UNIONDALE, NY -- For the fourth week in a row, the Dragons have had a solid game on both sides of the ball, which has resulted in a victory. The Dragons took care of business, defeating the Cleveland Gladiators 56-39 Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum to improve to 5-4. The Dragons jumped over the .500 mark for the first time this season and split the season series with Cleveland.
"It wasn't about avenging a loss," said head coach Weylan Harding. "It was an opportunity to get out there and play a game. I was worried about us executing. If we take care of our play, more often than not it will result in a win."
The Dragons moved into third in the East Division, surpassing Cleveland, which dropped to 4-4 on the season.
K Jason Ball missed a 20-yard field goal with under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter that would have cut the lead to seven. Instead, the Dragons countered as QB Aaron Garcia threw his seventh touchdown pass of the game to make it an insurmountable 56-39 lead.
Garcia had another stellar performance, going 26-of-43 for 279 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. The Dragons did not commit any turnovers and failed to score on only two drives in the game.
"The guys have really stepped up and done a great job," said Garcia, whose Dragons have their bye week next. "We had a new center in there tonight and he did a great job to help come out with a victory. This is going to feel a lot better sitting by the pool. In football terms, every game is important. We're chasing two teams in our division that are undefeated. We have to keep fighting and keep pushing to get up to the top."
WR Kevin Swayne put on his best performance of the season, catching nine passes for 93 yards and four touchdowns. WR Jason Willis caught a team-high 12 passes, for 158 yards and two touchdowns, including the game's final score.
On the other side of the ball, the Dragons forced two turnovers, plus got the ball back once on downs. DB Billy Parker caught an interception, while DL Farouk Adelekan recovered a fumble in the second quarter. LB Idris Price forced the fumble and also sacked QB Raymond Philyaw twice.
The Dragons defense limited the Cleveland offense to a total of 13 points in the second and fourth quarters combined.
"The guys are getting a sense of themselves and their potential," said Harding. "All of the guys are starting to believe in each other and believe in what we have here. That's the product of their hard work. The scariest thing is that we can still be so much better. They have a world of potential."
The Dragons held a slim 14-13 lead following the first quarter, but they took charge in the second, allowing only one score by the Gladiators, while countering with three of their own. The Dragons out-scored the Gladiators 21-19 in the second half.
Gladiators vs. Dragons Preview
