featured some intriguing kicking plays. Yard Dawg kicker A.J. Haglund hit a 57-yard field goal with 12:19 left in the second quarter to give the Yard Dawgz a 16-12 lead. That set a new af2 postseason record, besting the old mark of 51 yards (set on two occasions). Later in the quarter, Arkansas David Carlton, who ironically missed four extra point attempts in the half and five in the game, hit a 33 yard field goal, which became the third longest in Arena Cup history.
But it was the end of the half that brought about the most bizarre kicking play. With three seconds left, Haglund tried a 35-yard field goal attempt. Delenell Reid picked off the missed kick and zigzagged his way all the way to the Yard Dawgz six yard line, before pitching to lineman Kimani Jones who carried it the final six yards, carrying Arkansas to a 27-15 halftime lead.
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 FINAL
Oklahoma City (11-6) 13 3 14 13 43
Twisters (11-6) 12 15 6 14 47
Attendance: 4,843
Schutt Offensive Player of the Game: Robert Kilow (ARK)
U.S. Army Ironman of the Game: Jarrail Jackson (OKC )
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: Barrett Allen (OKC)
Cutters Gloves Catch of the Game: Tacoma Fontaine (OKC)
