Columbus No Remedy for Rampage
K.E. Schlosser
Monday May 17, 2004
Seeking redemption, Columbus pulled out all the stops this week, executing a game plan that enabled them to take a 20-0 lead before the Rampage even took a snap. The Destroyers took a 6-0 lead in the opening series on a Ryan Vena to Gunnard Twyner touchdown pass and never looked back. Columbus followed up the touchdown with two more scores courtesy of back-to-back Destroyer recoveries of Steve Videtich onsides kicks.
With the elusive Steve Smith a clear and present danger, the game plan all week was to make their first kick and onsides kick. Seizing the momentum, offensive specialist Cornelius White recovered the first kick and then caught a touchdown pass from Ryan Vena five plays later to keep the pressure on the visitors. Surprising everyone in the house except the Destroyers, Videtich followed up with his second consecutive onsides kick. Titcus Pettigrew recovered it and, like White, also finished what he started, racing into the end zone two plays later with a 37-yard touchdown reception.
Columbus head coach Earle Bruce gave credit to both special teams coach Tom Lichtenberg for developing the game plan and to his players for executing it.
“Smith was the leading return man in the league—a real jitterbug back there—and we didn’t want to give him the chance to beat us,” said Bruce. “By onside kicking after our first touchdown, we caught them off guard. When they didn’t come up to cover the second kickoff, we did it again.”
Essentially, the solid game plan and execution set the tone for the game. Back-to-back onsides kicks took away the Rampage return game, eliminating their most potent threat. Equally as big, the Destroyers were able to convert both recoveries into touchdowns, forcing the visitors’ backs to the wall.
Rampage return specialist Steve Smith could do little to help his team as he finished the game with two returns for a total of 21 yards, forcing Grand Rapids to stare down a long field each possession. The lead the Destroyers were able to quickly amass was too much for Grand Rapids to recover from and Columbus carried a 38-14 lead into the half.
The Destroyers came out of the locker room in the second half and shut out the Rampage in the third quarter. While the defense was hanging tough, the offense slowed it down a little as a Vena to White touchdown pass was the only score for the Destroyers. The teams traded touchdowns twice in the fourth quarter, but the Rampage could get no closer.
Lineman Wilke Brazile stressed prior to the game that “it was important to the team to go out big for the fans.”
They did.
Simply stated, the Destroyers played a complete football game. As a team, they came into the game with a plan, executed it to perfection, and took advantage of Rampage mistakes while forcing some of their own. The Destroyers made their share of mistakes, but they were able to overcome them without missing a beat.
Coach Bruce is fond of the old adage that “you are only as good as your last game.”
Friday night, they were very good and Bruce went to bed a happy man.
With their final home game of the season in the books, the Destroyers return to action next Saturday in Dallas before ending the season in Las Vegas. As the season continues to wind down Destroyers’ players, coaches, and fans each can only hope the “good team” continues to show up to play.
