BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – New Orleans’ Wes Hills’ 14-yard touchdown rush with 42 seconds remaining in regulation broke a tied score to lift the Breakers to a 38-31 victory over Houston on Saturday afternoon at Protective Stadium.
Hills finished the game with 110 yards on 18 attempts and found the end zone three total times. McLeod Bethel-Thompson three for 251 yards and two score and Sage Surratt finished with a game-high 11 catches for 121 yards for New Orleans (2-0).
Houston (0-2) was led Kenji Bahar, who finished with 266 yards on 18-for-30 attempts and three scores. Justin Hall finished with 110 yards on eight catches and a pair of touchdowns and T.J. Pledger rushed for 94 yars for the Gamblers.
After a scoreless 1st quarter, the Breakers got on the board first when Wes Hills scored on a 19-yard run. Matt Coghlin’s extra point was good, giving New Orleans a 7-0 lead at 11:34 of the 2nd quarter.
On the ensuing drive, Nick Vogel connected on a 44-yard field goal to make the score 7-3 at 8:15. The Breakers answered with a 14-play, 58-yard drive that ended with a Coghlin 27- yard field goal at 1:10 to put New Orleans ahead 10-3.
With 37 seconds before halftime, Bahar found Hall for a 25-yard touchdown. Vogel made the point after to send the game into intermission tied at 10-10.
On Houston’s first drive of the 3rd quarter, they converted a 3rd-and 18 which moved the ball to the New Orleans 43-yard line. Two plays later, Bahar found Anthony Ratliff-Williams for a 38-yard touchdown. Vogel converted the PAT to put the Gamblers up 17-10 at the 12:01 mark.
The Breakers responded with a 9-play, 78-yard drive which ended with Bethel-Thompson linking up with Surratt for a 5-yard touchdown. Point after was good, deadlocking the game at 17-17.
New Orleans regained the lead with 2:07 left in the 3rd quarter on a Johnnie Dixon 4-yard touchdown grab followed by the extra point which made the score 24-17.
Pledger’s 1-yard score and Vogel’s point after with 6:42 left in the 4th quarter tied the score for the third time at 24-24. Three minutes later, Hills’ second touchdown and point after put the Breakers ahead 31-24.
Right at the 2-minute warning, Hall’s second score of the contest, an 18-yard catch from Bahar, plus the PAT made the score 31-31.
On the next possession, Houston forced a 3-and-out and took possession of the ball at their 27-yard line. Two plays later, the Breakers’ Jaray Elder steeped in front of a Bahar pass to set up Hills’ game-winning score.
Next week, New Orleans faces Birmingham (1-0) at Protective Stadium on April 29, while Houston visits Memphis (0-1) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
{Courtesy: USFL}