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Blaze Escape with 63-56 Win over Rampage

June 1, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


GRAND RAPIDS - The Utah Blaze rattled off 28 consecutive first half points and held on late in a 63-56 victory over the Grand Rapids Rampage this afternoon. With their fourth win in their last five games, the Blaze moved ahead of the Rampage and into the sixth and final playoff spot in the Arena Football League's American Conference.

Utah scored the game's first points when receiver Huey Whittaker broke away from a Rampage tackle and sped 42 yards for a touchdown. But Grand Rapids receiver Kenny Higgins (Long Beach, Calif.) returned the favor, keeping his feet after a big hit and finding the end zone from 27 yards away.

The Blaze scored from long distance on their next drive as J.J. McKelvey caught a 49-yard bomb to give the visitors a 14-7 lead. Then a Rampage mishandled snap bounced into the hands of Utah linebacker Kelvin Morris who raced four yards to give the Blaze a two touchdown advantage at the end of the first quarter.

Another fumbled exchange at the beginning of the second quarter led to a Rampage turnover on downs deep in Utah territory. The Blaze took advantage, as fullback Rodney Filer plowed into the end zone for a six-yard score. Steve Videtich's ensuing kickoff then bounced off the crossbar and into the hands of Utah teammate Maurice Fountain. Filer's second consecutive touchdown of the game gave the Blaze a 35-7 lead midway through the second quarter.

A Cole Magner (Palmer, Alaska) four-yard touchdown catch ended Utah's streak of 28 straight points. But a Whittaker two-yard touchdown reception with just two seconds remaining in the first half sent the visitors to the locker room with a 42-14 advantage.

Grand Rapids cut into the Blaze lead early in the third quarter when Higgins caught his second touchdown pass of the night. But Utah's J'Sharlon Jones answered right back, returning the following kickoff 56 yards for the score.

Each team traded rushing touchdowns, as Higgins and Whittaker plunged across the goal line to make the score 56-28 in Utah's favor. An acrobatic 29-yard catch by Magner sent Grand Rapids into the fourth quarter down by three touchdowns and hoping for a miracle comeback.

The Rampage started things off right, as the defense logged its first stop and Higgins collected his second rushing touchdown of the night, making the score 56-42. Linebacker Jermaine Lewis (Waukegan, Ill.) then intercepted Blaze quarterback Joe Germaine, setting up a MacPherson three-yard touchdown run that brought Grand Rapids within a touchdown.

Time ran out on the Rampage, however. McKelvey's second touchdown catch of the night put Utah up by two possessions once again, forcing Grand Rapids to rely on an onside recovery following MacPherson's second touchdown rush. Whittaker successfully fielded the pop-up onside attempt by Rampage kicker Brian Gowins (Birmingham, Ala.), securing the victory.

With the victory, Utah's fourth in five games, the Blaze passed Grand Rapids for sixth place in the American Conference. Utah (4-10), whose four wins have come against each of the Central Division teams, will host the Los Angeles Avengers next week. Meanwhile, the Rampage will welcome the Colorado Crush next Saturday (June 7) in their final regular-season home game.

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