Fusion Shock Spokane With Electric Play

Alex Painter
Monday April 16, 2007

Fusion quarterback Cody Hodges threw for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Hodges also ran for 54 yards on nine carries and four touchdowns, including a 25 yard romp in the third quarter en route to earning Offensive Player of the Game honors.

The game started quickly, with a perfectly-executed screen pass from Hodges to wide receiver Jermaine Jackson from 10 yards out to quickly cap a two play, 38 yard drive only 1:09 into the game.

“I just threw the ball out there as quick as possible, and the receivers and the lineman executed their blocks.  All eight guys did their job and we were able to get into the end zone,” Hodges said.

But Spokane responded, quickly scoring a touchdown of their own, and converting a Fort Wayne turnover on downs for another touchdown to make the score 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.

With the score 21-13 with seven minutes left in the half, Fort Wayne kick returner/wide receiver R.J. Harvey made a stunning play, spinning off a would-be tackler and speeding 58 yards to score to pull the Fusion within one.

After Spokane turned the ball over on downs the ensuing drive, Hodges led the Fusion down to the two-yard line.  With 11 seconds left in the half, Hodges dropped back to pass and proceeded to scramble out of the pocket, going side to side until deciding to bolt for the end zone.  While being tackled, Hodges outstretched his arms with the ball, crossing the goal line by mere inches.  The Fusion converted the following two point conversion to take a 28-21 lead at the half.

The second half was full of highlight reel type plays, including three more touchdown runs from Hodges, and yet another kick return for a touchdown from R.J. Harvey, this one more breathtaking than the first. After getting caught on the two-yard line on a return last week at Bossier-Shreveport, Harvey came into the game with a chip on his shoulder.

“I was a little mad at myself…I don’t get caught from behind too often (laughs).”

Harvey finished with 231 yards on seven returns, as well as garnering 30 receiving yards on four catches.

After three quarters of play, Fort Wayne held a 42-35 advantage.

The fourth quarter, much like the week before at Bossier-Shreveport, included a flurry of scoring, with each team scoring 21 points.  Scoring back and forth, with less than 30 seconds left, Spokane had a shot to possibly tie the game.  Driving down to the Fusion four-yard line, the crowd erupted and threw their support behind the defense.  The amount of noise possibly caused a miscue as a Spokane offensive lineman jumped offside to push Spokane back to the nine-yard line. With seven seconds left on the clock, the Fusion defense forced two incomplete passes, preserving the lead and the win.

Roster Changes

Coach “Touchdown” Eddie Brown addressed his team’s issues after last weekend‘s loss, making several lineup changes, including releasing kicker Dave Weller and linebacker J.J. Horne, as well as switching starting fullback Melvin Parris to linebacker and activating  Sunungura Rusununguko from the injured reserve and penciling him to start fullback.

The changes paid off as Sunungura rushed for 26 yards on only 5 carries and Melvin Parris tallied 7.5 tackles, including a sack, starting in place of Horne.

“We had been practicing all year together,” Parris said, “I already knew the plays so making the transition was not an issue.”

Unsung Hero

Newly-signed Kyle Hooper, who is still enrolled at Indiana State University, connected on seven of eight extra point attempts, vastly improving the sub par kicking game Fort Wayne had thus far.  It didn’t bother him finding out that previous kicker Dave Weller was cut in the third quarter of last week’s game.

“I didn’t let it get to me, I knew if I just went out there and did my job, I’d be fine.”

Hodges had much praise for the new kicker.

“For someone still taking classes and to have never kicked in arena football to come in and play the way he did is great.”

Next Game

Next week, the Fusion (2-1) travel to Manchester to go head-to-head against the Wolves (0-2), and look to continue the momentum of defeating both of last year’s ArenaCup participants.

“We just have to improve every week, and I think we did improve this week,” linebacker and Defensive Player of the Game recipient Derek Brown said, “last week was maybe a step backward, but the coaches got on us this week and made us better.”

Hodges agrees with Brown, “we just have to keep getting better, we want to come home in two weeks 3-1.”