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Brigade gets convincing 52-41 over Grand Rapids

April 14, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Kansas City Brigade News Release


KANSAS CITY - Prior to the first meeting of the Brigade and Rampage, Kansas City was in the top-10 of many offensive and defensive categories while Grand Rapids ranked near the bottom of the league. And as the old adage goes, the numbers rarely lie. In front of 11,288 at Kemper Arena, the Brigade took a convincing 52-41 victory over the Rampage to extend its franchise-best winning streak to three (GAME STATS).

Kansas City (4-2) is 3-1 in the Central Division with two upcoming division games. The team travels to Nashville next Saturday, April 21, to face the Kats at 7 p.m. at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

On a night of big plays in all phases of the game, the Brigade was powered by Offensive Player of the Game Raymond Philyaw and one of his new favorite targets, Boo Williams.

Philyaw threw a season-best six touchdowns for the second week in a row and finished the game completing 22-of-32 passes for 247 yards. Williams crammed a game's worth of scores into just the first half alone with four touchdowns-three receiving and one rushing.

The Brigade struck first with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Philyaw to Williams on its opening possession. The touchdown was set up on a drive that saw Philyaw find Ira Gooch for three key receptions and an 11-yard pass to Jerel Myers that helped move the chains.

That score was not enough to satisfy the Brigade as they forced and a fumble on Grand Rapids first play of the game that was recovered by Defensive Player of the Game Isaiah Trufant. Another Philyaw laser perfectly reeled in by Williams set the tone and extended the Brigade's early advantage to 13-0.

The Rampage attempted to make it a game when they scored to pull Grand Rapids within a touchdown, but on the Brigade's next drive, Philyaw hooked up with Gooch yet again-this time for a 31-yard bomb that made it 20-6.

Philyaw picked apart Grand Rapids' defense all night, completing 8-of-11 passes for 77 yards and three touchdowns just in the game's first quarter.

Grand Rapids opened the second quarter with an elongated drive thanks to two Brigade pass interference calls. On their sixth play inside the 5-yard-line, the Rampage finally found the end zone. Yet Kenny McEntyre refused to let the drive hinder his team and blocked the extra point attempt, running it back for two points and limiting the drive to just a four-point swing.

Having already scored two points, the Brigade still received the ball. On that drive and with a Rampage defender in his face, Williams pulled in his third touchdown grab of the game, this time on a 30-yard score that saw him wrestle the ball away and power into the end zone. Williams knack for reaching pay dirt pushed the score 29-13 in favor of the Brigade.

Philyaw marched the Brigade deep into Rampage territory behind consecutive passes to Myers and contributions on both the rushing and receiving end from Gooch. With less than a minute left in the half, Williams took to the ground for a change and the result was the same: touchdown Brigade.

The second half was not even a minute old when a Rampage touchdown pulled Grand Rapids within three-the closest the Brigade would let their opponents get all night.

Momentarily, the Rampage seemed to be picking up steam. They recovered a Brigade fumble on Kansas City's next drive and were looking to close the gap.

But just when momentum appeared to be swaying in Grand Rapids' favor, Trufant recovered another fumble to stifle the Rampage's surge and put the ball back in the Brigade's hands.

Trufants efforts paid dividends soon after. Rookie Cecil Moore, in his first Arena Football game, made his 6-2 frame appear 7-feet-tall when he leaped above his defender to pull in a touchdown. Clay Rush's extra point gave the Brigade a 42-33 advantage midway through the third quarter.

The Rampage were determined to answer but the Brigade defense remained as hungry as ever. After several attempts to score, the Rampage found themselves in a fourth-and-goal situation. As Grand Rapids Ronney Daniels attempted to scamper into the end-zone, Trufant forced a fumble off a crunching hit that B.J. Cohen recovered.

Off the turnover, the Brigade found the ball in their hands to open the game's final quarter and Philyaw's continuous rapport with Gooch put Kansas City in familiar territory inside the Rampage 15 yard line.

The result was far from surprising as Gooch eventually reeled in another score. Making up for a dropped touchdown pass just one play earlier, Gooch leaped to grab the ball and was sent crashing into the end zone wall. His disregard for fear resulted in a 49-33 lead and increased the pressure on Grand Rapids with 10:54 left to play.

The Rampage were looking to rally, but the Brigade thwarted an onside kick attempt and ate up clock on its next possession. A 24-yard Clay Rush field goal gave the Brigade an 11-point advantage with 2:46 remaining.

Trufant and Cohen proved to be a lethal defensive combo once again on the Rampage's final drive. As time was expiring, Trufant broke up a pass in the end zone to set up fourth-and-goal with 11 seconds left. With the crowd on its feet in support, Cohen ensured they would leave victorious as he sealed the win with a flattening sack and charged to the opposite end of the field, helmet raised in celebration.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 14, 2007


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