In front of 15,046 football fans at Lumen Field, the Seattle Sea Dragons secured their spot in the North Division Championship game with a dominating 28-9 victory over the Vegas Vipers. The Sea Dragons will face off against the DC Defenders at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, April 30 at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Sea Dragons started slow, leading 6-0 at the half, but exploded in the third quarter with 14 points, eventually cruising to victory. Seattle’s offense was led by quarterback Ben DiNucci, who completed 26 of his 41 pass attempts for 339 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. DiNucci also showed off his mobility, rushing for 41 yards and a touchdown on 4 attempts.
Seattle’s receiving corps had a strong showing, with Josh Gordon leading the way with 9 catches for 115 yards. Juwan Green and Jordan Veasy each caught a touchdown pass, with Green totaling 88 receiving yards and Veasy adding 25. Jahcour Pearson also contributed with 3 catches for 42 yards and a touchdown.
On the ground, the Sea Dragons were paced by Phillip Lindsay, who rushed for 30 yards on 6 carries. T.J. Hammonds contributed 12 yards on 8 carries and caught a pass for 9 yards.
The Vipers’ offense struggled to find its rhythm throughout the game, with quarterback Jalan McClendon completing just 6 of his 21 pass attempts for 201 yards and an interception. The running game fared no better, with Shai Mckenzie leading the way with 11 yards on 6 carries and a touchdown.
In the receiving game, Mathew Sexton emerged as the standout performer for the Vipers, catching 2 passes for 119 yards, while Travis Koontz and Cam Sutton chipped in with 45 and 27 receiving yards, respectively.
Defensively, both teams made plays in the secondary. Marwin Evans and Jamar Summers each recorded an interception for the Vipers, while Qwynnterrio Cole snagged an interception for the Sea Dragons.
With the win, the Sea Dragons are one step closer to achieving XFL glory, as they prepare to battle the DC Defenders in the North Division Championship. The Vipers, on the other hand, will head into the offseason with a disappointing 2-8 record, looking to regroup and improve for next season.
XFL Box Score
