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Rampage rally falls short

April 24, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


New Orleans defensive specialist Chris Pointer took a Nick Browder interception back for a touchdown with 53 seconds left to end a Rampage rally as the VooDoo won a squeaker in Grand Rapids 49-47 in front of 8,422 at Van Andel Arena.

An ineffective Michael Bishop (11-of-21 for 122 yards with 2 TDs) was pulled in the fourth quarter with the Rampage trailing 35-27, in favor of Browder. Browder overcame an interception on his first passing play to finish five-of-eight for 106 yards with two touchdowns and two costly interceptions. The second pick, which Pointer returned for the score, came the first play after the Dialleo Burks recovered the Rampage's first onside kickoff of the season for Grand Rapids (they were 0-of-12 entering the game). Grand Rapids was trailing 42-40 when they recovered the onside kick and a play later were down 49-40. A late Browder-to-Timon Marshall 32-yard score closed the scoring.

VooDoo QB Andy Kelly was named the Offensive Player of the Game after completing 29-of-46 for 302 yards with six touchdowns. B.J. Cohen was selected as the Ironman as he finished with two receptions for 28 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown to go with a sack and 1.5 stops on defense. The Rampage's Damon Mason earned ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors after leading the Rampage with 10.5 tackles, six pass breakups (career high) and an interception.

The scoring began quickly with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Bishop to Josh Bush on the game's second play. On the VooDoo's first play from scrimmage, a short pass to Lamont Moore turned into a 45-yard touchdown pass to even the score. Bush ran the ensuing kickoff back 52 yards to set up a 5-yard touchdown pass from Bishop to Anthony Hines. Answering right back, the VooDoo drove down the field and scored on a Kelly to Carl Bond seven-yard touchdown. Rampage kicker Peter Martinez's 60-yard field goal attempt was just wide left, which led to a VooDoo 20-yard score from Kelly to Aaron Bailey to close out the first quarter.

Bishop used his legs to go in for the score on a 1-yard run for the first points of the second quarter. The Rampage appeared to have stopped the VooDoo as Dialleo Burks intercepted a pass, but he was called for illegal defense which gave the VooDoo the ball back and seven plays later Kelly connected with Cohen to go up 28-21. In the final minute of the half, Martinez nailed a 26-yard field goal to set the score at 28-24.

Both teams stopped each other on fourth down to open the third quarter. The Rampage forced a 37-yard field goal on New Orleans next drive that set up the only points of the quarter with Martinez's 54-yard boot (a career high and the fourth longest field goal in Rampage history).

The VooDoo scored on the second play of the fourth quarter when Kelly hit Moore on a four-yard strike. Browder came on the field, but his first pass was intercepted by Denario Smalls getting the VooDoo the ball back. Kelly threw an interception of his own to Damon Mason, which led to a touchdown by Teto Simpson, who recovered a Chris Avery fumble on the goal line. Avery lost the ball at the one trying to fight in for the score and Simpson recovered it for his first touchdown of his AFL career. New Orleans answered back quickly when Kelly and Bailey connected a second time, this from 12-yards out. David Saunders scored his first touchdown in a Rampage uniform on a 29-yard pass from Browder two plays later with 1:22 left as the Rampage closed to 42-40. On the ensuing kickoff, Burks recovered the onside kick thanks to Marshall batting it back into Burks' hands. Just a play later, Browder misfired into Pointer's hands for the interception return. Marshall closed the scoring out with 18 seconds left when he nabbed a 32-yard strike from Browder. The ensuing onside kick was recovered by New Orleans who proceeded to run out the clock to end the game.

Grand Rapids is home next Saturday when they take on the Colorado Crush, who have lost their last two games. Kickoff is slated for 8:00pm. The game will be played on Fox Sports Detroit (Channel 48 on Comcast Cable in the Grand Rapids area). Tickets for that game and the remaining Rampage home games may be purchased through StarTicketsPLUS (1.800.585.3737), all Michigan Meijer locations, starticketsplus.net and at The Zone, located on the west side of Van Andel Arena. Single-game ticket prices are $17 for any upper bowl seat, $25 for lower bowl end zones, $35 for lower bowl sidelines, $55 for VIP II seats (2nd & 3rd rows), and $85 for front row seats. Mini-plan and group ticket packages, all of which are discounted off the single-game price, are currently available through the Rampage front office by calling 616.559.1871 or toll-free at 1.888.595.4878.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 24, 2005


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