Tiendena Touchdown Catch Lifts New York Legion Past Buffalo
Riley Kade — JRSports One
Miguel Dusuez hit Fernando Tiendena for a 13-yard touchdown with 2:04 left, and the New York Legion beat the Buffalo Bisons 24-20. The Legion won their seventh game in nine tries after erasing a 17-point deficit, and Tiendena caught all three of Dusuez's touchdown passes.
Buffalo led 17-0 at halftime and 20-3 after three quarters, but New York then ran off 21 unanswered points, the longest such run of the game. The turn came at 2:51 of the fourth quarter, when Hyun-woo Yaingzaki fumbled on a seven-yard run and Lane Jardman recovered for New York, with Buffalo ahead 20-17. Dusuez found Tiendena for 13 yards at 2:04, and the Legion led 24-20.
Buffalo struck first. Yaingzaki broke off a 40-yard touchdown run at 7:50 of the first quarter, making it 7-0. Gustavo Zie kicked a 51-yard field goal at 10:51 of the second quarter, and Amaury Calada connected with Jordan Derkham on a 19-yard touchdown at 8:26 to make it 17-0.
Dusuez threw three interceptions in the second quarter, to Rodrigo Niertales, Garrett Juck and Jared Fonworth. Calada was also picked off, by Miles Lainworth, at 1:10.
Luke Shinnworth kicked a 36-yard field goal for New York at 9:34 of the third quarter. Zie added a 28-yard field goal at 2:01 to make it 20-3. Tiendena's 27-yard touchdown catch at 12:51 of the fourth quarter cut the deficit to 20-10, and Ji-ho Jeng recovered a Yaingzaki fumble at 6:10. Tiendena's two-yard touchdown at 3:48 made it 20-17, and Jardman's recovery came next.
Dusuez finished 22 of 34 for 270 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Tiendena caught nine passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns. Calada completed 21 of 32 for 294 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Yaingzaki ran 17 times for 102 yards and a touchdown. Brady Shearfield led the Legion's defense with 11 tackles and a forced fumble, and Javier Dienduz had 12 tackles for Buffalo.
Buffalo gained 446 total yards to New York's 318, but the Bisons were penalized 11 times for 109 yards. Calada was stopped by Gavin Shenn on fourth-and-10 at the Legion 19 with 0:32 left.
Hunter Sennton, a New York cornerback, was ruled out with a torn meniscus and will miss five weeks. Parker Hairt, a Buffalo wide receiver, is out three weeks with an MCL sprain. Ford Hend, the Legion running back, suffered an MCL sprain and is out one week. Juck, Nate Vand and Cameron Laickmore were all listed as questionable and did not return.
The win lifted New York to 7-2, while Buffalo fell to 3-6.
