Blaze Clinch Playoff Berth in Exciting Fashion
Josh Fisher
Saturday May 13, 2006
Expansion Bowl ’06 saw a little of everything. There were the two offensive specialists abusing the opposing defense. Add that with each defense coming up with huge fourth down stops. Failed on-side kicks, missed PAT’s, overturned interceptions and huge overturn of a blocked PAT returned for two points.
Siaha Burley led the Blaze attack with 13 catches for 152 yards and three scores. Not to be outdone, Brigade OS Aaron Boone snagged 13 balls for 147 yards and five scores. Each had a score of at least 40 yards.
The two quarterbacks were also evenly matched. Andy Kelly, playing against the team that released him earlier this season, was 29-for-38 for 306 yards and five touchdowns for Utah. Raymond Philyaw, making his first start for the Brigade, was 28-for-38 with 285 yards and five touchdowns.
The key play in the game came with 3:11 left in the fourth quarter. The Brigade defense had just held the Blaze on fourth down and the offense was looking to put the game away. On fourth-and-one from their own 17, the Brigade decided to go for a first, even though they were already ahead 48-45. They called a run by Dawan Moss, but the play was sniffed out by Blaze FB/LB Kautai Olevao. Olevao wrapped up Moss and forced him into a loss, giving the ball back to Utah. That next possession turned into a field goal by Steve Videtich, tying the game at 48.
On the ensuing kickoff the Blaze went for an on-side kick, but the ball bounced out-of-bounds. Kansas City scored two plays later when Philyaw found Boone for the fifth and final time. They did however leave 53 seconds on the clock. Then the PAT was blocked by John Culp. It appeared to be recovered by Ryan Dennard of the Blaze, who then proceeded to return the ball to the end zone, giving the Blaze two points. After all the excitement it was determined that the ball hit the wall and was therefore dead.
Trailing by six the Blaze turned to Tom Pace in need of a good kick return. Pace responded with a 26-yard scamper to the Blaze 22 yard line. Kelly then methodically marched Utah down the field, scoring the game tying touchdown with just 5.7 seconds on the clock. That touchdown was thrown to the Pace who was named the Ironman of the game. Following a timeout and en encroachment penalty, Videtich calmly stepped up and nailed the PAT that clinched a playoff berth for the Blaze.
Pace finished the night with 49 receiving yards and the tying score, plus a rushing touchdown and 121 yards on four kick returns.
The Delta Center crowd of 16,855 gave the Blaze a season total of 123,985, just 277 more than Philadelphia, but enough to lead the league.
Utah now sits and waits to see how the playoffs will work out. If Chicago and Nashville both lose on Saturday, Utah will play host to Nashville. If either Chicago of Nashville wins then Utah will be on the road, with their opponent also being decided by the results of those two games.
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.
