ORLANDO (Florida Sports Wire) – The Orlando Guardians (1-6) made history Saturday night at Camping World Stadium. Not only did the Guardians pick up their first win in franchise history, but they did it against the previously-undefeated D.C. Defenders (6-1).
The Guardians held on in a 37-36 offensive fireworks display.
Orlando took the lead for good with 8:50 remaining in the game. Cody Latimer came across the middle and took a Quinten Dormady pass 44 yards to give the Guardians a 37-36 lead.
But it wasn’t easy from there.After forcing a punt on the next D.C. possession, the Guardians lost a fumble with 6:03 remaining in the game. But as the Defenders were driving for a potential go-ahead score, Stansly Maponga forced a fumble at the Orlando 23-yard line.
The Guardians’ offense was able to run all but 30 seconds off the clock. The Defenders had one last shot at victory, advancing to the Orlando 45-yard line with four seconds left. But D.C. kicker Matthew McCrane’s 63-yard field goal attempt came up well short, setting off a wild celebration on the field for the Guardians.
Both teams scored a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter, with D.C. leading 14-12. The Defenders opened the scoring with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Ta’amu to Lucky Jackson. A successful two-point pass by the Defenders put the team up 8-0. Orlando’s first possession ended with a quarterback sneak for a TD for Quinten Dormady.
On Orlando’s second possession, Dormady hooked up with K.D. for a 41-yard scoring strike to go up 12-8. D.C. answered with an 11-play, 69-yard drive concluding with an one-yard rushing touchdown by Abram Smith to go up 14-12.
The Defenders opened the second quarter with a 12-yard touchdown pass from D’Eriq King to tight end Briley Moore. A successful two-point pass from Ta’amu to tight end Alex Ellis put D.C. ahead by 10.
On the final play of the first half, Dormady’s second goal-line rushing touchdown pulled Orlando within four, 22-18, heading into the intermission.
The Guardians opened the half with a 46-yard kick return by wide receiver Deddrick Thomas. The return set up a 15-yard touchdown pass from Dormady to tight end Jordan Thomas.
A successful one-point conversion rush by Jah-Maine Martin put the Guardians up 25-22. On the following drive, D.C. quickly pushed ahead after an 86-yard touchdown pass from Ta’amu to Chris Blair to go up 28-25.
The Guardians responded with Dormady’s third QB sneak touchdown of the game to go up 31-28 heading into the fourth quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter, an Orlando fumble led to a touchdown pass from Ta’amu to Jackson plus a two-point conversion from Ta’amu to Ellis put D.C. up 36-31 and set up Latimer’s go-ahead score.
GAME NOTES: This game was the highest scoring game in XFL history…this was the most points scored by the Guardians this season…K.D. Cannon’s 41-yard touchdown came on the first catch of his XFL career///Jordan Thomas’s 15-yard touchdown came on the first catch of his XFL career…Deddrick Thomas’s 46-yard kick return is the longest by a Guardian this season, fourth longest in the XFL…Quinten Dormady’s three rushing touchdowns are tied for most by a quarterback in a game this season..Dormady’s six total touchdowns is the most by any player in the XFL this season.
