Dorados fall at home

HIDALGO - Before Saturday's game at Dodge Arena, the Rio Grande Valley Dorados unveiled their 2007 Southwest Division Championship Banner.

All the ceremony was a reminder of how good last season's team was. The actual game was a reminder how much the '08 squad is no where near as stout as last season's team.

Not even their first home game of the year could reverse the Dorados' fortunes as Bossier-Shreveport defeated RGV 50-30 before an announced crowd of 5,002, sending the latter to its third consecutive loss.  

The BattleWings (3-2) held the Dorados (1-3) scoreless in the fourth quarter, a 15 minute period in which the Doraods' three possessions ended in two turnovers and a turnover on downs.

"We are 0-3 in the last three weeks," Dorados quarterback Travis Cole said. "We are not taking care of the ball and we are not making the big play when we need to make the big play, and that includes my self. When a guy is open I have to hit him."

Twice the Dorados were inside the 10-yard line, a drive to begin the game and in the fourth quarter, and both times RGV walked away with 0 points.

Cole (15-for-35, three touchdowns, 199 yards) struggled with pressure up front for the second straight week, finishing with less than 200 yards.

"It was tough because our leading receiver (Jermaine Carpenter) wasn't in the game for us," said Dorados receiver Pierre Thomas, who scored two TDs, one rushing and one receiving. "We are still working together. I think Travis is doing a great job. We just need to get back to work on Monday, and go from there."

It is the second straight week the Dorados have been held under 40 points.

Right before halftime, Cole fumbled a bad snap at RGV's 1-yard line with 12.7 seconds left in the second quarter. It was one of two bad snaps RGV fumbled

"Most of our problems have been up the middle," Dorados coach Marty Hammond said. "We have to find a way to correct that. Once again we had to go to the three-step short game."

Bossier had little trouble converting the turnover into seven points. BattleWings QB Steve Panella connected with receiver Manwell Talbert for a one-yard touchdown and a 26-16 lead at the half.

"We had the ball coming out in the second half so that bad snap was huge for us," BattleWings coach Jon Norris said. "It was kind of a double turnover."

Both teams scored 14 points in the third quarter but RGV was no where up to par during the final 15 minutes as Bossier pulled away with a David Carlton 28-yard field goal and a Chavis McCollister 36-yard touchdown pass from Panella (20-for-31, 231 yards, six touchdowns).

"We are getting to the point when we are down and we have to force things," Hammond said. "The two fumble snaps were huge, one right before the half at the 1-yard line and the other one in the fourth quarter.

"If you take those away, we are in the game. We got to the point where we had to force it."

Peter Rasmussen covers the Rio Grande Valley Dorados for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448.