Avengers stumble into playoffs
by Tim Peterson
Published on May 31, 2004 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers
(Los Angeles)- Jason Wells booted a 30-yard field goal with no time remaining on the clock to send the Orlando Predators to a 52-50 win over the Los Angeles Avengers Sunday before 11, 508 at Staples Center.
The Avengers (9-7) still slipped into the playoffs through the back door however when New Orleans knocked off Austin 38-21 to give LA the eighth seed.
The Avengers will Travel to Arizona next week to take on the top seeded Rattlers in the opening round. LA split two games with Arizona this year with each team winning on the road.
After trailing 9-6 at the end of the first quarter, the Avengers jumped in front late in the second when Tony Graziani hit Chris Jackson on a nine-yard pass play for a 20-16 lead. The Predators rebounded with a 34-yard touchdown strike from Joe Hamilton to Anthony Bright to take a 23-20 lead at the break.
Damien Wheeler stepped in front of a Hamilton pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown with 12:44 left in the third period to give the advantage back to the Avengers at 27-23.
Orlando came back with a three-yard touchdown toss from Hamilton to Bret Cooper and a four-yard run by Michael Brown to assume a 37-27 lead. Graziani found Jackson open again- this time from ten yards out as LA cut the margin to three as the third quarter horn sounded.
The teams traded scores in the final quarter as the lead changed hands four times. Graziani went to his bread and butter again as he connected with Jackson on an eight-yard touchdown pass to give the Avengers a 50-49 lead with 13 seconds left.
The Predators took full advantage of the few remaining ticks. They used three plays to set up Wells for the field goal and he responded by splitting the uprights as the clock hit zeros to give the Predators the victory.
For Orlando, (10-6), it was the 13th consecutive year that they have qualified for post season. They will hit the road for Chicago to battle The Rush on Sunday.
The Avengers are hoping to find a way out of the doldrums. They lost three of their last five games to close out the regular season.
OR 9 14 14 15 - 52 LA 6 14 7 23 - 50
Passing: OR- Hamilton 20-38-312-5-1, LA-Graziani 22-28-216-5-1
Total Yards: OR- 341, LA- 215.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 31, 2004
- This time a win was not enough - OSC Original by David Holusha
- Avengers stumble into playoffs - OSC Original by Tim Peterson
- 2004 regular season total attendance up 25 percent - AFL I
- Soul drop season finale, 69-54 - Philadelphia Soul
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