San Antonio Commanders drop hard-fought contest to Orlando Apollos 37-29

Kenneth Farrow II (#20) dives for the end zone for
the first touchdown of the game.
Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (February 17, 2019) The San Antonio Commanders did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard, but the Orlando Apollos posted two touchdowns and one field goal in the fourth quarter to down San Antonio 37-29 in the Alamodome in San Antonio.

On their first possession, the Commanders drove the ball 59 yards in 10 plays; capping the drive with 15-yard run by Kenneth Farrow II (shown right) for the first touchdown of the game. On the play, Farrow II was injured on the play and left the field.

With two seconds remaining on the clock to end the first quarter, tight end Evan Rodriguez caught a one-yard pass from quarterback Logan Woodside for the score. The drive covered 72 yards in 14 plays and lasted 7:04; putting the score at 12-0 after 15 minutes. Both two-point conversion tries were unsuccessful

The Apollos answered early in the second quarter with a five-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a De'Veon Smith one-yard pass for the score. The tight end added the two-point conversion to make the score 12-8 with 12:56 remaining in the half. San Antonio added a 50-yard field goal, off the foot of Nick Rose to increase their lead to 15-8. Orlando came back two minutes later to boot their own 35-yard field goal, by Elliot Fry to cut the Commanders lead to four points (15-11). They added six points to their score with two minutes left in the half on a 21-yard pass from Garrett Gilbert to wide receiver Charles Johnson to make the score 17-15. San Antonio closed out the first half with Rose booting a 38-yard field goal to make the score 18-17 after 30 minutes of play.

In the third quarter, San Antonio added as Rose 37-yard field goal and a Joey Mbu fumble recovery for a touchdown and a successful conversion. Fry gave the Apollos another three points with a 24-yard field goal. The fourth quarter was all Orlando; scoring on a Fry 47-yard field goal, a touchdown on a 47-yard pass from Gilbert to Jalin Marshall, and an interception TD by Keith Reaser.

Next up for the 1-1 Commanders is a Sunday, February 24 match up against the San Diego Fleet. San Antonio downed the Fleet 15-6 on February 9.