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Rampage lose squeaker, 48-45

March 13, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


Rampage kicker Peter Martinez missed a 33-yard field goal as time expired, which would have forced overtime as the Grand Rapids Rampage fell 48-45 to the Chicago Rush at the Van Andel Arena. Grand Rapids also slipped to 0-8 all-time in games televised by NBC.

With their back-up quarterback Todd Hammel, the Rush gained 373 yards to the Rampage's 282, as Hammel earned the Offensive Player of the Game. On the day, Hammel finished 21-of-25 for 348 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. The Ironman of the Game was Etu Molden who finished with nine receptions for 144 yards and three touchdowns. The Defensive Player of the Game award was given to Todd Howard who had five tackles and an interception.

Rampage quarterback Michael Bishop was 15-of-31 for 235 yards, five touchdowns and one interception, while having 28 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown. Bishop connected with Anthony Hines for three scores and Josh Bush for two more.

Both teams traded touchdowns to start off the game with a Bishop 18-yard pass to Hines for the first touchdown followed up with a Rush touchdown from Hammel to Henry Douglas. A missed extra point gave the Rampage a 7-6 lead at the end of the quarter. Each quarterback threw an interception in the quarter - Hammel's pick was nabbed by Travis McDonald after it bounced off the nets.

Opening the scoring in the second was a Bishop-to-Bush 5-yard connection. The Rush drove the ball down to the Rampage one, but failed to convert on fourth down with Sean Powell stopping Jamie McGourty for a loss of two. On the ensuing possession, Martinez hit a 31-field goal to give the Rampage a 17-6 lead. The Rush narrowed the margin to 17-13 when Hammel hooked up with Molden on a 27-yard touchdown. With seven seconds left the in first half, Bishop plunged in for a one-yard rushing touchdown to give the Rampage a 24-13 advantage.

The scoring picked up quickly as the Rush closed the gap to four with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Hammel to Molden. Grand Rapids answered with a 33-yard pass from Bishop to Hines to make it 31-24. After a Martinez field goal attempt that failed, the Rush hit Douglas for his second touchdown of the game as the Rush took the lead 34-31.

Bush out ran the Rush to go in for the score off a 34-yard Bishop pass to start the fourth quarter. Douglas notched his third touchdown of the game to put the Rush back on top 41-34, and then Hines notched his third of the game for the Rampage setting the score at 45-41. Taking things to the ground, McGourty scored on a 3-yard run as the Rush re-took the lead 48-45. The Rampage made four goal line stops against the Rush to allow for one final push as the Martinez's field goal failed to end the game.

Grand Rapids heads to San Jose to take on the defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats on Friday, March 18. The game can be seen on Fox Sports Detroit, starting at 11pm Friday night. They continue on the road the following week to Philadelphia (March 26 on Fox Sports Detroit ) before returning home to Van Andel Arena for a Sunday, April 3 contest against the expansion Nashville Kats. Kickoff for that game is slated for 2:30pm and will televised on Fox Sports Detroit.

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