Sports stats



Brigade Purrfect Versus Kats, Wins at Nashville 58-52

April 22, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Kansas City Brigade News Release


KANSAS CITY - On more than one occasion this season the Kansas City Brigade has been in a position to win a game on the last possession. Against the Nashville Kats, in a contest with 14 lead changes but no ties, the Brigade offense took the lead with 39 seconds left and the defense held strong to preserve the team's first road win of the season, 58-52 Saturday night at the Gaylord Entertainment Center. Now 3-10 on the season, the Brigade stays on the road to play the Tampa Bay Storm next Saturday at 6:30 p.m. (CST).

Kansas City held a nine point lead at the start of the second half, but Nashville came out of the locker room ready to play and took a 35-30 lead just six minutes into the half. On its ensuing possession, Kansas City faced a third-and-short in its own territory but elected to pass instead of run. Chris Sanders nearly fell dropping back in the pocket but recovered and swung the ball out to the left to James Jordan, who cut to the right past two Kats defenders and gave a third a stiff arm to complete a 30-yard touchdown catch. MacKenzie Hoambrecker converted the extra point for a two-point Kansas City advantage.

Jordan repeated the feat after another Kats touchdown as the Brigade was backed up on in its own territory. On second and 20 from the Kansas City 12 yard line, Jordan caught Sanders' pass in the middle of the field, put a stiff arm on his defender and ran untouched to the end zone for a 38-yard touchdown and a 44-42 lead.

The game of one-upmanship continued on the Brigade's next drive after Nashville found the end zone. In the highlight of the year, Sanders hit Aaron Boone on a 20-yard comeback route and he was immediately wrapped up by a Kats defender. Boone kept his legs churning, though, and broke that tackle as well as the arm tackle of another defender, and ran past two more Kats on his way to a 39-yard highlight-reel touchdown. Unfortunately, Hoambrecker's crucial extra point hit the right upright, so Kansas City's lead stood at 50-49.

Nashville could not keep the volley of one-hitter quitters going as the Brigade defense stiffened in crunch time. On third and nine from the Kansas City 11 yard line, Chris Pointer stepped in front of and knocked down a Clint Stoerner pass intended for Cory Fleming to force the Kats into a field goal attempt. Jason Witczak made the 26-yard attempt to give the Kats a 52-50 lead with four minutes left in the game.

Kansas City now had the ball with the opportunity to win. Sanders took the game in his hands and used his legs to give the Brigade the lead. On third and one from the Nashville 17 yard line, no receivers could get free but Sanders scrambled for three yards and a first down. On the very next play, Sanders stepped back after the snap but then ran to his left on a designed rush, gaining 13 yards to the Kats one yard line as the game reached the one-minute warning.

Sanders rushed twice more to force Nashville to use its remaining timeouts and looked to do the same on third down. But Sanders faked the rush and instead flipped it over the defense to a wide-open Sam Simmons for the go-ahead touchdown with 00:39 on the clock. A two-point conversion was vital to push the Brigade lead to six points. Sanders did it himself, rolling out to his right and then, finding no one open, charged into the end zone.

Hoambrecker's ensuing kickoff veered to the right and bounced out of the end zone for a touchback, leaving the Kats with a 48-yard field. Stoerner's first pass was caught but the receiver could not get out of bounds and clocked ticked down below 20 seconds. Two more completions took Nashville to the Kansas City 18 yard line with the clock at nine seconds. After an incomplete pass in the end zone, the Kats had one final chance but Gillis Wilson knocked the ball down at the line to end the game.

The game was back-and-forth through the first quarter-and-a-half. Down by one point midway through the second quarter, the Brigade went deep on the first play from scrimmage for the one-hitter quitter. Chris Sanders waited in the pocket and let the ball go right before the pressure found him. Jerel Myers ran the deep post pattern and found the ball in his arms as he closed in on the wall. MacKenzie Hoambrecker converted the extra point for a 20-14 advantage.

The Kats attempted an onside kick after a touchdown before the one-minute warning and Kansas City did not let the opportunity for a short field escape as the Brigade recovered it. Sanders rushed twice from the Nashville seven yard line, scoring from two yards out. Hoambrecker gave the Brigade another six point lead with 00:48 remaining in the first half.

Nashville would not need to stray from its formula and throw deep, as Hillery returned the kickoff to near midfield. However, the Brigade defense was stubborn, forcing the Kats into a fourth-and-nine from the Kansas City 12 yard line. Stoerner went to his OS, T.T. Tolliver, but Calvin Spears knocked down the pass at the goal line for a turnover on downs. Hoambrecker came on the field with two seconds left and calmly nailed a 34-yard field goal to give the Brigade a two-score lead going into the locker room.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 22, 2006


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