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Avengers Outscore Rampage, 75-71

April 29, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


LOS ANGELES - With nine minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Grand Rapids Rampage held an 18-point lead and appeared well on their way to earning their third victory of the season. The Los Angeles Avengers scored 20 straight points, however, eventually escaping with a 75-71 victory tonight.

Rampage receiver Timon Marshall (Kingston, Jamaica) set a team record with 403 all-purpose yards, breaking his own mark of 331 set earlier this season in a 69-79 loss to Las Vegas on March 8. The Arena Football League's all-purpose yards leader recorded 230 kickoff return yards and 173 receiving yards, earning Ironman of the Game honors.

Grand Rapids set a good pace to begin the game, taking a 14-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. Marshall caught a 22-yard pass from quarterback Chad Salisbury (Perryopolis, Pa.) to start the night's scoring. Then, following a Remy Hamilton 28-yard field goal for Los Angeles, area native Jerome Riley (Los Angeles, Calif.) caught his first of two touchdown receptions. The 11-point early edge proved a bad omen for the Rampage once again, however. Grand Rapids is 0-4 this season when leading after one quarter.

Los Angeles quarterback Sonny Cumbie scored on a fourth-down bootleg rush less than one minute into the second quarter, cutting Grand Rapids' lead to four. Cumbie won Offensive Player of the Game honors, passing for an additional seven touchdowns.

Marshall restored Grand Rapids' 11-point lead with a 20-yard reception at 11:18 of the second quarter. Then, following a three-yard touchdown rush from Avengers fullback Lonnie Ford, Marshall scored again with a heads-up play. As Rampage receiver Ronney Daniels (Lake Wales, Fla.) dove towards the Los Angeles goal line, defensive back Damen Wheeler popped the ball free and into the end zone. Marshall dove on top of the ball along the back wall, giving the Rampage a 28-17 lead. Daniels later left the game after suffering a back injury in the third quarter.

After an interception by Chuck Wesley (East Orange, N.J.), the Rampage took their largest lead of the night when fullback/linebacker Chris Ryan (Lake Charles, La.) powered in for a score from two yards out. Los Angeles appeared to close the half's scoring when Cumbie hit rookie Robert Quiroga for a seven-yard touchdown with just one second remaining. But Marshall struck once again, returning the ensuing kick 56 yards for his fourth kickoff return for a touchdown on the season.

Los Angeles turned momentum in its favor in the third quarter, turning an 18-point deficit into a two-point lead. After each team traded early scores, Avengers receiver Kevin Ingram caught his first of two touchdown passes with just under nine minutes remaining in the third, cutting the Rampage lead to 49-38. Then, Hamilton surprised Grand Rapids with a bounding onside kick which the Avengers recovered. A second Ford rushing touchdown sliced the visitors' lead to a slim four points.

On Grand Rapids' next drive, Salisbury turned the ball over when his pass attempt was tipped at the line high into the air and Avengers linebacker Brandon Perkins intercepted the floating ball. Los Angeles took its first lead of the night on a Cumbie touchdown pass to Quiroga.

Each team traded field goals to start the fourth quarter. Riley's second touchdown reception from Salisbury gave the Rampage a 59-54 edge, their last lead of the night. Salisbury finished the game going 27-of-40 with 297 passing yards and eight passing touchdowns, which tied a personal record he set earlier in the year against Las Vegas.

Avengers head coach Ed Hodgkiss pulled another trick out of his hat to put the game out of reach, however. Following another Quiroga touchdown strike, Los Angeles kicker Hamilton executed a perfect drag onside kick, recovering the ball himself exactly 10 yards past the goal line to give the home team the ball once again. The Avengers scored another time, taking a two-score 68-59 lead.

Marshall would catch two more touchdowns for Grand Rapids, but the team could not overcome Los Angeles. The Rampage fell to 2-6 on the season, and will welcome the 4-5 Nashville Kats next Saturday (May 5) at Van Andel Arena.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 29, 2007


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