Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Locos drop game in Hartford, will face Florida Tuskers for UFL championship

Florida beat Omaha 20-17 this week to clinch spot in title game against Las Vegas

EAST HARTFORD, CT — The hottest team at Rentschler Field Saturday afternoon will be watching the United Football League championship game on television. The Hartford Colonials intercepted three passes and returned two for touchdowns as the Colonials handed the Las Vegas Locomotives their second straight loss in a 27-14 decision.

It was the season finale for the Colonials, who finish the season at 3-5 with two wins in its last three games. On the heels of a two-game losing streak, the Locos (5-3) will try to defend their UFL championship Saturday at 9 a.m. Las Vegas time at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha against the Florida Tuskers (5-3).

Locos quarterback Chase Clement, who ran for two touchdowns and nearly rallied Las Vegas from a 19-point deficit in an overtime loss to Sacramento two weeks ago, made his professional start and it was a rough one. He threw three interceptions and fumbled a snap for a six-yard loss.

Hartford’s Danny Lansanah had a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter while teammate Quintin Demps had a 73 yard interception return of a pass in the third quarter that deflected off a Las Vegas receiver DeDe Dorsey.

A week ago, the Colonials were embarrassed in a 35-point loss to Florida.

Against Las Vegas, Hartford jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on a 38-yard field goal by Sam Swank and Lansanah’s 48-yard interception return.

After a second quarter interception by Hartford’s Tra Battle, the Colonials marched 61 yards on 14 plays to the Las Vegas 2. The drive stalled after a pair of incomplete passes and Swank hit a 20-yard field goal for a 13-0 lead with 8:15 left in the first half.

After Las Vegas cut a 13-point Colonial lead to six points with a quick touchdown drive with 45 seconds left in the second quarter, Hartford marched 75 yards on six plays and scored on a 39-yard bomb from quarterback Josh McCown to Tyson DeVree in the end zone as time expired to extend its lead to 13 points, 20-7. DeVree, a 6-foot-5, outleaped two of his own teammates and two Loco defenders for the touchdown pass.

Las Vegas got on the board with its most productive series of the half late in the second quarter. The Locos took over on their own 45-yard line and marched 55 yards in 56 seconds, scoring a touchdown on a 4-yard run by DeDe Dorsey with 45 seconds in the second quarter to cut the Hartford lead to 13-7.

In the third quarter, Demps interception return extended Hartford’s lead to 27-7.

Las Vegas’ most effective offensive threat came from Clements, who scrambled for 57 yards on five carries before getting pulled after three quarters. Clements completed 8 of 20 passes for 101 yards and three interceptions.

Drew Willy played quarterback in the fourth quarter for the Locos. On his first possession, he drove Las Vegas 68 yards on 12 plays as the Locos scored on Willy’s 26-yard touchdown pass to Andrae Thurman with 6:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. Willy completed five of eight passes on the drive.

The contest drew a team-record 14,554 fans. In four games this fall, the Colonials averaged 14,366 fans at Rentschler Field.

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