Written by Garin Turner
In what seems to be becoming a theme, another come from behind victory happened in the AAF when the San Diego Fleet (1-1) picked up their first win on the season, defeating the Atlanta Legends (0-2) 24-12 in San Diego.
The Fleet trailed 9-6 at halftime. Atlanta got its first points from Younghoe Koo’s 29-yard field goal. Matt Simms found wide receiver Malachi Jones for a 19-yard score that gave the Legends a 9-0 lead.
Fleet kicker Donny Hageman had a day to remember hitting three consecutive field goals of 46, 43, and 26 yards to bring the game to a 9-9 tie in the third quarter.
Atlanta retook the lead when Koo nailed a 26-yard field goal for a 12-9 lead shortly after the fourth quarter started. The Fleet took the lead for the first time with 9:04 left in the game when running back Ja’Quan Gardner scored on a 8-yard run for a 15-12 lead.
Gardner scored again on the Fleet’s next possession, this time on a 7-yard run with four minutes left in the game. Both touchdowns were the first for the Fleet this year. Hageman added a field goal with 35 seconds left in the game.
Gardner finished with 104 yards on 15 attempts and the two scores. The 104 yards are the most in a game for a player in the Alliance. Quarterback Philip Nelson had 142 yards passing and Nelson Spruce had 58 receiving yards for the Fleet.
Simms had 160 passing yards and a touchdown while Jones had 37 receiving yards and the touchdown catch. Lawrence Pittman had 42 rushing yards for the Legends. San Diego won the time of possession 33:38 to 26:22.
The Fleet outscored the Legends 18-3 in the second half. The Fleet will look to avenge its week one loss to San Antonio. The Fleet will be at home this time.
The Atlanta Legends will look for its first win of the year in their home opener against Birmingham.
(Image Courtesy of The Alliance of American Football)
