Ironclads Overwhelm Thunderbirds 51-13 in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE - It was over early, and the Columbus Ironclads were not shy about pushing the margin. The visitors beat the Albuquerque Thunderbirds 51-13 on Sunday in the Week 11 season finale, one of the biggest wins of the slate.

The score was Ironclads 51, Thunderbirds 13. Columbus finished 5-6 and fourth in the East Conference. Albuquerque also finished 5-6, good for third in the West.

Vaughn sharp, Dawson strong

Columbus quarterback Reggie Vaughn threw for 189 yards and 4 touchdowns. He did not need huge yardage because the offense scored in so many ways. One of those touchdown passes went to wide receiver Andre Pruitt, who caught passes for 65 yards and a score.

Running back Victor Dawson led the ground game with 127 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dawson ran hard between the tackles and gave the Ironclads an answer any time Albuquerque tried to get back into the game.

"Our guys were focused from the opening kickoff," Ironclads coach Mick Sorensen said. "We wanted to play a complete game on both sides of the ball. Reggie was in command and Victor ran with purpose."

Thunderbirds can't keep pace

Albuquerque's offense had a few bright spots. Quarterback Jordan Vaughn threw for 233 yards and a touchdown, and wide receiver Jordan Lockhart caught passes for 70 yards. But the ground game was quiet, with running back Brandon Dupree gaining only 41 yards.

The Thunderbirds' defense tallied 3 sacks, one more than the 2 recorded by Columbus. It was a small bright spot in a game that otherwise got away from them early.

"We were out of sync and we paid for it," Thunderbirds coach Carla Medina said. "Columbus is a good team. We have to be better prepared and play with more urgency."

Why it matters

Columbus has had an uneven year. The Ironclads came into the game under .500 and left still at 5-6, but the result showed the upside of a lineup that can score in bunches. They finished the day with 51 points, and Vaughn threw 4 touchdowns without being forced into a huge volume of passes.

For Albuquerque, the loss was a sour end to the West Conference race. The Thunderbirds finished third in the West at 5-6, and a loss of this size does nothing to help their confidence.

Pruitt's touchdown was another entry in a strong season for the Columbus wide receiver. Pruitt leads the league in receiving yards, and he continues to be the focal point of the Ironclads' passing attack.

"He is a pro's pro," Sorensen said of Pruitt. "He shows up every week."

Heading into the offseason

The season is over for both teams. Columbus will try to carry the momentum into the offseason, while Albuquerque will look for answers. The Thunderbirds need to find a way to protect the football and get their running game going.

For one Sunday, though, the story was simple. Columbus scored 51, Albuquerque scored 13, and the Ironclads walked out of New Mexico with a result they will remember.