NORMAL, Ill. - Former Illinois State wide receiver Jason Horton helped his Austrian Football League (AFL) team, the Danube Dragons, to the AFL title on Friday by way of a 28-21 victory over the Tyrolean Raiders in Austrian Bowl XXVI in Innsbruck, Austria.
Horton led all receivers in the game with seven receptions for a season-high 165 yards and scored the game's first touchdown. He hauled in a 19-yard touchdown pass from Danube quarterback Eric Marty at the 4:44 mark in the first quarter to give the Dragons a quick 7-0 lead and later hauled in a 46-yard pass from Marty. Danube controlled the rest of the half and took a 14-7 lead into halftime and scored a touchdown in each of the final two quarters to come away with the 28-21 victory in the championship.
Horton finished his first season in the AFL with 56 catches for 949 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also returning punts and kickoffs for the Dragons. After not playing organized football for over two years, Horton was gracious for his opportunity and enjoyed his team's run to the championship.
"After two years of not playing football, watching it on TV and going to games, I decided that I would give it another chance and decided to come to Europe to start all over again," Horton said. "We finished the regular season with only one loss and were ranked No. 1 in the country of Austria. We had a great squad this year and this was the first time that we have won the Austrian Bowl in the 25 years that this organization has been around. The game itself was great and the atmosphere was electric with over 4,000 people in attendance. This was my first ever championship and I am very proud to have helped the organization build itself into a well known club, not only in Austria, but in Europe."
A four-year letterwinner for the Redbirds (2004-07), Horton currently ranks fifth all-time in the ISU record books in receptions (121) and is sixth in touchdown receptions (13) and receiving yards (1,778). Horton played in all 13 games during the Redbirds' playoff run in 2006 and posted career-best numbers in his senior season in 2007, with 40 catches for 637 yards and four touchdowns.
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