Avengers Slayed by Dragons
by Tim Peterson
Published on April 24, 2006 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers
(Los Angeles) - Nick Browder hit Mike Horacek in the back of the end zone for a 12 yard touchdown pass with three seconds left and the New York Dragons went on to beat the Los Angeles Avengers 70-61 Sunday night before 9,852 disappointed fans at Staples Center.
After Browder's TD strike the Dragons' Stacy Evans sacked Sonny Cumbie in the endzone for a safety as time expired. The loss was the fifth straight for the Avengers and left them at 3-10 with three games remaining in a season that keeps getting longer.
"It's not a lot of fun losing. The players and the coaching staff have to come together and find a way to win," said Avenger Coach Ed Hodgkiss. "Winning cures all. Right now it's missed opportunities in one game or turnovers and another game it may be bad protection. There's always something that's killing us."
With the score tied at 61, the Avengers got the ball back at their own three yard line with 40 seconds left after a missed field goal by the Dragons. On first down quarterback Sonny Cumbie fired the ball down field for Tony Locke but Dahnel Singfield was running stride for stride with Locke.
Both players had their hands on the ball by Singfield came down with it for the interception at the New York four. Five plays later they cashed it in when Browder hit Horacek for the game winner.
"On that interception that's the only time I've ever under thrown a guy like that. That's a poor throw and you just have to move on," Cumbie said. "Those interceptions really killed us and that falls on my shoulders."
Early in the third quarter, Deshane Dennis picked off Cumbie and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown to give New York a 34-31 lead.
Ironically Cumbie had thrown 222 consecutive passes without an interception for a team record before the pick by Dennis.
Greg Hopkins fumbled early in the first quarter deep in Dragon territory and Andrew Tippins brought it back 40 yards for a score for a 13-7 New York lead after one. The Avengers recovered to take a 31- 27 lead at halftime. Cumbie threw touchdown passes of 11 and 32 yards to Locke and Kevin Ingram in the second quarter.
LA scored only once in the third period on a two yard bolt by Lonnie Ford. The Dragons led 40-38 heading into the final period.
The Avengers tied the game at 54 on a Cumbie to Ingram ten yard strike. They caught the Dragons again at 61 when Cumbie hooked up with Ingram from nine yards out. "These last few games K.I. (Ingram) and I have really gotten on the same page. That's something that's really been good," Cumbie said.
Cumbie threw for 267 yards and five touchdowns and Ingram caught seven passes for 136 yards and three scores.
In the end the Avengers simply ran out of time in the game and quite possible the season.
"We're going to be looking to see who continues to play hard in these next three games. If we see a young guy who might work out we're definitely going to get him in there," Hodgkiss added.
NY 13 14 13 30 70
LA 7 24 7 23 61
Passing: NY Browder 29-41-346-7-1, LA Cumbie 18-35-267-5-2.
Total Yards: NY- 356, LA - 297.
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- Avengers Slayed by Dragons - OSC Original by Tim Peterson
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