Rampage Defense Smothers Brigade in 72-38 Victory

Published on April 25, 2008 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


GRAND RAPIDS - The Grand Rapids Rampage nearly equaled their stunning 40-point victory over the Kansas City Brigade in Week 4, rolling to a 72-38 Week 9 win over the Brigade at Van Andel Arena tonight. Grand Rapids' defense stymied Kansas City throughout the night, forcing four turnovers and allowing the fewest points for a Rampage team since a 36-31 loss to the Carolina Cobras on May 22, 2004.

In just his second game for the Rampage since coming off the team's injured reserve list, defensive lineman/linebacker Michael McFadden (Saginaw, Mich.) recorded three sacks, the most for a Grand Rapids player since Israel Raybon tallied three on Feb. 16, 2003. Meanwhile, receiver Cole Magner (Palmer, Alaska) logged three touchdown grabs of his own in just his second game of the year.

Grand Rapids leapt out to a fast start when McFadden sacked Brigade quarterback D. Bryant, causing a fumble that defensive lineman Donovan Arp (Murray, Utah) brought back to the Kansas City one-yard line. Receiver Kenny Higgins' (Long Beach, Calif.) walked into the end zone on the next play to give the Rampage a 6-0 early lead.

Three straight interceptions led to a Rampage 13-0 lead. Ronald "Rock" Dillon (Memphis, Tenn.) made an acrobatic interception after tipping a Bryant pass into the air and having it fall into his chest as he hit the turf. Kansas City answered with an interception of its own by Denario Smalls. But Chris Martin's (Brooklyn, N.Y.) second interception of the year set up a Chris Johnson (Americus, Ga.) 16-yard touchdown run.

Kansas City's Dawan Moss fought for a four-yard touchdown rush to put the visitors on the board for the first time. But the Rampage struck quickly on the next play from scrimmage when Johnson caught a quick-out pattern and raced 40 yards for his second score of the night, giving Grand Rapids a 20-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Rampage stopped Kansas City three straight times inside the Grand Rapids five-yard line, forcing the Brigade to settle for a Peter Martinez field goal. After each team traded turnovers, Higgins logged his first receiving touchdown of the night and second score of the evening to push the Rampage lead to 27-10.

Grand Rapids maintained its 17-point lead following a 20-yard Bryant touchdown rush when Magner scored the first touchdown of his Rampage career on an 11-yard reception. Then, after forcing a turnover on downs, Grand Rapids' tight end Nick Steitz (Los Banos, Calif.) logged a rare reception and stumbled 17 yards to give the Rampage a 41-17 halftime advantage.

Having kicked off to begin the game, the Rampage took the ball in the second half and increased their lead to 31 points. Magner pulled in his second touchdown catch despite being sandwiched by a pair of Brigade defenders.

Kansas City pulled to with 24 points on a long touchdown pass to Mike Horacek. But Magner's third touchdown catch of the night sent Grand Rapids over 50 points for the sixth time this season. Jerel Myers' 38-yard catch-and-run closed out the scoring for the third quarter, with the Rampage ahead, 55-31.

A Brian Gowins (Birmingham, Ala.) field goal maintained Grand Rapids' four-score advantage with less than 13 minutes remaining. On Kansas City's next drive, McFadden logged his third sack of the game on a fourth-down play, and MacPherson took advantage of the turnover on downs with a one-yard scoring plunge. Each team traded touchdowns to close out the game.

Grand Rapids (3-5) will travel to Denver next week to face another Central Division rival in the Colorado Crush. Meanwhile, Kansas City (1-7) will travel to face the winless Utah Blaze.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 25, 2008


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