Crush down Brigade, 44-40, for first win of season
March 11, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Colorado Crush News Release
DENVER- Colorado Crush head coach Mike Dailey secured his 100th career AFL coaching victory with a 44-40 win over the Kansas City Brigade in front of 15,126 fans at Pepsi Center Saturday night. With the win, Dailey becomes only the fourth head coach in AFL history to have 100 or more career wins.
Kansas City (1-1) would pull even twice in the contest, but would never take the lead as Colorado (1-1) held on for their first victory of the season.
Kicker Jason Ball connected on a 21-yard field goal on Colorado's first possession to give the Crush an early 3-0 lead. Ball would go a perfect 3-for-3 on his field goal attempts and 5-for-5 on PATs on the night.
Colorado built a 17-7 advantage, following a Brigade four-and-out, when Offensive Player of the Game Willie Quinnie hauled in a 7-yard touchdown strike from John Dutton. Kansas City would answer with 10 seconds remaining in the half as wide receiver Charles Frederick caught a 6-yard pass from Raymond Philyaw to cut the Colorado lead to 17-14. Unfortunately for the Brigade, the ten seconds remaining in the half proved to be too much time for the Crush offense, as Colorado drove 13 yards setting up a Ball 38-yard field goal as time expired.
Kansas City would score on their first drive of the second half as Jerel Myers caught a 4-yard pass from Philyaw, but the ensuing PAT was blocked by Colorado leaving the score at 20 apiece. The Brigade would also tie the score at 27-27 at the end of the third quarter when Philyaw found Cyron Brown for a 7-yard score.
The game's turning point however came when the Crush defense forced their second four-and-out of the game on K.C.'s first possession of the fourth quarter. Colorado was able to capitalize on the defensive stop when Ball connected on his third field goal of the night from 22 yards out, giving the Crush a 10-point lead, 37-27. Philyaw's fifth touchdown pass of the game, to Myers from 24-yards with 27 seconds left, cut the Colorado lead to four points, which proved to be the game's difference.
• Discuss this story on the Arena Football League (1987-2008) message board...
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 11, 2007
- Wranglers fall to Force, 60-51 - Austin Wranglers
- Georgia Force down Austin Wranglers 60-51 in home opener - Georgia Force
- Storm fall to the Desperados, 59-40 - Tampa Bay Storm
- Crush down Brigade, 44-40, for first win of season - Colorado Crush
- Desperados Weather Storm, 59-40 - Dallas Desperados
- Late touchdown lifts Blaze over Rattlers, 75-71 - Utah Blaze
- Rattlers Burned by Blaze 75-71 - Arizona Rattlers
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.
