Seesaw battle ends with Philadelphia on top despite stellar performances from Rodgers and Everett

June 8, 2012 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Milwaukee Mustangs News Release


MILWAUKEE, WI - Donning the purple and teal on Friday evening, the Milwaukee Mustangs (4-8) dropped a 69-62 heatbreaker to the Philadelphia Soul (10-3) after a Donovan Morgan touchdown reception with only 13 seconds to play.

Milwaukee and Philadelphia changed leads 12 times during the contest with the Mustangs falling just short of completing an upset over the division-leading Soul. Marcus Everett brought home Defensive Player of the Game honors with a forced fumble and two interceptions, including one returned for a score, while Kelvin Rodgers returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in the first half to set the tone early in the game for Milwaukee.

Milwaukee kicked off Throwback Night in style with a 58-yard touchdown return by Kelvin Rodgers on the opening kickoff. After last week's AFL MVP of the Week Derrick Ross rushed into the end zone from 11 yards away, Gino Guidugli and Andrae Thurman hooked up on a 12-yard scoring pass to give Milwaukee a 13-7 lead. Jeff Hughley returned the ensuing kickoff all the way to the one-yard line to set up a short Larry Brackins touchdown reception for Philadelphia.

The Soul converted on an onside kick attempt on the following kickoff, but Marcus Everett would not let the Soul take control. The linebacker stripped the ball from Ross on the Soul's drive and the pigskin was recovered by Dwayne LeFall to give the ball back to the Mustangs. Milwaukee capitalized on the turnover with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Guidugli to Everett to take a 20-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Philadelphia opened the second quarter scoring with another Ross rushing touchdown, but the lightning fast Rodgers struck again with another kickoff return for a touchdown to give Milwaukee a 27-21 advantage.

The seesaw scoring continued as former Milwaukee wide receiver Tiger Jones got into the mix with a 25-yard touchdown catch to retake the lead before Gudugli threaded the needle on a touchdown pass to Jeff Tow-Arnett to go back on top, 34-28. Donovan Morgan added a Soul scoring catch on the following possession, but the Mustangs answered back with a Justin Lawrence goal line rushing touchdown on fourth down to take a 41-35 lead into the half.

Philadelphia did not waste time to begin the second half, scoring on just one play with a 30-yard scoring strike from Dan Raudabaugh to Jones to tie the game at 41-41. After Milwaukee was stopped on fourth down, the Soul took a 47-41 lead when Morgan broke several tackles en route to a 44-yard touchdown. But the Mustangs answered back, scoring on a 2-yard run by Guidugli to take a one-point lead.

That's when Everett showed his mean streak. The turnover machine closed the third quarter by intercepting a Raudabaugh pass and returning it 24 yards to the house for his third interception return touchdown of the season and a 55-47 Mustangs lead. Then, Everett intercepted a second pass on the Soul's next drive to put the ball back in Milwaukee's hands.

But the Mustangs were unable to get points from the drive, as Jose Martinez's 46-yard field goal sailed wide left and the Soul responded with a Hughley touchdown reception to cut the lead to 55-54. Philadelphia then stopped Milwaukee on downs for a third time and converted on the opportunity with a 5-yard touchdown catch by Donovan Morgan to take a 62-55 lead.

Milwaukee came clawing its way back, scoring with 36 seconds to play on a Tow-Arnett rushing score to tie the game at 62-62. But the Soul moved down the field on their final possession of the game, scoring the winning touchdown on a 17-yard pass to Donovan Morgan to take home the victory, 69-62.



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