DETROIT-Well, this is not how the Detroit Drive envisioned Opening Night of AFL season 2 going.
The evening started with the Drive celebrating their ArenaBowl championship, and raising the championship banner. It ended with Cletis Frayer's 28-yard field goal attempt getting blocked with six seconds left, giving the Colorado Crush the 22-20 victory.
Colorado opened the game with a punt, then Detroit moved into position to score, but Frayer missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. Following the miss, the Crush moved 32 yards on 11 plays, ending the drive with a 48-yard field goal by Earl Ginger to give Colorado a 3-0 lead with 1:15 left in the first quarter.
Following a punt by the Drive, the Crush moved downfield with a 7-play, 66-yard drive. Valentine Millstone would then score on a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 10-0 with 10 minutes remaining in the half. After trading punts, the Drive would get rolling, going 54 yards on 8 plays. Patch Brolie scored on a 5-yard touchdown run making the score 10-7 with 2:23 remaining in the second quarter.
Detroit would take advantage of a short kickoff and long return by Dave Huntley to open the second half and drove 35 yards on 7 plays. Lou Couch threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Vern Kelly to give the Drive a 14-10 lead with 11:27 left in the third quarter. The Crush would answer back with a 9-play, 66-yard drive. Ginger kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 14-13 with 7:39 remaining in the third. Following a Detroit punt, Colorado went on the move again, going 80 yards on 8 plays. Howton Thom finished it off with a 31-yard touchdown strike to Antony Croft. Colorado failed on the 2-point conversion and the score was 19-14 with 2:07 left in the third quarter.
Brolie would fumble on Detroit's next possession, and Cecil Nathan recovered for the Crush at the Drive 40-yard line. But Butch Bryant would put an end to Colorado's scoring threat by picking off Thom and returning it 12 yards to the Detroit 17-yard line. Couch would later get victimized by an interception as Wallace Burden picked Couch off returning it 9 yards to the Crush 23-yard line. Then, after an 8-play, 55-yard drive, Ginger would kick a 39-yard field goal to extend Colorado's lead to 22-14 with 7:29 to go in the fourth quarter. Detroit would respond, going 77 yards on 9 plays. Couch would hit Kelly for a 13-yard touchdown, but the Drive missed their 2-point conversion attempt, and were down 22-20 with 4:13 left in the game. The Crush would punt, and the Drive found themselves at their own 17-yard line with 52 seconds left, and with two timeouts. They managed to reach the Colorado 11-yard line with six seconds remaining, and sent Frayer out to attempt the game-winning 28-yard field goal. But Leonardo Emery burst through the line and blocked the kick, falling on it at the 29-yard line to seal Colorado's win.
Colorado (1-0) gained 357 yards of total offense. The Crush ran for 142 yards on 35 carries. Millstone led the team with 61 yards on 16 carries and a TD. Thom went 16-of-27 passing for 227 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked twice, losing 12 yards. Sandy Kelley was Colorado's leading receiver with 4 catches for 109 yards. The Crush will open their home schedule next week against the Arizona Rattlers.
Detroit (0-1) gained 342 yards of total offense.The Drive ran for 65 yards on 22 carries. C.J. Jetton led the team with 25 yards on 8 carries. Couch went 21-of-34 passing for 306 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked four times, losing 29 yards. Brolie caught 5 passes for 100 yards. The Drive go on the road next week to face the Albany Firebirds.
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