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Los Angeles Avengers Game Notes

April 2, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Game: Carolina Cobras at Los Angeles Avengers
Date: Sunday, April 4, 2003
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (Pacific)
Site: Los Angeles, California
Arena: STAPLES Center (17,932)
Television: None
Radio: XTRA Sports 690 (Larry Kahn, Ed Cunningham, Troy West) -- L.A. Clippers will be on XTRA Sports 1150
Web Radio: http://www.xtrasportsradio.com
Series Record: Carolina leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: Los Angeles 62, Carolina 32 – June 22, 2002, STAPLES Center
Officials: Tom McCabe (R), Rick Lowe (U), Brent Durbin (HL), Bob McElwee (LJ), James Anderson (BJ), Ed Manning (supervisor)
Head Coaches: Los Angeles -- Ed Hodgkiss (second season, 15-8). Carolina -- Mike Hold (first season, 0-9).

THE AVENGERS: Red-hot and winners of their last four games, the Avengers are 7-2 and currently the AFL's top-seeded team. If the postseason started today, the Avengers would have home-field advantage in each round of the playoffs. In reality, however, seven regular-season games remain in the 2003 campaign, beginning with an encounter with the 0-9 Carolina Cobras, who occupy the 16th and final spot in the overall AFL standings. The match-up with the Cobras is the first of three consecutive games at STAPLES Center for the Avengers, who will host the Arizona Rattlers on April 13, and the Buffalo Destroyers on April 18. If recent history serves as any indication, the games down the stretch figure to be nail-biters. Four of L.A.'s seven victories this season have come on the final play of the contest. On Sunday, the Avengers overcame a 12-point deficit in the final 35 seconds to defeat the Orlando Predators, 64-63. Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani threw a 32-yard "Hail Mary" touchdown pass off the left rebound net to wide receiver/linebacker Greg Hopkins as time expired to conclude a remarkable comeback. Graziani threw for five other touchdowns and also ran for a score on his way to earning AFL "Offensive Player of the Week" honors. Graziani has been outstanding this season, completing 181-of-290 for 2,444 yards and 52 touchdowns. Offensive specialist Chris Jackson has been on the receiving end of 25 of those scoring tosses.

THE COBRAS: The only winless team in the AFL, the Cobras will travel cross-country for the second consecutive week to face a team tied for the best record in the league. In last week's 62-40 loss to the San Jose SaberCats, Carolina raced to a 20-7 first quarter lead before eventually succumbing to the defending ArenaBowl champions. Two weeks ago, they came within four points of the Dallas Desperados, their smallest margin of defeat this season. The Cobras have used five different starting quarterbacks this season, with Robert Hall, who has also seen action as an offensive specialist, their current starter.

THE HEAD COACHES: One of the brightest offensive masterminds in the AFL and a prime candidate for "AFL Coach of the Year" honors, Ed Hodgkiss led the Avengers to a franchise-best 8-6 record and No. 5 seed in the AFL playoffs last season in his first year with the club. He became the head coach of the Avengers on Oct. 5, 2001, and signed a five-year contract extension shortly after the 2002 season. Not only did Hodgkiss lead the Avengers into the postseason for the first time in franchise history, he also instantly established the Avenger offense as one of the most feared in the AFL. In the final 2002 league statistics, the Avengers ranked at No. 2 in passing efficiency (115.0), No. 4 in total offense (275.6), No. 4 in rushing yards (20.8) and No. 5 in scoring (52.2). Prior to his arrival in L.A., Hodgkiss served as the offensive coordinator for the Indiana Firebirds for three seasons (1999-2001) ... In his first year as a head coach in the Arena Football League, Mike Hold is still in search of his first victory. In two seasons at the helm of the Augusta Stallions of af2, Hold compiled an overall record of 22-10, including a 13-3 mark and playoff appearance in 2002. His playing days as a quarterback in the AFL began back in the league's inaugural season of 1987 with the Chicago Bruisers. Hold would go on to play for seven more teams in his twelve-year career. Prior to coming to the AFL, Hold appeared in three games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFL strike in 1987. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1985 and earned "MVP" honors as a member of the Gamecocks in the 1984 Gator Bowl.

THE SERIES: Carolina leads the series 2-1, with the Avengers winning the last meeting, 62-32, on June 22, 2002 at STAPLES Center.

AMONG THE LEAGUE'S HOTTEST: In their past 15 regular-season games, the Avengers are 11-4. Only one other Arena Football League team can boast of a better mark over that period of time ... the defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats are 12-3. Los Angeles and Orlando were both 10-4 going into this past Sunday's game, but Los Angeles' victory this Sunday broke that tie as they meet head-to-head for the first time ever.

QUICK STRIKE OFFENSE: Forty-three of L.A.'s 70 offensive touchdowns this season have been scored on "drives" of three plays or less, including their "miracle" two-play, 44-yard drive that culminated with WR/LB Greg Hopkins' catch on a "Hail Mary" pass off the rebound net as time expired to give the Avengers a 64-63 victory at Orlando (March 30). In fact, 13 of them have been one-play "drives," including eight touchdown catches by offensive specialist Chris Jackson. Ironically, two of the 27 "long" drives are the six-play, 13-yard game-winning march in the victory over San Jose that consumed 25 of the final 26 seconds (Feb. 9) and the eight-play, 30-yard touchdown drive that killed off the final 34 seconds at New York (March 9). The Avengers have scored on two "zero-play drives" this season. The first one came on a net recovery by WR/DB Siaha Burley while covering a kickoff in the victory at Colorado (Feb. 23). Against Indiana (March 16), OL/DL Mike Ulufale recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.

THE "IF" SECTION:

If the Avengers defeat the Cobras, it would ...

· Tie the franchise record for victories in a season, which was set by the 2002 Avengers (8-6)

· Would put L.A. six games above .500 for the first time in franchise history

· Be the first five-game winning streak in Avenger history

· Give L.A. a 13-3 record in the past two years versus non-Western Division foes (17-12 all-time)

· Assure the Avengers of holding at least a share of first place in the Western Division (the defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats are also 7-2)

· Give the Avengers a 12-4 record in their last 16 regular-season games, dating back to last season

· Tie the overall series with the Cobras at 2-2

THE NEXT GAME: The Avengers host the Arizona Rattlers at STAPLES Center on Sunday, April 13. The contest will kick off at noon and will be televised on NBC.

STEADY IMPROVMENT: The Avengers are two wins shy of establishing a franchise record for victories in a single season. At 7-2 and with seven games remaining in the regular season, the 2003 Avengers are already the second winningest team in the club's four-year history. The Avengers are also five games above .500 for the first time ever and will be attempting to win a team-record fifth consecutive game on Friday versus Carolina.

HEADED TO THE CENTURY MARK: With 94 touchdowns in his 42-game AFL career, Avenger offensive specialist Chris Jackson is just six scores away from reaching the 100-touchdown plateau. He has scored four or more touchdowns in a game seven times in his Avenger career. Jackson scored a career-high six TDs at Georgia on May 24, 2002. ("C.J." has also passed for three touchdowns, all this season, but they don't count in his official scoring totals.)

RECORD "D" DAY: The Avengers came into their game at Indiana (March 16), allowing 55.7 points per game, but held the Firebirds to 20 points (and gave up just six points through three quarters), establishing a new team record.

HEART-STOPPING HEROICS: Four of L.A.'s seven victories in 2003 have come on the final play of the game. On Feb. 9, the Avengers defeated the defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats, 73-72, on a one-yard touchdown blast by FB/LB Mathias Vavao and a two-point conversion pass from Tony Graziani to Greg Hopkins with one second left. The following week in a game on the road against the Colorado Crush, L.A. forced overtime with a field goal by Remy Hamilton on the final play of regulation and then won on a TD pass from Graziani to Hopkins. On March 9, the Avengers defeated the New York Dragons, 65-61, on a one-yard touchdown run by FB/LB Kevin Clemens with no time remaining. Their most amazing victory of the season came on March 30, at Orlando, as they rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final 35 seconds to defeat the Predators, 64-63. The "miracle" occurred as Graziani hit offensive specialist Chris Jackson to cut the lead to five with 19 seconds remaining and defensive specialist Cornelius Coe recovered an onside kick five seconds later. That set up another Graziani-to-Hopkins game-winning touchdown, this time from 32 yards out, on a "Hail Mary" pass off the rebound net as time expired.

DEFENDING THE HOME FRONT: In the "Ed Hodgkiss Era," which began at the beginning of the 2002 season, the Avengers have been particularly stingy on defense at home, allowing just 45.9 points per game at STAPLES Center (505 points in 11 games). The 24 points allowed by the Avengers in their victory over the Tampa Bay Storm on May 17, 2002, is an all-time best for the L.A. defense at home. It surpassed the effort in the 2002 season opener, which saw the Avengers defeat the New York Dragons, 43-25, on April 19, 2002.

EARLY FIREWORKS: In addition to late-game heroics, the Avengers have also been good at the start, scoring on their very first offensive snap of the game three times so far this season -- in the season opener against Las Vegas (Feb. 2, Chris Jackson), at Chicago (Feb. 23, Kevin Ingram) and at Indiana (March 16, Jackson).

PERFECT GAME: Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani tossed a "perfect game" against the Las Vegas Gladiators on opening day (Feb. 2). His passer rating of 158.3 from that contest is the highest mark possible and ties an AFL record. In the 60-48 victory, Graziani was 18-of-23 for 288 yards. He threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to offensive specialist Chris Jackson on the first play of the 2003 season and went on to throw for a total of seven scores. Graziani also rushed for a touchdown from three yards out to cap the scoring with 53 seconds remaining.

ALMOST PERFECT: The Avengers were called for only two penalties in the season opener on Feb. 2, and the yardage marked off against L.A. totaled just one yard. Both of those numbers represent new team records and brought a smile to the face of head coach Ed Hodgkiss, whose motto is "Play Hard, Play Smart." The Avengers are averaging just under five flags per game (27.7 yards, which is the fewest in the league).

ALL-PURPOSE AVENGER: Over the past three seasons, L.A.'s new offensive weapon Siaha Burley has racked up the most all-purpose yards in the league (5,297). That yardage is the equivalent of 2.8 miles, which farther than the distance between STAPLES Center and Dodger Stadium. Acquired in a trade with the Orlando Predators, Burley moves to the WR/DB position (he was primarily an offensive specialist with the Predators). His single-game high as an Avenger came against his former team, as he racked up 169 all-purpose yards in L.A.'s victory at Orlando on March 30.

THE MILLENNIUM'S FINEST: Wide receiver/linebacker Greg Hopkins and offensive specialist Chris Jackson are not only L.A.'s top pass catchers, they're also among the most productive in the AFL since the dawning of the new millennium. In fact, Hopkins leads the way with a grand total of 359 receptions for 4,391 yards since the 2000 season (Jackson is third with 310 for 4,295).

IN A ZONE OUT EAST: The Avengers have won six of their last seven games in the Eastern Time Zone, including victories over the Orlando Predators, New York Dragons and Indiana Firebirds this season. Sunday's game at the TD Waterhouse Centre in Orlando marked L.A.'s third consecutive road game within the Eastern Time Zone.

LONG SUNDAY DRIVE: The Avengers put together what might have been the longest drive in AFL history at Indiana on March 16, using 17 plays to march 47 yards. The touchdown drive consumed an incredible 10 minutes and 14 seconds. Furthermore, 11 plays occurred after L.A. reached Indiana's one-yard line.

THE TOUCHDOWN MAKER: Offensive specialist Chris Jackson has scored at least one touchdown in every game he has played in for the Avengers. In 42 games, Jackson has accounted for 97 touchdowns. All but five of those scores came as a pass receiver. Jackson's other touchdowns were as a runner, kickoff returner and three as a passer. He has caught a touchdown pass in all but one of his games with the Avengers (June 8, 2002, vs. San Jose), but in that contest he ran back the opening kickoff 51 yards for a score, keeping "The Streak" alive. Jackson is L.A.'s all-time leading receiver and scorer. He has racked up 310 receptions for 4,295 yards and has scored 572 points in his four-year Avenger career.

HOT TICKET: Five of the six largest crowds to see the Avengers play have come within L.A.'s last 10 regular-season games, dating back the end of the 2002 campaign. In consecutive games (Feb. 16, at Colorado and Feb. 23, at Chicago), the Avengers played before their two largest crowds ever. The Avengers are averaging 14,099 fans at home this season in four games at STAPLES Center.

PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS WEEK:

Avenger QB Tony Graziani: The AFL's No. 4 passer, Graziani is 181-of-290 for 2,444 yards and 52 touchdowns this season. Last week's victory at Orlando marked the third time this season the Avengers won on the final play of the game off a pass he has thrown. In that contest, he rebounded from throwing an early interception that was returned for a touchdown, and completed 19-of-31 for 319 yards and six touchdowns. He was outstanding in establishing new career highs with eight touchdown passes and 355 yards through the air at New York (March 9), and had another solid outing against Grand Rapids (March 23), throwing for seven touchdowns and 222 yards on 20-of-27 passing. In the season opener versus the Las Vegas Gladiators (Feb. 2), Graziani earned a perfect passer rating of 158.3, completing 18-of-23 for 288 yards and seven touchdowns. He currently has seven 300-yard passing games in his AFL career.

Cobra QB Robert Hall: In his second stint as Carolina's starting quarterback this season, Hall has completed 120-of-219 passes for 1,385 yards and 24 touchdowns. He has also rushed for six touchdowns, while gaining 44 yards on 18 carries and caught two passes for 31 yards. Hall, who signed with the Cobras after their first game of the season, is in his sixth AFL season. His last full season came in 2000 with the Houston Thunderbears, when he completed 325-of-496 for 4,053 yards and 64 touchdowns. On May 19, 2000, at STAPLES Center, he led Houston to a 51-36 victory over the Avengers, passing for 228 yards and six touchdowns. In his previous two years with the Thunderbears (1998-99), he was used primarily as an offensive specialist, catching 203 passes for 2,591 yards and 49 touchdowns. His first year in the league was in 1996, when he played quarterback for the Texas Terror and threw for 1,683 and 25 touchdowns.

Cobra OS Bernard Holmes: In his seventh year in the AFL, Holmes is Carolina's leading receiver with 53 receptions for 683 yards and 12 touchdowns. He ranks in the Top 25 all-time in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He has amassed at least 200 all-purpose yards in six consecutive weeks and recorded a career-high 180 receiving yards against the Las Vegas Gladiators on March 9. While with the Florida Bobcats in 2000 and 2001, Holmes played in two games against the Avengers, catching a total of eight passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns, as well as rushing for a score.

Avenger WR/DB Kevin Ingram: With his play on offense, defense and special teams, Ingram has become a triple threat standout for the Avengers in 2003. He has earned "Ironman of the Game" honors four times this year -- at Chicago (Feb. 23), at New York (March 9), versus Grand Rapids (March 23) and at Orlando (March 30). He was also named "Ironman of the Week" in the AFL for his performance against the Rampage. On the season, Ingram has 33 receptions for 318 and nine touchdowns, 19 kickoff returns for 411 yards, 35.5 tackles, three pass deflections and a team-high three interceptions. He ranks second on the team in all-purpose yards, averaging 90.7 per game.

LAST WEEK'S GAME:

AVENGERS SHOCK PREDATORS, 64-63

ORLANDO, Fla. -- (March 30, 2003) -- Although it was the fourth time this season that they won a game on the final play of the contest, the Los Angeles Avengers took it to another level on Sunday afternoon.

As many of the 11,322 on hand were well on their way to the parking lots surrounding the TD Waterhouse Centre, the Avengers overcame a 12-point deficit in the final 35 seconds to shock the Orlando Predators, 64-63.

Los Angeles, which has won four games in a row, improved to 7-2. Orlando lost its third consecutive game and fell to 6-3. The Avengers currently share the best record in the Arena Football League with the Tampa Bay Storm and defending world champion San Jose SaberCats.

"This team always believes and never gives up," Avenger wide receiver/linebacker Greg Hopkins said. "Today, that really paid off for us."

The game's final play is called "50 Hail Mary S Post." It's one of those "just in case" things that Avenger head coach Ed Hodgkiss has his team work on regularly.

With a shot at pulling out the game, the Avengers had possession of the football at their own 18-yard line with 7.4 seconds left. The case had presented itself.

"50 Hail Mary S Post" calls for offensive specialist Chris Jackson, a one-time basketball star at Mater Dei High School, to streak down the field toward the left rebound net for the "jump ball." Hopkins follows nearby with instructions to look for a possible deflection. Finally, wide receiver/defensive back Kevin Ingram runs a post route to the right, just in case the defense converges on Jackson and Hopkins, leaving him wide open.

Even though it didn't start out well, the play worked like a charm. After Graziani stepped up from a collapsed pocket and re-gripped a momentarily loose football with his left hand, his desperation heave into the net tumbled down into a crowd of four and somehow found the arms of Hopkins, who was named the game's "MVP" after catching his second game-winning touchdown pass of the season.

"I'd like to tell you that I was aiming for that exact spot, but I was just trying to get the ball into the net," Graziani said.

After Predator defensive specialist Kenny "The Glove" McEntyre returned an onside kickoff 11 yards for a touchdown with 35 seconds remaining, the Avengers trailed, 63-52, and their three-game winning streak seemed over.

Ingram, however, brought the ensuing kickoff back 50 yards to the Orlando 7-yard line. Two plays later, Graziani connected with Jackson for his second touchdown catch of the day.

Remy Hamilton's successful extra point cut the lead to five before he tried yet another onside kick. This time, behind a couple of blockers, he slowly dribbled the ball directly forward. Predator lineman E.J. Burt broke through, but misplayed the football, which was recovered by Los Angeles defensive specialist Cornelius Coe.

After Graziani hit Jackson for a 12-yard gain, Hodgkiss went with "50 Hail Mary S Post," a play that carved its own place in Avenger history.

"I've called only two ‘Hail Mary' plays like that in my seven years in the league and it's worked both times, but it's certainly not a high percentage play," Hodgkiss said. "We practice those kinds of plays each week, but that particular one was one we put in two weeks ago."

Graziani finished 19-of-31 for 319 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed for a score in the first half, but threw a costly interception as well.

Midway through the second quarter, McEntyre stepped in front of a Graziani pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown, which put the Predators ahead, 28-17, and firmly placed the Avengers in a catch-up role until the game concluded.

Orlando quarterback Connell Maynor completed 13-of-26 for 192 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 41 yards on three carries, including a beautiful 26-yard option for a touchdown in the first quarter.

Rookie offensive specialist Travis McGriff led the Predators with five catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns.

Orlando's previous offensive specialist, Siaha Burley, who was traded to the Avengers this past offseason, finished with 169 all-purpose yards versus his former teammates. In by far his best game with Los Angeles, Burley caught five passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. In the season's first eight games, he had 10 receptions for 121 yards and three scores.

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