Rampage Score Record 56 First-Half Points in 84-59 Win over Avengers

Sunday March 30, 2008

Grand Rapids Improves to 2-2 With Second Straight Win

GRAND RAPIDS – The Rampage followed up one record-setting performance with another, setting a team mark with 56 first-half points en route to an 84-59 victory over the Los Angeles Avengers. After scoring the most points ever by a road team in last week’s 92-52 victory over the Kansas City Brigade, Grand Rapids’ 176 combined points in two games set another Arena Football League mark.

Rampage defensive back and kickoff return man Chris Martin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) set multiple Rampage records off the nets, returning three kickoffs for touchdowns while totaling 249 kickoff return yards. Meanwhile, quarterback James MacPherson (Tucson, Ariz.) put together another solid outing, completing 18 of 22 passes for 215 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.

Grand Rapids jumped on Los Angeles from the beginning when Martin took the opening kickoff 55 yards for a touchdown. Then, following a fumble by former Rampage receiver Timon Marshall, MacPherson connected with Chris Johnson (Americus, Ga.) on Grand Rapids’ first play from scrimmage for a 25-yard scoring strike.

The Rampage defense created its second turnover of the game when Leif Murphy (Spring Lake Park, Minn.) hit Avengers quarterback Sonny Cumbie from behind, forcing a fumble. Defensive lineman Rahim Abdullah (Jacksonville, Fla.) jumped on the loose ball and rumbled to the one-yard line, where fullback Whitney Bell (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) eventually scored to give Grand Rapids a 21-0 lead.

Los Angeles finally got on the board with a five-yard touchdown pass to J.R. Tolver. Then, after holding the Rampage to a turnover on downs, Avengers tight end Clay Harrell logged a four-yard touchdown reception to bring the visitors within seven points. But Martin’s second touchdown return of the game gave Grand Rapids a 28-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Both teams exchanged touchdown passes to begin the second quarter, as Los Angeles’ Kevin Ingram and Grand Rapids’ Johnson collected touchdown catches. Rampage defensive back Ahmad Hawkins (Hampton, Va.) then gave the ball back to the home team with an interception, his second in the last two games. Grand Rapids cashed in when Bell plunged into the end zone for his second rushing score.

The Rampage continued to pull away in the first half, taking advantage of a turnover on downs with a MacPherson-to-Kenny Higgins (Long Beach, Calif.) eight-yard touchdown connection. Ingram’s second touchdown catch of the game pulled the Avengers to within 22 points, but Higgins pulled in his second straight score, helping the Rampage to a 56-30 lead at the half.

Grand Rapids effectively slowed the pace in the second half, answering a Los Angeles touchdown with a six-play scoring drive that finished with a two-yard touchdown plunge by backup quarterback Adrian McPherson (Bradenton, Fla.). Then, following yet another Rampage defensive stop, Higgins’ third touchdown catch of the game pushed his team’s lead to 32 points at the end of the third quarter.

The Rampage found yet another way to score in the fourth quarter when Johnson recovered a Cumbie fumble in the end zone for his third touchdown of the night. After another Avengers score, Martin struck for a third time, taking back his longest kick of the night to put the game well out of reach. Los Angeles tallied the final two touchdowns of the evening, narrowing the final deficit to 25 points.

The 2-2 Rampage will travel to take on the New York Dragons next week in their first non-conference matchup of the season. Meanwhile, the Avengers will stay on the road when they travel to Denver to face the Colorado Crush.

Score by Quarter     1     2     3     4     Final     Record
Los Angeles Avengers     14     16     8     21     59     (2-3)
Grand Rapids Rampage     28     28     14     14     84     (2-2)

LEADERS

PASSING: MacPHERSON, James (GRA) 17-30-215-5; CUMBIE, Sonny (LAA) 19-36-211-5
RECEIVING: INGRAM, Kevin (LAA) 13-148-4; HIGGINS, Kenny (GRA) 6-63-3

PLAYERS OF THE GAME

Offensive: James MacPherson (GRA)
Defensive: Ahmad Hawkins (GRA)
Ironman: Chris Martin (GRA)