Rush gets first-ever win in desert 53-47 over Rattlers

Monday May 28, 2007

Phoenix – The Chicago Rush used a 24-0 run to take control and then held on in the fourth quarter to defeat the Arizona Rattlers 53-47 at U.S. Airways Arena Saturday night, clinching a spot in the AFL playoffs for the seventh-consecutive season.

After spotting Arizona a 14-0 lead just seven minutes into the game, the Rush (9-3) held the Rattlers scoreless for nearly 26 minutes, building a 24-14 lead at the half.

The Rattlers (3-10) mounted a comeback in the second half, cutting the Rush lead to 45-40 with 3:35 remaining, but a DeJuan Alfonzo 9-yard touchdown catch with 2:37 left sealed the win for Chicago.

Alfonzo, playing both offense and defense for the Rush, finished with seven receptions for 58 yards and three touchdowns, and added a rushing TD and 2.5 tackles in the game.  He also recovered an Arizona onside kick with 35 seconds left in the game to secure the victory.

“We came out kind of flat,” said Alfonzo.  “But we did what we have been doing all season – we kept fighting and plugging along.  The defense got some stops when we needed them and the offense was able to score enough points to keep us ahead by two scores most of the second half.”

The Chicago win was even more impressive, as the team played without starting wide receiver Bobby Sippio for the second-consecutive game.  Sippio sprained his ankle in the first quarter of the team’s May 14 game at Dallas and has not played since.

In addition, the Rush had never beaten Arizona, losing all five previous meetings between the teams.

Rush quarterback Matt D’Orazio was extremely efficient, completing 27 of 37 passes for 229 yards and six touchdowns, without throwing an interception.  After a shaky start, D’Orazio only threw only four incomplete passes in the game’s final three quarters.

D’Orazio’s favorite target was rookie Rob Mager, who caught nine passes for 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

With just four games remaining in the regular season the Rush holds a 1.5 game lead over Colorado in the Central Division.  Winning the division would secure a first-round bye in the playoffs.  In addition, the Rush is tied with San Jose atop the American Conference, but holds the tiebreaker over the SaberCats by virtue of the Rush win over San Jose on March 9.

NOTES:  Rush DB Dennison Robinson’s fourth quarter interception of Sherdrick Bonner was the team-record 35th turnover the Rush defense has forced this season.  It also was the first interception Bonner had ever thrown against the Rush in six games …Rush linebacker D.J. Blesaith became a father for the first time Saturday, when his daughter Addison Grace was born in Atlanta…John Moyer’s sack was his second in as many weeks and moved him in to 8th place in AFL history with 36.5 in his career.