Offensive Perfection Makes for ArenaBowl Victory
Mary-Ann Williams
Sunday August 19, 2001
“There’s never a fourth down that Clint doesn’t want to go for,” said Grand Rapids OL/DL Lucas Yarnell. “That’s what makes our team so special. That confidence. As a team, there’s nothing more exciting than going out and protect a guy that you know can throw the ball.” And Rampage QB Clint Dolezel can definitely get the job done. He turned the drive into a touchdown and a 16-point lead over the Nashville Kats.
 Fan covets souvenir football as fans celebrate the Grand Rapids` World Championship Image courtesy of |
“They were the better team,” said Nashville head coach Pat Sperduto. “We just got out-played tonight. I’m going to cut to the chase. They made the plays and we didn’t. It’s just that simple.”
“The plays” really boiled down to a single stop in the second quarter. Nashville had the ball on their own 14-yard line with a fourth and inches, and the Rampage defensive line stopped the Kats’ cold. The stop ended in a Rampage touchdown and a 13-point lead.
With the momentum firmly with Grand Rapids, the rest of the game had Nashville trying to play catch-up. Grand Rapids, on the other hand, scored on every possession in the game but one, a missed field-goal in the last minute. Those drives have been the Rampage signature for the last half of the season. On very rare occasions do the Rampage fail to score.
OS Terrill Shaw was the key player of the day, however. Shaw set records for receiving touchdowns (five) and points scored by a player (30). His teammates credit him with making the difference between barely winning the games and dominating them.
“I don’t know how we got him,” said Rampage head coach Michael Trigg. “But the first day he showed up to practice I knew he was something special. When a player is grabbing catches right-handed, left-handed, behind his back. I don’t know. I guess one man’s trash,” said Trigg, laughing, “is the Grand Rapids’ golden player.”
For the second straight year the Nashville Kats face a long, depressing flight home without a championship. Not because they didn’t deserve it. Not because they were a lousy team, but because the best team in the Arena Football League beat the second best team in the league.
Mary-Ann Williams lives in Chicagoland with her four children, Carter, Jackson, Jeremy, and Riley Jade. As a freelance writer, she`s written articles for the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and the Daily Herald. She also serves as editor of the AFL-side of Arenafan Online, and covers the Chicago Rush.
