Brigade Dominates Second Half, Marches to 62-45 Victory over LA

April 9, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Kansas City Brigade News Release


KANSAS CITY-The Kansas City Brigade pushed the pedal to the floor and never let up, showing grit and determination in a much-deserved win today. The offense scored on every possession on a record-setting day and the defense stopped the Los Angeles Avengers twice on downs to complete a 62-45 victory in front of 15,173 at Kemper Arena. The Brigade moves to 2-9 on the season and faces the defending ArenaBowl champion Colorado Crush next Sunday at noon at Kemper Arena in a nationally televised game on NBC.

Kansas City set the tone on the first play from scrimmage. Chris Sanders went downfield to his go-to receiver, Aaron Boone, for a 40-yard completion. Sanders took the next snap and ran a sweep to the right only to meet resistance. He changed direction and picked up a huge block to waltz into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown. MacKenzie Hoambrecker's extra point made the score 7-0 only 1:22 into the game.

On the Avengers first possession, the defense forced them into a third-and-three. Calvin Spears batted away the pass from Sonny Cumbie, but Kevin Ingram was trailing the play and caught the tip in stride, reminiscent of Franco Harris' ‘Immaculate Reception'. He ran untouched for a 35-yard touchdown. Remy Hamilton's extra point tied the game before it reached the 10-minute mark.

Sam Simmons returned the ensuing kickoff to the Kansas City 18 yard line and Sanders completed two passes to Jerel Myers and Boone, to move across midfield. Sanders looked for Boone in the end zone on the next play and got a pass interference call to move to ball into the red zone. Sanders used his legs on the next play to freeze the defense, allowing Myers to get behind his man for a wide-open seven-yard touchdown. Hoambrecker's extra point hit the upright to keep the Brigade's lead at six points midway through the first quarter.

The Avengers looked to answer, but Chris Pointer put a stop to the drive. He forced an Antoine Burns fumble near midfield that was recovered by Rob Johnson. A roughing-the-passer penalty on the turnover pushed the offense back, but Sanders completed five of six passes, the last a seven-yard touchdown to Boone in the middle of the end zone. Hoambrecker converted the extra point for a 20-7 lead near the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was a flurry of touchdowns as the teams combined for 35 points. The Brigade and Avengers traded scores before Kansas City looked like it hit had a wall on its second drive of the quarter. Left with few other good options, the Brigade went for it on fourth-and-seven at midfield. Boone ran the only deep pattern and Sanders found him in the end zone to give Kansas City a two-score lead as the first half neared conclusion.

The Avengers took their first lead of the game on the opening possession of the second half on an 11-play, 47-yard drive that consumed over seven minutes of the third quarter. With its lead gone, the Brigade needed to answer LA. Chris Sanders was flawless, completing all five of his pass attempts, finishing with a six-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Boone. MacKenzie Hoambrecker hit the extra point to put the Brigade back up by six, 41-35 with less than three minutes to play in the third quarter.

The Kansas City defense put a stop to what had been a back-and-forth game on the Avengers ensuing drive. Sonny Cumbie led the offense into the red zone before Chris Pointer got in the way. He stayed right with his man into the end zone and turned around just in time to intercept the pass, but he was called for pass interference. On the next play, the last of the third quarter, Cumbie fumbled the snap and was taken down by Bryan Henderson and Cyron Brown. The Avengers could not make any progress as they switched ends of the field, and Hamilton converted a 20-yard field on fourth down to get within three at 41-38.

The Brigade was more comfortable with a double-digit lead and the offense made it happen. On the first play from scrimmage after the kickoff, Sanders hit Jordan for 33 yards to the LA six yard line and a trick play got Kansas City into the end zone. Boone was the motion man and came off the line to block the defender in front of Jerel Myers, who took a long pitch for a three-yard touchdown and a 10-point lead.

The game turned on the Avengers ensuing drive. A defensive penalty on the end of the previous score forced LA to start inside its own five and the Brigade defense would not let it get any farther. A sack by Gillis Wilson on the first play pushed the ball back inside the two yard line and Spears knocked away a gutsy downfield pass on fourth down to give Kansas City the ball.

The offense did not have to stay on the field very long as Sanders took the snap on the second play and flipped a pass in front of Boone for a quick three-yard touchdown and a 55-38 lead.

The defense went back to work to try and close the door on LA. The pressure from the defensive line left Cumbie with no time to throw and a sack by Brown on the first play put the ball in the shadow of the Avengers own goal line. On fourth-and-15 from his own two, Cumbie could only get the ball out for a seven-yard completion to turn it over on downs for the second possession in a row.

The Brigade used another two-play drive to get into the end zone again. Sanders hit Myers for five yards and finished the drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to Boone for a 62-38 lead with three minutes left in the game.

Notables
- LA was the first team with a losing record the Brigade played this season
- The Brigade scored its most points of the season, besting the 59 points it put up against Tampa Bay
- Aaron Boone set franchise single-game records for receptions (13), receiving yards (157) and receiving touchdowns (5)
- Jerel Myers has scored at least one touchdown in nine of 11 games
- Chris Sanders rushed for a touchdown for the fourth straight game, and he completed 81 percent of his passes to set a franchise single-game high
- Calvin Spears' four pass breakups is a franchise single-game high
- This game marked the first comeback win in franchise history
- Tomorrow the team will work at a Habitat for Humanity site in East Kansas City

Quotes
Head Coach Kevin Porter
On Sanders: "When you're a backup quarterback you try to seize the day and he has."

"The character of the whole team shows on the field. After five games we started having some issues so we made some changes. The last three games have been completely different and the new additions to the team have certainly helped."

"It all happens for us in practice and they have competed hard against each other there and it shows. In games now guys are out there enjoying themselves, which makes them more focused and intense. Plus, now they know everyone has their teammate's back."

QB Chris Sanders
"Guys tell me to calm down and act like I've been here before, but I haven't been here and I always play emotional. I am still a young quarterback with lots of energy, but you can't calm me down. That's just how I am."

"We've shown progress each week. Athletically right now, the five receivers we have on the field are tops among any team in Arena Football."

"Aaron (Boone) is a great go-to guy and can go up for any ball."

OS Aaron Boone
"All through my career, the only way to get better is to work. I love coming to practice. This was really only my second game in Arena Football. I ask the veterans and coaches for help, and listen and learn."

"Chris (Sanders) and I have great chemistry. Plus, the entire receiving corps complements each other very well. We have strong receivers, and small and fast receivers, but all make plays."

DS Calvin Spears
"Up front on the line all of our new guys make the DB and DS jobs a lot easier. The players we've added have certainly helped BJ (Cohen) and the pressure on the quarterback today was outstanding."



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 9, 2006


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