Victory Over SaberCats Evens Rampage Record at 2-2
Randy Snow
Tuesday February 21, 2006
The Rampage registered its first victory ever against San Jose (1-3) in a 66-52 win at the Van Andel Arena. It was only the third time that San Jose has ever been to Grand Rapids in the eight game series. The last time was during the 2000 season.
However, the game did not start out the way Grand Rapids would have liked. Rampage quarterback Chad Salisbury was intercepted in the end zone on the team’s opening drive by San Jose WR/LB Marquis Floyd, who returned the ball 51 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was no good, but San Jose had a 6-0 lead.
From that point on, the lead changed hands eight times in the first three quarters. The two teams traded scores in a seesaw battle that featured several wild plays. In the second quarter, Rampage FB/LB Chris Avery fumbled the ball inside the five-yard line, but OL/DL Tim Martin scooped up the loose ball and scored for Grand Rapids.
The Rampage had five one-play scoring drives in the game including a 22-yard touchdown catch and run by FB/LB Chris Ryan and a 58-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by WR/DB Timon Marshall with 12 seconds left in the first half.
In the third quarter, the Rampage were trailing 32-29 when Grand Rapids head coach Sparky McEwen opted to go for it on fourth down rather than kicking a field goal. The fourth down play resulted in a 20–yard touchdown pass from Salisbury to OS Aaron Bailey and a 36-32 Grand Rapids lead.
"We’re playing to win," McEwen said of the fourth down play. "This organization has been down a long time. We’ve got some weapons here. Chad’s got confidence and I wanted to show Chad that I’ve got confidence in him. They executed the play perfectly. We’ve got a long season ahead of us, but when your making mistakes and you still pull out victories, that’s the sign of a good football team."
In the fourth quarter, Salisbury connected with Timon Marshall for a 29-yard touchdown, increasing the Rampage lead to 57-46. On the ensuing kickoff, Rampage WR/LB Kenny Solomon recovered the ball off the net and scored another touchdown putting Grand Rapids up by 18 points, 64-46.
With 51 seconds left in the game, San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb tossed a three-yard touchdown pass to WR/LB Calvin Shexnayd, making the score 64-52 in favor of Grand Rapids. The SaberCats then decided to go for two, but Grieb fumbled the ball on the play. It was picked up by Rampage OL/DL Bryant Shaw, who rumbled the length of the field scoring two points for Grand Rapids. That made the final score 66-52.
Rampage quarterback Chad Salisbury completed 17 of 29 passes for 224 yards. He threw five touchdowns, ran for another touchdown and was intercepted once.
As usual, Salisbury credited his teammates for the win. "Timon (Marshall), Aaron Bailey and (Anthony) Hines, they made some great plays. Those guys up front did a great job. I think that’s two straight weeks with no sacks. Those guys are really playing at a high level."
"I couldn’t be more excited for (Chad) and his family," McEwen said. "The guy has worked hard, he’s waited his turn and right now he’s making the most of it."
If the Rampage continue to play like they have in the last two games, they could have a winning record by the time they return home from their upcoming road trip. The next home game will be against the expansion Utah Blaze on Thursday night, March 16.
Game Awards
Rampage WR/DB Timon Marshall was named Offensive Player of the Game. He caught 2 touchdown passes and returned a kickoff for another. Grand Rapids DS Johnnie Harris, who had an interception in the third quarter, was named Defensive Player of the Game. SaberCats WR/LB Marquis Floyd was named Ironman of the Game.
Next Game
Grand Rapids (2-2) plays the next three games on the road beginning this Saturday night against the Nashville Kats (3-1). Then it’s on to Colorado and Las Vegas before returning to the Van Andel Arena in mid-March.
Randy Snow covered the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League for ArenaFan from 2003-2008. He also covered the Fort Wayne Fusion of arenafootball2 in 2007. From 2004-2008 and in 2010, he was a member of the Arena Football League Writer’s Association and, since 2011, has been a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association. Randy lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan but will travel just about anywhere for a football game or a great football story. He runs the web site www.theworldoffootball.com and hosts a podcast with his son, Adam, called “This Week in The World of Football.”
