Avengers Derail Detroit 62-55
by Tim Peterson - Mid Valley News
April 17, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers
(Los Angeles)- The Los Angeles Avengers bounced back from last week's crushing loss to Colorado by outscoring the Detroit Fury 62-55 Friday night before 11, 125 at Staples Center.
A loss would have put the Avengers back to .500 but instead they remained on track for a playoff berth improving to 6-4.
"The way the rest of the league is this year I think we'll need at least ten wins to get in," said receiver/ linebacker Greg Hopkins. "I don't think 8-8 will get it done."
The Avengers scored on every possession and stopped the Fury once in the first period and it was the difference in the game. They held a 14-6 lead at the end of the first quarter and maintained at least a one touchdown lead throughout the contest.
Quarterback Tony Graziani had another stellar performance for LA, completing 22 of 32 for 369 yards and eight touchdowns. He did not throw an interception for the ninth game this year and has tossed only one all season.
Chris Jackson was on the receiving end of three Graziani's scoring strikes including two in the second quarter. He hauled in an 11 yard pass to put the Avengers up 21-13 with eight minutes remaining.
The Fury came back on the following possession when Andy Kelly found Carl Bond in the left corner of the end zone for a 14 yard score.
Graziani connected with Jackson again, this time from a yard out just before the break to give the Avengers a 28-20 lead at the half.
The Avengers have been hurt by the kickoff return all year and Friday was no different. In the third quarter Detroit's Ron Carpenter exploded for a 52-yard touchdown return to cut LA's lead to 42 -34.
Carpenter got loose again in the fourth period, returning a Remy Hamilton kickoff back 54 yards for a touchdown. But LA continued to score on each possession to hold the Fury off.
"Obviously we have some things we still need to fix," said Avenger coach Ed Hodgkiss. "On kickoff returns we've been really good for four weeks and now we had a bad game. So it's something we're going to have to focus on again."
Graziani threw two more touchdowns in the final period to keep The Fury at bay. He hit Hopkins for 23 yards with 9:41 left and then found Russell Shaw from five yards out with over three minutes remaining.
Kelly completed 20 of 30 for 216 yards and two touchdowns for Detroit. Receiver Thabiti Davis caught nine balls for 99 yards.
Jackson was the main weapon in LA's arsenal hauling in 10 receptions for 192 yards.
"It's always good when you win," Hodgkiss said "We've got six games left and we'd like to win them all but we need at least four."
Avenger owner Casey Wasserman was also pleased with the win. "It's always exciting when they come out and perform like they did tonight. It's great to get a win. We needed it. It's always a long week after a loss," Wasserman said.
Wasserman, who at 24 became the youngest person to ever own a professional sports team when he acquired the Avengers back in 1998, may have his eye on bigger endeavors in the future. "I'd love to (bring an NFL team to LA) but it's a long process. I'm young. That's the only advantage I have is that I'm younger than everybody else," Wasserman added.
Detroit 6 14 14 21 55
LA 14 14 20 14 62
Passing: Det. - Kelly 20-30-216-2-0, LA- Graziani 22-32-359-8-0.
Total Yards: Det. - 227, LA- 367.
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