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Rampage Topple Nashville Kats, 71-55

May 5, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Grand Rapids Rampage scored a team record 34 first-quarter points en route to a 71-55 victory over the Nashville Kats in front of 7,679 at Van Andel Arena. The Rampage, who had forced only 11 turnovers in their first eight games, logged two interceptions and three fumble recoveries on the night.

Rampage quarterback Chad Salisbury (Perryopolis, Pa.) recorded yet another strong outing, tossing seven touchdowns for the second consecutive game. Meanwhile, the electrifying Timon Marshall (Kingston, Jamaica) notched his fifth kickoff return for a touchdown of the season, tying former Rampage Steve Smith (2004) for most in a single season by a Grand Rapids player.

Grand Rapids got off to yet another hot start with a pair of touchdown catches by Jerome Riley (Los Angeles, Calif.). Defensive back Trey Bell's (Racine, Wis.) forced fumble on Nashville's first drive allowed the home team to jump out to a 13-0 advantage. The Rampage have now scored first in each of their last three games.

Three scores within 3:19 of each other made the score 20-14 in favor of the Rampage. Nashville cashed in on two one-play drives with 45- and 27-yard completions to Cornelius Bonner. Meanwhile, Marshall's fifth kickoff return for a touchdown of the season accounted for Grand Rapids' points during the flurry. The 57-yard effort sent Marshall past Michael Baker's 3,006 career kickoff return yards in a Rampage uniform (Marshall finished the night with 102 return yards to bring his career total to 3,081).

The Rampage took a commanding lead with two more touchdowns by Marshall. The Ironman of the Game first pulled down a 20-yard strike from Salisbury. Then, on the ensuing kickoff, Marshall scooped up a fumble created by new teammate Jermaine Lewis (Waukegan, Ill.) and dove five-yards into the end zone for the team's second miscellaneous touchdown of the night. The Rampage led the league with 10 such scores entering the contest.

Nashville used a pair of takeaways to climb back into the game in the second quarter. A Lewis fumble near midfield led to Kenny Higgins' first touchdown grab of the night. Then, following Ahmad Hawkins' AFL-leading 10th interception of the season, the Kats had a chance to move within one score of Grand Rapids. But Johnnie Harris' first interception in a Rampage uniform this season ended Nashville's drive and kept the score 34-21.

Chris Ryan (Lake Charles, La.), Grand Rapids' 6-0, 305-pound fullback, showed his nimble side, making a one-handed catch and eluding two defenders to put the Rampage up, 41-21, with less than one minute remaining in the half. Higgins' second touchdown catch of the night for Nashville closed the scoring at the midway break.

The Rampage created another turnover to start the second half when Bell popped Nashville offensive lineman Fitu Tuua who had caught a soft Smoker pass. Tuua coughed up the football and Kenney Solomon (West Palm Beach, Fla.) recovered for Grand Rapids. Solomon cashed in six plays later, catching an eight-yard touchdown pass from Salisbury.

Nashville fullback Dan Alexander extended his own record of most AFL rushing touchdowns in a season (28) on the Kats next drive, diving in from one yard out. But on the very next play from scrimmage, Solomon struck again. After making a mid-range catch on a crossing route, Solomon dove into the boards and bounced back into the field of play. The maneuver helped him elude Hawkins, and he scampered 30 additional yards for the 46-yard touchdown. A Brian Gowins (Birmingham, Ala.) missed extra point, his second of the night, held the Rampage lead to 19 at the end of the third quarter.

After a Kats touchdown cut the Rampage advantage to 12, Gowins knocked home a 17-yard field goal to make the score 57-42. Then, Harris hauled in his second interception of the game at a key moment. The pick solidified his eventual selection as the ADT Defensive Player of the Game. Solomon's team-leading third touchdown catch gave the Rampage a 64-42 advantage, their largest of the season.

Marshall topped off another fantastic night with a two-yard touchdown run. He finished the game with 206 all-purpose yards (104 receiving, 102 returning, zero rushing), his seventh 200-plus all-purpose yards game of the season.

Grand Rapids will look to win two straight games for the first time this season next Friday (March 11) on the road against the Columbus Destroyers. Unfortunately, they may have to do so without the services of Riley, who suffered a hamstring injury in the first half.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 5, 2007


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