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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Rampage Set Team, League Scoring Records in 92-52 Win over Brigade

March 25, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Grand Rapids earned its first victory of the season in explosive fashion, running away with a 92-52 victory over the Kansas City Brigade tonight. Rampage quarterback James MacPherson (Tucson, Ariz.) tied a team single-game record with nine touchdown passes, while Grand Rapids' 92 points set a league record for most points ever scored by a road team in AFL history.

MacPherson spread the wealth while helping the team set a franchise scoring mark, connecting with five different receivers for touchdowns en route to earning Offensive Player of the Game honors. Meanwhile, the Grand Rapids defense contributed to the lopsided affair as well, creating five turnovers in the victory.

Grand Rapids' defense set the pace early, holding Kansas City to a field goal on its first drive of the game. Despite touchdown passes to Anthony Hines (West Palm Beach, Fla.) and fullback T.J. Watkins (North Augusta, S.C.), however, the Rampage trailed the Brigade, 17-14, after one quarter.

The Rampage began to separate themselves in the second quarter, taking advantage of an Ahmad Hawkins (Hampton, Va.) interception to string together back-to-back touchdown strikes to Kenny Higgins (Long Beach, Calif.) and Chris Johnson (Americus, Ga.).

Following a Charles Frederick touchdown reception for the Brigade, Grand Rapids landed two crucial blows on consecutive plays. After a Hines 15-yard touchdown reception gave the visitors a 35-24 lead, Rampage kicker Brian Gowins (Birmingham, Ala.) hit the net's bottom iron support with the ensuing kickoff, leading to an end zone scramble. Higgins fell on top of the loose ball, collecting his second net recovery touchdown of the season.

New Rampage head coach Steve Thonn managed the clock well during the first half's final minute, as Hines' 17-yard touchdown catch with 21 seconds remaining proved the final score of the stanza. Grand Rapids entered the locker room with a 57-31 lead, and would get the ball to start the second half.

Both offense and defense continued to dominate play for Grand Rapids, as the Rampage sandwiched a safety in between a pair of touchdown passes to Hines and Johnson. Jermaine Lewis' (Waukegan, Ill.) leaping 12-yard grab at the end of the third quarter marked the end of MacPherson's night, as he gave way to backup Adrian McPherson (Bradenton, Fla.).

Ahead by 33 points heading into the final quarter, Grand Rapids utilized the ground game to burn the clock down to the final buzzer. McPherson scored a pair of touchdowns on the ground, while Johnson added a rushing score of his own. The victory marked the first for Thonn as head coach of the Rampage, while Grand Rapids earned a win in its opening road game for the second straight season.

Score by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Final Record Grand Rapids Rampage 14 34 23 21 92 (1-2) Kansas City Brigade 17 14 7 14 52 (0-3)

LEADERS PASSING: MACPHERSON, James (GRA) 24-27-9-307; KOHN, Matt (KC) 19-36-4-281 RECEIVING: HINES, Anthony (GRA) 8-117-4; MYERS, Jerel (KC) 8-114-2

PLAYERS OF THE GAME Offensive: James MacPherson (GRA) Defensive: Ahmad Hawkins (GRA) Ironman: Kenny Higgins (GRA)

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


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