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Brigade roughs up defending champs to open second season

March 4, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Kansas City Brigade News Release


Kansas City, Mo. (March 4) - The second year of an expansion team should always be better than the first, and the Kansas City Brigade were presented with a great opportunity to prove it by opening the season at home against the defending ArenaBowl champion Chicago Rush. It could not have been any clearer that the Brigade improved tremendously in all facets during the off-season, as the offense and defense made plays when the team needed it most in a rousing 54-41 victory Sunday in front of 13,600 at Kemper Arena.

B.J. Cohen and Chris Demaree got after Rush quarterback Matt D'Orazio, forcing a fumble and a safety, and Kenny McEntyre added two interceptions. Offensively, Charles Frederick scored three touchdowns on the ground and Raymond Philyaw went 23-of-33 for 225 yards with a pair of touchdowns.

The Rush wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as D'Orazio hit Bobby Sippio for an 18-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive of the game, but Dan Frantz missed the first of three PATs. The Brigade answered on a long drive capped by Philyaw's one-yard touchdown run-the first of two for the game-and a 7-6 lead midway through the opening quarter.

The defense then went on the attack as McEntyre deflected a D'Orazio pass in the end-zone, setting up a Cohen sack the following play. Cohen stripped the ball in the process and Demaree recovered the fumble. However, the Chicago defense answered when linebacker DeJuan Alfonzo intercepted Philyaw and returned it 24 yards for a score.

With the ball back, the Brigade capitalized on two Chicago penalties en route to a Philyaw touchdown pass to Jerel Myers to put the Brigade up 14-13 early in the second quarter The Brigade defense continued to cause problems for the Rush when Demaree tackled D'Orazio for a safety and a 16-13 lead. The teams then traded touchdowns to end the first half with the Brigade in front 23-19.

Kansas City received the ball to start the second half and Sam Simmons did what he is good at, returning the kickoff 28 yards to set up Frederick's nine-yard touchdown run to extend the Brigade lead to 29-19. McEntyre tried to help the offense put the game out of reach, intercepting D'Orazio's first pass attempt of the half. Kansas City's possession did not last long, though, as Philyaw fumbled a snap that was recovered by defensive end John Moyer. D'Orazio followed the turnover with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Sippio that narrowed the Brigade lead to three.

Kansas City closed the scoring in the third quarter with a Dawan Moss three-year touchdown run and then Denario Smalls came up big, recovering an Ahmad Merrit fumble at the end of the quarter. The Brigade opened the final quarter with another touchdown run from Frederick to take what appeared to be a commanding 41-26 lead. However, holder Michael Bishop ran a fake on the PAT attempt and fumbled. Chicago recovered the loose ball and returned it for two points. D'Orazio then brought the Rush within six on its next possession when he flipped a two-yard underhand touchdown throw to Sippio while being tackled into the boards.

Kansas City needed a score at that point and the offense stepped up. Frederick converted on fourth-and-one with a two-yard rush to give the Brigade first-and-goal at the one-yard-line with 1:52 left in the game. A false start penalty pushed the ball back five yards, but one play later Philyaw found the end zone on his second touchdown run of the day to extend the Brigade lead to 48-35.

Time was running out for a Chicago comeback and McEntyre made sure it would not happen, picking off D'Orazio for his second interception. The turnover put Kansas City in good field position at its own 20 yard line with 51 seconds remaining. Philyaw tried to run out the clock but Frederick would have none of it, breaking free for a 27-yard score, his third and final rushing touchdown, and a 54-35 advantage with less than 30 seconds to play.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 4, 2007


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