Sunday, October 8, 2017

AFL: Avengers Fly By Barnstormers, 41-31

DES MOINES, IA-The Los Angeles Avengers were able to score a last-minute touchdown to pull away from the Iowa Barnstormers 41-31 in a Week 7 AFL game.

The Avengers started the game driving for a score, but Carmon Grimes would miss a 49-yard field goal attempt. The Barnstormers subsequently drove 61 yards on 9 plays, ending with Norm Damron scoring on a 15-yard quarterback scramble to take a 7-0 lead with 6:27 to go in the first quarter. Los Angeles would answer after Hack Jarrod returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards to the Iowa 36-yard line. After a seven-play, 27-yard drive, Grimes would kick a 26-yard field goal making it 7-3 with 2:18 remaining in the first.

SB Rhoads would miss a 53-yard field goal attempt on the ensuing Iowa possession, then Willie Guess ended a 5-play, 57-yard drive with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Alfie Tharp to give Los Angeles a 10-7 lead with 11:23 remaining in the second quarter. The Barnstormers would answer with a 6-play, 51-yard drive. Damron would again scramble in for a touchdown, this time from the 1, to give Iowa a 14-10 lead with 7:49 remaining in the half. The Avengers punted on their next drive, then Iowa ended a 5-play, 20-yard drive with Rhoads kicking a 49-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-10 with 3:41 left in the second quarter. Los Angeles would strike back with a 9-play, 55-yard drive. Guess ended the march with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Keifer Dance with 56 seconds to go in the half to tie the game at 17.

Early in the third quarter, Lars Witt fumbled for the Barnstormers, and Bat Turney recovered for the Avengers at the Iowa 27-yard line. Seven plays later, Chip Kindrick ran for a 2-yard touchdown to give Los Angeles a 24-17 lead with 11:52 remaining in the third quarter. After an Iowa punt, the Avengers marched downfield again, to the tune of 75 yards on 10 plays. Guess would throw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Devlin to make it 31-17 with 4:14 remaining in the third.

Iowa would answer back, driving 78 yards on 12 plays. Damron would fire a 37-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Whitlock making the score 31-24 with 14:34 remaining in the fourth quarter. After trading punts, Los Angeles would drive 47 yards on 7 plays. Grimes ended the drive kicking a 33-yard field goal to make it 34-24 with 6:17 left in the fourth. Corben Marvell fielded the short ensuing kickoff and ran it back 75 yards for a touchdown making it 34-31 with 6:01 remaining in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles would punt on their ensuing possession, then Iowa faced a fourth-and-1 from their own 20 at the 2-Minute Warning. They tried running Witt up the middle, and failed. The Avengers would then score five plays later, as Guess ran for an 8-yard touchdown to make it 41-31 with 1:19 left.

Los Angeles (4-3) gained 364 yards of total offense. The Avengers ran for 139 yards on 35 carries. Kindrick led the team with 57 yards on 17 carries and a TD. Guess was 25-of-33 passing for 253 yards and 3 TD. He was sacked three times, losing 28 yards. Dance led the receivers with 9 catches for 71 yards and a TD. The Avengers visit the Arizona Rattlers next week.

Iowa (4-3) gained 265 yards of total offense. The Barnstormers ran for 82 yards on 24 carries. Powell Ramos led the team with 51 yards on 10 carries. Damron was 17-of-30 passing for 183 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was not sacked in the game. Ryan Travers led the receivers with 4 catches for 47 yards. The Barnstormers host the Milwaukee Mustangs next week.

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