Sports stats



Brigade gets home playoff game with win over Kats

June 16, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Kansas City Brigade News Release


KANSAS CITY (June 16) - The Brigade weren't quite ready to say goodbye to its Kansas City fans, using a stout defense to guarantee a home playoff game with the team's 66-63 win over the Nashville Kats on Saturday night at Kemper Arena.

The Brigade (10-5) will play the franchise's first playoff game at the Hangar, where it was 6-2 this regular season. Additionally, Saturday's win makes the stakes higher for next week's season finale at Chicago. The game will be for the Central Division crown as Kansas City owns the tiebreaker over the Rush with its season-opening victory.

Behind an interception return and an onside kickoff return for touchdowns, the Brigade only trailed in the first quarter and frequently held 10- and 12-point leads. Raymond Philyaw accounted for 242 yards and five touchdown passes and Charles Frederick scored twice on the ground.

Philyaw and Ira Gooch hooked up for an early score on the game's initial play from scrimmage after Jerel Myers' opening kickoff put the Brigade on Nashville's 13-yard line. The Brigade would soon be looking at a 14-7 deficit, but with the ball back halfway through the first quarter a 25-yard Gary Kral field goal inched Kansas City closer at 14-10.

On the ensuing kickoff, Kral continued his contributions by smacking Nashville's return man against the boards, preventing the Kats second return for a touchdown. It took only one play for the Brigade to regain the lead. Nashville's Matt Kohn attempted a long wide receiver screen, but Kenny McEntyre robbed him for a 33-yard pick-six that sent Kansas City into the second quarter ahead 17-14.

McEntyre made sure that momentum would continue to swing his team's way when, on Nashville's opening drive of the second quarter, he picked off Kohn for his second interception of the game. The pair of picks marks the third time this season McEntyre has intercepted the opposition at least twice. Philyaw kept the ball rolling when he hit Frederick with a deep pass and followed it up by connecting with the receiver for a score, making it 24-14.

Philyaw remained calm, cool and efficient - he completed 13-of-22 first half passes and 20-of-32 overall - and orchestrated a drive that culminated with a Frederick touchdown run to extend the Brigade lead to 30-20.

The two teams then exchanged scores before halftime, with Philyaw's third touchdown of the half - a 23-yard pass to Myers - the last strike for a 37-27 lead.

Dan Alexander - who had a league record six touchdowns against the Brigade in their first game this season - was held to just one score in the opening half but hit pay dirt despite being stuffed several times by Brigade defenders on the Kats' opening drive of the second half.

When the Brigade lead dwindled to 37-34 and was in danger of disappearing altogether, the defense stepped up and put Nashville in the shadow of its own end zone. The Brigade line pressured Kohn the entire game and this particular drive he couldn't escape Arrion Dixon's grasp and was finally dropped for a safety.

With a five-point advantage and the ball, Philyaw connected with Myers again for a 9-yard touchdown to extend the Brigade lead to double digits, 46-34.

Proving tough to put away, the Kats kept it close every time the Brigade tried to build upon its leads. When Kansas City got the ball back at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Nashville had pulled within five points behind a drive that ate nearly six minutes off the clock. But Frederick quickly extended the lead again with a short touchdown scamper. With less than 10 minutes remaining, Kansas City owned a 53-41 advantage.

Throughout the final quarter the Brigade and Kats continued to trade scores right down to the final minute. Nashville pulled within a field goal with less than three minutes remaining, but that margin widened just seconds later when Denario Smalls returned the onside kick for a touchdown to make the score 66-56.

To make matters worse for the Kats, Jerry Turner got after Kohn for his second sack of the night and the third overall for the Brigade to ignite the 13,596 in attendance. On the next three plays, Brigade defensive linemen, including Turner again, put Kohn on his back.

• Discuss this story on the Arena Football League (1987-2008) message board...

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 16, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central