UNIONDALE, NY - A grueling 14-month rehab finally paid off for Aaron Garcia last night. It was a familiar sight for Dragons fans, as the starting quarterback took the field wearing his usual No. 8 black-and-red Dragons jersey.

The last time Garcia was in a full uniform in a game was Feb. 26, 2006, when one of the Arena Football League’s all-time leading passers was helped off the Nassau Coliseum turf after he fractured his tibia. After a long recovery from his California home, he returned from his career-threatening injury and promptly connected on his first pass attempt.

That strike to Mike Horacek set the tone for the rest of the evening, as the Dragons scored 33 points off five turnovers in a 67-45 home victory over the Arizona Rattlers. Garcia’s return helped snap a four-game losing streak and his team their first win in three tries at the Coliseum. The 13-year veteran captured Offensive Player of the Game honors after throwing for 251 yards and seven touchdowns. His only mistake came early in the fourth quarter when Tony Lukins intercepted a pass in the end zone with the Rattlers trailing 48-39.

“I was probably a little too excited early, but other than that, just to be back with what I call my second family, it was great,” Garcia said. “I can’t give enough credit to the offensive line. They made it look easier than it probably is sometimes.

“These fans have been supportive the whole time,” he added. “It definitely has been something that helped me through the hard times.”

Coach Weylan Harding depended on Garcia to capture the 2005 Eastern Division championship. Nick Browder filled in for Garcia last season en route to a 10-win season and a wildcard spot, but former LSU star Rohan Davey struggled in taking over the offense at the start of this season. Davey showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie season but also struggled with turnovers as the Dragons fell behind in the conference standings.

With three of the next four contests on the road, Garcia and an opportunistic defense improved the Dragons to 2-6 and sustained their wildcard postseason hopes as the season reached the midway point. Billy Parker demonstrated the big-play ability that earned him a second-place finish in both Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2005.

The former Miami Dolphins practice squad player intercepted Sherdrick Bonner (22-44 for six touchdowns) twice and also recovered a fumble while Will Holder and Chris Anthony also added picks as the Dragons recorded their best defensive effort of 2007.

“It was a total team effort,” Parker said. “One thing after another… you can’t take one away, because all of it mounts up together. We just kept the same pressure. Pressure busts pipes.”

DaShane Dennis electrified the announced crowd of 9,658 by returning the opening kickoff 57 yards for a touchdown. The teams exchanged scores throughout the first quarter, making it 14-all heading into the second. That’s when the Dragons pulled away, as Garcia found Anthony for the first of his two touchdown receptions on a 33-yard downfield strike. In his postgame remarks, Garcia highlighted that play as one of the times he felt like his comeback was complete.

“There was one down in the endzone when I hit Anthony—I really felt like I stayed in the pocket and had people around me and really didn’t think about the leg or anything like that, so that was good,” Garcia said.

Horacek, who finished with seven catches for 124 yards and four touchdowns, grabbed a 27-yard strike early in the quarter. Garcia and Horacek were one of AFL’s best passing-receiving tandems two years ago, and both said the chemistry is still there.

“Catching passes for me, it doesn’t matter. I have to catch the ball regardless,” Horacek said. “Aaron’s one of the best if not the best quarterback in Arena Football. He sets the standard for everybody else. It’s like he never left. He was very poised.”

Garcia finished 17-30 but most importantly shrugged off big hits. Defensive lineman Wendall Gaines drilled him with a big hit near the end of the first half, but the veteran passer jumped right back to his feet, prompting a sigh of relief from Harding. Overall, the offensive line led by Paul White and Rick Hall prevented Arizona (2-7) from sustaining pressure.

“The line did an excellent job as far as protecting him,” Harding said. “It was a total group effort. I can’t single one person out. It was a defensive effort, DaShane ran back that touchdown, we got pressure [and] we got sacks.”

The defense ensured Garcia’s homecoming was successful. After Lukins picked off Garcia, Holder picked up the slack. Two players after the first turnover, Holder corralled a wobbly pass while falling head-first into the sideboards. He immediately jumped up without being touched by a defender and raced into the endzone for the defensive touchdown.

On Arizona’s next play from scrimmage after the kickoff, Jeremiah Pharms batted Bonner’s pass at the line. Anthony jumped up and grabbed the ball in midair for the second consecutive interception. The WR/DB earned Ironman of the Game honors by catching Garcia’s touchdown two players late to turn a 48-39 lead into a 22-point cushion 8:29 into the final quarter.

Parker, who intercepted 10 passes in 2005, added his second of the night to prevent any hopes of a late Rattlers rally. His pick set up Jason Willis’ 27-yard score, giving Garcia seven touchdowns in his return.

“With him [Garcia] coming back the way things started with DaShane’s kick return, got things going,” Parker said. “Everything worked together. I don’t to say Aaron gave us a super lift because Rohan, there have been times when we got have helped him like that.”

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