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Rampage fall in home opener 55-37 to Crush

February 14, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


Robert Hall started at quarterback for the Grand Rapids Rampage Saturday afternoon for the team's home opener against the Colorado Crush. The change in QBs yielded the same results as last week with the Rampage dropping to 0-2 for the first time in franchise history in front of 9,288.

Hall tossed three scores and ran in another, but two of his passes were returned for touchdowns and he was sacked twice with constant pressure from all sides.

The Rampage opened the scoring by taking the opening drive down for a score when Hall scooted through Crush defenders for a six-yard score. A missed extra point by emergency kicker Wesley Wilson, who was signed less than two hours before kickoff for the injured Nick Gatto, gave the Rampage their lone lead of the game. That lasted for four and a half minutes before Game Ironman Kevin McKenzie rushed in for a 3-yard touchdown. McKenzie would later return an interception for a touchdown and catch a third score for the touchdown tri-fecta.

On the following possession, the Rampage decided to go for it on fourth and five from their own 14. Crush defender Ron Rodgers broke up a would-be first down from the hands of Thomas Bailey and a play later Offensive Player of the Game John Dutton hit former Rampage star Willis Marshall on a 14-yard score.

Down 21-9 near the end of the first half, Hall was picked off by McKenzie who ran it back 44 yards for a touchdown with six seconds left in the half.

In the second half, the Rampage outscored Colorado powered by two Steve Smith touchdowns - the first a 56-yard kickoff return and the other a five-yard pass with 40 seconds left in the game. Last week, Smith also returned a kick for a touchdown and grabbed another score. Strangely, last week he had seven returns for 168 yards and a score and against Colorado he had exactly the same totals. His 238 all-purpose yards against Colorado are a career high and rank tenth in team history.

Lineman Israel Raybon scored his first Arena touchdown when Hall connected with him on a two-yard score. Damon Hodge grabbed his first touchdown on the season and an impressive falling three-yard strike from Hall.

Next Sunday, the Rampage will be hosting the Las Vegas Gladiators at Van Andel Arena for a 3:00 PM kickoff. The Gladiators are led by former Rampage stars Clint Dolezel and Terrill Shaw.

Tickets for Saturday's home opener are still available and can be purchased at the Arena box office, all Michigan Meijer location and at StarTicketsPlus.com.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 14, 2004


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