Avengers Claim First Western Division Crown
by Tim Peterson
May 15, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers
(Los Angeles)- The Los Angeles Avengers defense stopped Las Vegas on fourth and one on their own five yard line with 34 seconds left and held on to beat the Gladiators 63-60 Saturday night before 11, 873 at Staples Center. With the victory the Avengers clinched their first Western Division championship and a home game in the first round of the playoffs on May 29.
"It feels great. It's something we've been gearing for since we've been a franchise and something I've been gearing for since I came here," said Avenger coach Ed Hodgkiss of his team's first Division championship. "Our ultimate goal is to win the Arena Bowl but this is a big step in getting there."
Las Vegas got the ball back with 1:34 left on the clock after Michale Spicer's one yard run put LA up by three. They moved it down to the five where they faced a fourth and one.
They opted to go for the first down instead of a potential game tying field goal and gave the ball to fullback Marlion Jackson up the middle. Jackson was met first by Spicer and then a host of Avengers including Greg Hopkins and Lonnie Ford. The Gladiators received a generous spot but a measurement by the chain gang proved it to be short. The Avengers erupted in celebration and it was party time at the big house on Figueroa.
"That was big time. It was short by less than an inch," Hodgkiss said. "The defense came up with two huge stops. One in the first half and that one in the second half."
With the way both offenses were performing, a couple of stops were all that was needed. Los Angeles quarterback John Kaleo threw five touchdown passes including three in the first half to Hopkins covering 30, seven and 23 yards.
The Gladiators kept pace as Clint Dolezel tossed seven touchdowns on the night. He completed 34 of 44 for 350 yards. Las Vegas intercepted Kaleo once in the first half and led 41-35 at the break.
Kevin Ingram caught a three yard touchdown pass from Kaleo to open the third quarter and give LA a 42-41 lead but Vegas came right back with a three yard run by Marcus Nash to regain the lead.
The teams traded touchdowns the rest of the way until came up with the critical stop at the end.
Nash was a thorn in the Avenger's side all evening long as he caught 12 passes for 132 yards and four touchdowns. The Avengers had four rushing touchdowns in the contest as Ford scored two and Spicer and Josh Jeffries each had one.
"We have some good runners. Anytime you can run the ball in Arena football you can burn some time off the clock and make it frustrating for the defense," Kaleo said.
Jackson busted off a 46-yard touchdown romp with 8:14 left in the game to give the Gladiators a 60-56 advantage before the Avengers jumped back in front with 2:27 left on Spicer's run.
The Avengers are now looking forward to some home cooking for the opening round of the playoffs.
"It's very important to be at home. It makes a playoff game seem like a regular season game," Spicer said. "When you go on the road you have all that travel and hotel rooms and it's different."
"You got to love the ninth man," Kaleo said of the Avenger fans. "This is huge for us to get the win and host a first round playoff game."
The Avengers don't know as of yet who that first round opponent will be but they do know it will be in front of the home fans at Staples Center.
LV 14 27 7 12 60
LA 14 21 14 14 63
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 15, 2005
- Crush win Central Division title - Colorado Crush
- Destroyers take Soul out of Philly - Columbus Destroyers
- Rush fail to clinch playoff spot in 51-40 loss to Rampage - Chicago Rush
- Late Field Goal lifts Columbus to 55-52 win over Soul - Philadelphia Soul
- Storm Extinguish Dragons to Open Playoff Door - Tampa Bay Storm
- Gladiators fall to Avengers, 63-60 - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Rampage stop Rush, 51-40 - Grand Rapids Rampage
- Avengers Claim First Western Division Crown - OSC Original by Tim Peterson
- Rattlers sting SaberCats - Arizona Rattlers
- Rattlers Defeat SaberCats 54-44 - San Jose SaberCats
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