Gundridge Field Goal Late in Fourth Lifts Dallas Over Atlanta
Riley Kade — JRSports One
Wade Gundridge kicked a 44-yard field goal with 2:40 left in the fourth quarter, and Dallas held on to beat Atlanta 13-9. The kick put the Dragons ahead 13-6, and Atlanta's 48-yard field goal with 1:18 left was not enough to catch them.
The game's turning point came early. Gundridge's 26-yard field goal at 7:20 of the first quarter gave Dallas its first lead, 3-0, and Atlanta never led at any point in the game. Dallas's largest lead was seven points, at 14:42 of the second quarter.
Dallas's Isaac Cannby threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Oneil Seoro at 14:46 of the second quarter, and the extra point made it 10-3. Atlanta's Eric Graicklin kicked a 56-yard field goal at 1:05 to cut the deficit to 10-6, which was the halftime score. Cannby's first interception came at 2:27 of the first quarter, when Hamish Hut picked him off, and a second came at 6:34 of the second quarter, when Austin Paist intercepted him. Neither turnover produced points.
Dallas's offense went quiet in the third quarter, and the score stayed 10-6 going into the fourth. Gundridge's 44-yarder at 2:40 made it 13-6, and Graicklin's 48-yarder at 1:18 made it 13-9. Cannby then completed a 24-yard pass to Brock Brordley at 1:02, moving Dallas to the Atlanta 36 with the lead intact.
Cannby finished 19 of 30 for 215 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Eric Merkrick carried 16 times for 79 yards, and Seoro caught eight passes for 83 yards and the touchdown. Atlanta's Travis Hertrick completed 20 of 28 passes for 192 yards without a touchdown or an interception. Peyton Foosby caught nine passes for 108 yards, and Jordan Thann ran 13 times for 73 yards. Dallas's Zach Blastings had two sacks, and Lucas Coondmore led all players with 11 tackles.
Caleb Wimman, Dallas's right outside linebacker, left with a hamstring strain and is out two weeks. Paist, Atlanta's strong safety, left with an ankle sprain.
The win moved Dallas to 3-5, and the loss dropped Atlanta to 2-5.
