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Fusion Drops Heartbreaker To Fire

May 11, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Fort Wayne Fusion News Release


The Fort Wayne Fusion was looking to correct what had been going so wrong in the last two games. QB Cody Hodges had returned to the team in full health after suffering a concussion two weeks prior during a loss to Albany. Head Coach "Touchdown" Eddie Brown had signed five new rookies to the team, and vowed to have more patience during the game. While the team was much improved, they couldn't pull off the win over the Louisville Fire, falling 48-42 before 4,423 fans at Ford Fusion Field at Memorial Coliseum Friday night.

Things were a little slow in getting started for the Fusion, but good things were soon to come. Hodges was 25-12 on passing with 131 yards, and scored two touchdowns on foot. Newcomer Joe Johnsonbaugh, who was recently traded from Cincinnati for Melvin Parris and Eze Ejelonu, scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Another newbie, Mario Pratcher, also had a TD as well as 33 yards, and cornerback Derek Brown was the defensive player of the game with four tackles and six assists. Brown also had a very impressive interception that turned into a 36-yard touchdown run that helped tie the game in the second quarter.

Louisville was on top of their game as well. QB Joel Steele was 43-30 on passing and had 256 yards and two TDs, and wide receiver Tony Stallings scored two TDs as well.

Each time one team would score, the other would soon answer. The contest soon became a game of teeter-totter, Louisville took a 14-0 lead early, and the Fusion responded in the second quarter. Quarterback Hodges ran for a five-yard touchdown, and Brown soon answered with his interception. Louisville responded with a Tony Stallings touchdown, and Louisville took a 21-14 halftime lead.

With 11:30 left in the third quarter, Hodges scored yet another touchdown, leading to a 21-21 tie as well as a slight altercation between the two teams, leading Fort Wayne's Stephenol Santos and Louisville's Matt Forbes to be ejected from the game. The quarter would end in a 28-28 tie.

The fourth quarter began with Johnsonbaugh's TD, but the Fire scored two more to bring the score to 42-35. Newcomer Mario Pratcher scored his first Fusion TD with 2:55 left in the game to tie it up. All signs were pointing toward overtime when Fort Wayne's Blake Saunders took out Louisville's QB, but flags were thrown on the play and the Fusion were called for an illegal blitz. This forced a five-yard penalty, and a Fire touchdown in literally the last second of the game resulted. The Louisville Fire took the W with a final score of 48-42.

The Fusion have a much-needed bye week, then will be hosting the Tennessee Valley Vipers on May 26th. For more information, contact the Fusion office at (260) 484-4095 or visit www.fwfusion.com.



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