Kelly Keeps Blaze Playoff Hopes Alive
Josh Fisher
Sunday April 16, 2006
Kelly finished the night 21-of-33 for 285 yards and eight touchdowns. He led Utah to a touchdown on 10 of its 12 possessions, one of which was the game’s final possession when Utah stopped short of the end zone to run the clock out.
The other failed score cost the Blaze a nine point halftime lead. With the Blaze driving, Avenger WR/DB Kevin Ingram intercepted a Kelly pass in the end zone with six seconds remaining. Following a quick strike for seven yards, Sonny Cumbie hurled a pass that riccoched off the iron and feel into the hands of Ingram for a 39-yard scoring strike to end the half, cutting the lead to one following the PAT. The pass appeared to be headed for Lenzie Jackson, but it hit the iron and when three Blaze defenders took out Jackson, Ingram was all alone for the score.
Los Angeles drove down field to start the third quarter but was forced to settle for a field goal attempt. The ball again hit iron, bounced out to the Blaze three yardline and was recovered by Lonnie Ford. The Avengers scored a touchdown two plays later, and took the lead 41-35.
The two teams traded scores on the next five possessions. Then came the biggest play of the night. Following a Blaze touchdown from Kelly to Orshawante Bryant, Coach White decided to try an onside kick. The ball was recovered by Utah and they again scored a touchdown when Kelly found Siaha Burley for a touchdown, putting the Blaze up for good. The Avengers scored on their next possession, but failed to recover the onside kick on the Blaze ran out the clock.
Burley flourished with Kelly at quarterback, grabbing 11 passes for 152 yards and five touchdowns. Burley and Kelly shared offensive player of the game honors. Blaze defensive specialist Kevin Moffett, playing for the first time since week three, earned ironman of the game honors after recording a team-high eight tackles, to go with his 136 yards on kickoff returns. The highlight was the first kickoff return for a touchdown in Blaze history, a 54-yard scamper in the second quarter.
Cumbie was brilliant for the Avengers throwing for 337 yards and seven touchdowns, but the teams failure to score touchdowns on its first two possessions came back to haunt them. Tony Lock had nine receptions for 142 yards and two scores while Locke added nine catches for 113 yards and three scores.
The win, along with Chicago losing to Arizona, moved Utah into a tie for the sixth and final playoff spot in the American Conference. The Blaze and Rush will meet in Chicago in Week 15, quite possibly with a spot in the playoffs on the line.
Josh Fisher has been a fan of the AFL for as long as he can remember. He followed the Arizona Rattlers since they began playing. Josh works for the University of Utah
as their head statistician. He is also the media contact for Klub Boom
Volleyball Club and the head volleyball coach at Park City High School.
