Dorados hope to avoid repeat of 2007 against rival

HIDALGO – Quinton Staton and Marty Hammond still remember the final seconds of the Dorados’ last playoff game.

Trailing 50-45 with one play remaining, former Dorados player Chris Canty intercepted a pass from Bossier-Shreveport quarterback Quincy Carter. The pass, meant to fly out of play and help the Battle Wings bleed the clock, was instead picked off by Canty, who lateraled to Travis McAlpine, who then sprinted 40 yards for an apparent game-winning touchdown, seemingly allowing the 16-1 Dorados to avoid a second-round upset.

But instead of advancing, officials ruled Canty down before he pitched to McAlpine and disallowed the score, a decision which ended the Dorados’ season. Now, back in the playoffs two years later, Hammond, Staton and the Dorados (9-7) get another chance to beat the BattleWings (11-5) in tonight’s first-round game.

“It means a lot (to get another crack at Bossier-Shreveport),” Hammond said. “It’s always fun to play a team that’s highly competitive and kind of emotional towards you. It’s a rivalry and those are fun games to be in. It’s a lot more fun when you win.”

Unfortunately for the Dorados, they weren’t able to cap their best regular season with an af2 championship. Hammond, like two years ago, wasn’t dwelling on that final call.

“Looking back, that was a hard-fought game,” Hammond said. “The last play, it was questionable, but I don’t think that’s why we lost the game.”

Two years later, Hammond is still the Dorados coach, while Staton, Josh Kellett and Travis McAlpine are the only players remaining from the 2007 team that won the Southwest Division championship. Staton, however, is the only one of those three who figures to play a significant role tonight. Kellett will once again back up starting QB Nick Hill, while McAlpine is on injured reserve with a dislocated bone in his left hand.

And though Staton remembers how the Dorados’ previous playoff appearance ended, it doesn’t exactly gnaw at or drive him.

“You’ve got to move on,” Staton said. “We’re just taking the mindset that it’s the playoffs, it’s what we’ve all been working for. It’s a new season. We’re going up there to try to get this win and try to move on.”

TOUCHBACKS: On Thursday, the Dorados activated offensive lineman Garrett Mason from team suspension but isn't expected to play. … Bossier-Shreveport beat the Dorados in two of the teams’ three regular season meetings, with the BattleWings winning the last two … The winner of tonight’s game plays the winner of the Oklahoma City-Tulsa matchup. If the Dorados and Yard Dawgz both advance, the Dorados would host the second-round game.

Brian Sandalow covers the Rio Grande Valley Dorados for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436.