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Seahawks Reserve Leads Dragons To Wlaf Title Kitna Passes For 401 Yards, Two Scores

Associated Press

Jon Kitna threw for two touchdowns in a record-setting performance, and Terry Wilburn ran for two more as the Barcelona Dragons beat the Rhein Fire 38-24 Sunday to win the World Bowl.

Kitna, allocated from the Seattle Seahawks, set a World Bowl record by passing for 401 yards as the Dragons shredded the Fire defense before a crowd of 31,100 in Olympic Stadium. He completed 23 of 31 passes for a game-record 74.2 percent.

“Anytime you play you want to win the championship. It’s the pinnacle,” said Kitna. “It’s been a memorable 3-1/2 months over here.”

His Rhein counterpart, T.J. Rubley of the Denver Broncos, ran for two scores. But he was pressured constantly by Barcelona’s defense.

The Fire finished 7-3 in the regular season to lead the WLAF, the six-team European-based developmental league of the NFL. Barcelona (5-5), qualified for the championship game by winning the first half of the split season.

Kitna, from Central Washington University, completed 12 of 16 passes for 213 yards in the first half.

German soccer player Manfred Burgsmuller put the Fire ahead with a 31-yard field on the first possession of the game. But Wilburn’s 13-yard run midway through the first period gave the Dragons the lead for good.

Dragons 38, Fire 24

Rhein 3 14 0 7 - 24

Barcelona 14 14 7 3 - 38

First quarter Rhein-FG Burgsmuller 31, 4:47.

Bar-Wilburn 13 run (Angoy kick), 6:34.

Bar-Brooks 16 interception return (Angoy kick), 11:05.

Second quarter Rhein-Rubley 3 run (Burgsmuller kick), :58.

Bar-Martos 66 pass from Kitna (Angoy kick), 2:59.

Bar-Browning 40 pass from Kitna (Angoy kick), 9:01.

Rhein-Rubley 1 run (Burgsmuller kick), 13:13.

Third quarter Bar-Wilburn 4 run (Angoy kick), 12:54.

Fourth quarter Rhein-Foster 22 pass from Rubley (Burgsmuller kick), 1:29.

Bar-FG Angoy 34, 6:11.

A-31,100.

Rhein Bar First downs 21 27 Rushes-yards 29-148 29-119 Passing 139 394 Punt Returns 0-0 2-15 Kickoff Returns 6-121 5-89 Interceptions Ret. 1-26 2-16 Comp-Att-Int 11-30-2 23-31-1 Sacked-Yards Lost 1-18 1-7 Punts 5-38.8 2-34.0 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-1 Penalties-Yards 8-71 10-55 Time of Possession 29:01 30:59 Individual statistics RUSHING-Rhein, Clark 11-54, Rubley 6-41, Carter 9-35, Powers 3-18. Barcelona, Hicks 15-68, Wilburn 10-44, Kitna 4-7.

PASSING-Rhein, Rubley 11-30-2-157. Barcelona, Kitna 23-31-1-401.

RECEIVING-Rhein, Foster 4-57, Schroeder 2-36, Ofodile 1-24, Bailey 1-11, Clark 1-11, Dritlein 1-11, Rhodes 1-7. Barcelona, Wilburn 5-77, Davis 4-96, Martos 4-83, Browning 4-76, Wilson 2-46, Burnett 2-21, Hicks 2-2.

MISSED FIELD GOALS-Barcelona, Angoy 37 (WL).