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Brigade makes historic comeback in first-ever overtime game

March 31, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Kansas City Brigade News Release


KANSAS CITY (March 30) - One year ago the Brigade began its inaugural season 1-3 en route to a 3-13 record. In danger of repeating that history, Kansas City came out of its bye week a refueled machine.

Down 41-20 with four minutes left in the third quarter, the Brigade staged a comeback that brought life to the Kemper Arena crowd and subsequently the team's season. In its first overtime contest in franchise history, the Brigade defeated the Arizona Rattlers 62-61

On the first score that began the comeback, Raymond Philyaw connected with Jerel Myers on a 32-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 41-27.with 1:40 left in the third quarter.

The Brigade had created an opening and took advantage of it when DaShane Dennis recovered the onside kick from Clay Rush. With momentum beginning to turn in their favor, Philyaw set up his troops at the 23-yard-line before connecting with Charles Frederick for a 12-yard gain.

Frederick continued to prove his worth, this time on the ground, with a one-yard touchdown run to bring the Brigade within one score. Frederick is the only AFL player to currently lead his team in both receiving and rushing.

Defensive Player of the Game Denario Smalls capped off Kansas City's incredible comeback with a 42-yard interception return for the game-tying touchdown. After scoring 21 unanswered points, the Brigade - and the Kansas City crowd - had been brought back to life.

Arizona answered when Kevin McKenzie pulled in another touchdown pass, but their lead would only be six as kicker Gary Kral missed the extra point attempt.

Philyaw continued to be cool under fire on the Brigade's next possession. He hooked up with Boo Williams and Frederick and with the help of an Arizona penalty, the Brigade found itself in scoring position. On fourth down head coach Kevin Porter had a tough decision to make: go for it or kick? To the delight of the home crowd, Philyaw marched back on to the field and then into the end zone, and with Rush's extra point, the Brigade were ahead 48-47 with 4:26 left to play.

The momentum was squarely in Kansas City's corner, and the defense forced Arizona into a kicking situation on its next possession. The field goal attempt by Kral sailed wide left, but the Brigade was flagged for roughing the kicker. With a second chance to take the lead, the Rattlers set up on the three-yard line. Behind a crowd on their feet in unison, Byron Douzart recovered a fumble on a rush by Bo Kelly to give the Brigade the ball back.

Electrified, and with a one-point lead, Philyaw hit Williams for a 30-yard pass that put the Brigade on the Arizona 19-yard-line with 46 seconds left. Two plays later, Williams broke free for an 18-yard score to extend Kansas City's lead to 55-47.

Once a team that appeared to be heading toward their second straight 1-3 start, the Brigade had overcome a three-touchdown deficit and now nursed an eight-point lead with 31 seconds left. But it is Arena Football, so the game was by no means over.

Arizona's Trandon Harvey pulled in a touchdown pass with five seconds left, but the Rattlers needed a successful two-point conversion to tie. In the game's most important moment, Sherdrick Bonner silenced the crowd with a successful pass to force the Brigade's first-ever overtime game.

Williams pulled in his second touchdown catch on the first play of overtime to put the Brigade up 62-55. The receiver's seventh reception of the night was perhaps his and the team's most important of the season.

With Arizona needing to score to continue the game, Bonner found a wide open McKenzie for the tying touchdown. As all coaches know, the rule is overtime is when you're on the road, go for the win. Rattler head coach Gene Nudo did exactly that, but Dennis broke up the two-point conversion pass to seal the victory and cue the celebration.

Kansas City fell behind early when Arizona quarterback Bonner hit wide receiver Grant Steen for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. The score would be Arizona's first of two touchdowns to come off Kansas City turnovers.

With the ball in his hands, Philyaw found wide receiver Myers in the corner of the end-zone for a 19-yard touchdown pass, but a high snap caused kicker Rush's extra point attempt to hit the right upright and left the Brigade trailing 7-6.

Bonner then connected with wide receiver McKenzie for an 18-yard gain to place the Rattlers on the Brigade 15-yard line. He followed it up with a 12-yard pass to set up first-and-goal. The Arena Football League's all-time leading rusher, Kelly, pounded the ball in from two yards out for a score to extend the Rattlers' lead to 14-6.

Not ones to back down, the Brigade answered with a 19-yard touchdown reception by AFL Rookie of the Month Fredrick to conclude an eventful first quarter. Frederick continued to add to his collection of hardware as he was named the Ironman of the Game.

The score pulled the Brigade within one point of the Rattlers at 14-13. Kansas City looked to have more rhythm on the possession, powered by a four-yard Dawan Moss run and a determined reception by Williams.

Arizona return man Keyuo Craver bolted for a 35-yard return to place the Rattlers in favorable field position, but a chop block penalty moved the Rattlers back to their own 24-yard line. A 10-yard reception by Harvey set up another Kelly touchdown jaunt but the Rattlers' lead was limited after B.J. Cohen blocked the extra-point attempt.

Philyaw continued Kansas City's momentum and hooked up with Frederick for a 19-yard pass on the Brigade's ensuing possession but the receiver would fumble away the ball on a following play.

On Arizona's ensuing possession, Bonner tossed a 42-yard touchdown pass to Harvey, extending Arizona's lead to 27-13. Kansas City's backs were against the wall as they opened the second half. Trailing by two scores and with Arizona with the ball, the Brigade needed its defense to step it up. And did it ever.

On the first play of the drive, Douzart reeled in a deflected pass behind the line of scrimmage for an eight-yard touchdown that shortened the deficit to 27-20 and established a new attitude in the game's second half.

That aggressiveness continued on the ensuing kickoff when the Brigade pushed McKenzie out to the three-yard line to force the Rattler's to begin their next possession deep in their own territory.

Bonner and Kelly marched the Rattlers down the field on a drive accompanied by three Kansas City penalties - including two flags in a row that put Arizona on the Brigade's two-yard line. Soon after, Bonner hit McKenzie for a touchdown to extend Arizona's lead to 34-20.

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