Xplosion Pull Off Come From Behind Overtime Win in Chicago
March 8, 2008 - Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL)
Kalamazoo Xplosion News Release
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. - The few thousand fans who crowded the energetic Sears Centre Friday night shuffled out quietly as the Xplosion crawled back from behind and erased a 27-7 Slaughter halftime lead to win in overtime, 46-39.
"I just told the guys that we need to get back to what we do." said first year-head coach Mike Sparks. "We don't need to get too concerned with what they do because we know we can play right with them."
The Xplosion took Sparks' words to heart as they stormed out of the locker room and scored 39 second half points to top Chicago.
Brian Dolph led the Kalamazoo offensive attack with three grabs for 81 yards and three touchdowns, two of which were amazingly brought down with one hand. His second score put the Xplosion within a two point conversion of tying the game while his third ultimately won the game in overtime.
"We had been really working on the outside of my guy and (Randy Hutchison) repeatedly was hitting the right spots with his throws," said Dolph.
The Slaughter struck early and often as they jumped out to a 20-0 lead. Chicago wide receiver Dontrell Jackson led their charge with eight catches, over 100 yards and three touchdowns, with two of those coming in the first quarter.
After coming out of the timeout at the end of the third quarter, the Xplosion went to work orchestrating thrilling drives and key defensive holds to put a total of 22 fourth quarter points on the board, and only allowing six.
With only 11 seconds left in the game and down by eight, the Hutchison-Dolph connection was in full swing. Hutchison was flushed out of the pocket before lobbing a ten-yard lop to Dolph. Chicago's Jonathon Martin, who attempted to cover Dolph all night, had good position but Dolph was able to out jump him and haul in the one-handed touchdown.
Kalamazoo would need a two point conversion to tie the game, and potentially send the game to overtime. The Xplosion sent out wide receiver Eric Gardner to play quarterback, who was joined by L.J. Parker and Little John Flowers in the backfield. Gardner took the snap and attempted to run an option with Flowers and Parker, but when he saw a seam, he took it himself. He was immediately met by Chicago's defense at the one-yard line, but as he was going down he pitched the ball over his shoulder to Parker who stretched the ball over the goal line and tied the game.
In overtime, after Dolph had given Kalamazoo the lead with his one handed touchdown, the Slaughter and quarterback Robbie Gordon had one possession to tie the game. It was then that Kalamazoo defensive lineman Andy Storey dashed any Chicago hopes of double overtime as he forced Robbie Gordon to cough up the football at midfield. Dominick Brown then pounced on the ball to lock up a win in the season opener.
"I'm very proud of these guys never giving up when it looked pretty bad," said Sparks, "They could've packed it in at halftime, but they stuck it out and played hard and it was fun."
The Xplosion look to remain undefeated at home in Wings Stadium next Friday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, call 269-345-5101.
Continental Indoor Football League Stories from March 8, 2008
- Muskegon Thunder fall To Mayhem, 34-33 - Muskegon Thunder
- Xplosion Pull Off Come From Behind Overtime Win in Chicago - Kalamazoo Xplosion
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