Avengers Fall Short in Nashville 51-48

by Tim Peterson
April 17, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers


(Nashville)- The Los Angeles Avengers were playing with heavy hearts Sunday in their first game without Al Lucas who passed away last week. Although they gave a gallant effort, they came up short against the Nashville Kats 51-48 at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

The Avengers took a 48-43 lead with 1:16 left in the game after John Kaleo hit Khori Ivy with a 14-yard touchdown pass. But the Kats responded with a 17 yard drive that took five plays after recovering an onside kick. Rupert Grant blasted in from the one to finish the march and then they added the two point conversion to go up 51-48 lead with just nine seconds left.

The Avengers had a chance to tie when Remy Hamilton lined up for a 54-yard field goal with one second left but the snap was bad and they couldn't get the kick off.

Leon Murray hooked up with T.T. Tolliver on a 45 yard touchdown pass and Jarrcik Hillery returned a kick off 57 yards for a touchdown top give the Kats a 14-6 lead after one period.

Kaleo connected with wide receiver Kevin Ingram for a pair of scores in the second quarter as the teams went into halftime tied at 20. Kaleo found Greg Hopkins alone for a touchdown strike with over eight minutes left in the third to give a LA a 27-23 advantage. Hopkins caught two touchdown passes on the day.

The teams traded touchdowns the rest of the way as the outcome was in doubt until the last second when the snap went high foiling Hamilton's field goal bid.

Kaleo finished the day 25 of 35 for 304 yards and six touchdowns while Kat QB Murray was 19 of 27 for 227 and four scores. Neither quarterback threw an interception and the game was played without a turnover. Ingram caught six passes for 42 yards for LA to go along with his two scores.

There was a moment of silence in tribute to Lucas before the game as there was through out Arena Football games across the league. Both teams wore the number 76 on their sleeves and Avenger lineman wore Lucas' number 76 jersey in memory of his teammate.

The Avengers dropped to 6-5 with the loss while the Kats improved to 3-7-1 with the victory.

The Avengers will return home Saturday night to take on the Chicago Rush at Staples Center.

Nashville 14 6 9 22 51

LA 6 14 14 14 48



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 17, 2005


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