LOS ANGELES-It was a tale of two halves for the Los Angeles Avengers. In the first half, they jumped to a 24-0 lead, but had to hold off a furious second-half charge by the Colorado Crush to win 27-19 in the final AFL season opener.
The game started with Los Angeles and Colorado trading punts. Then the Avengers would drive 80 yards on 9 plays, ending with a 9-yard run by FB Cameron Devlin to put Los Angeles up 7-0 with 7:46 left in the first quarter. Colorado would punt on its next possession, and Los Angeles would drive 72 yards on 9 plays, with the Avengers scoring on a 22-yard pass from Juan York to Keifer Dance to go up 14-0 with 1:14 remaining in the first.
Colorado and Los Angeles would then trade punts again, and following another Crush punt, the Avengers would drive 68 yards on 10 plays. K Carmon Grimes ended the drive with a 24-yard field goal, and the Avengers went ahead 17-0 with 6:46 left in the second quarter. The Crush would finally get a drive going, but came up short when K Earl Ginger missed a 55-yard FG attempt with 2:35 left. The Avengers would subsequently drive 55 yards on 9 plays, and put the finish on the half with a 4-yard touchdown pass from York to Chip Kindrick with 2 seconds to go to take a 24-0 lead at the half.
Colorado began the second half with a solid drive, that was only stopped by an interception by Los Angeles' Carlisle June at the Avengers 9. However, on the next play, Colorado's Eric Adcock would sack York in the end zone for a safety with 10:18 remaining in the third, making the score 24-2 in favor of the Avengers. After the free kick, the Crush would drive 62 yards on 3 plays, scoring on a 4-yard pass from Howton Thom to Gitch Wild. Colorado went for two, and failed, and the score was 24-8 Avengers with 8:38 left in the third. The teams traded punts, and after a Los Angeles punt, the Avengers' Courtney Harrelson would intercept Thom to thwart another Colorado drive late in the third. The Crush would respond in kind, however, as a sack and recovered fumble by Cordell Berle would give them the ball at their own 36. But Colorado would again fall victim to a turnover as a reception by Antony Croft was fumbled and recovered by Los Angeles' Orrin Dyre.
Early in the fourth quarter, Grimes missed a 42-yard field goal. Colorado would respond with an 8-play, 68-yard drive that ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Thom to Sandy Kelley. The Crush would go for two again, and made it this time, to close the gap to 24-16 with 10:42 left in the game. The Avengers drove the ball in an attempt to put the game away, but Devlin fumbled, and the Crush's Cecil Calbert recovered at the Colorado 20 to stop the drive. Colorado was forced to punt, and Los Angeles would then drive 23 yards on 7 plays. Grimes would then kick a 50-yard field goal with 2:35 left to punt the Avengers up 27-16. Colorado would go into a hurry-up offense, going 53 yards on 9 plays. Colorado decided to go for a 25-yard field goal by Ginger with 16 seconds left to make it 27-19. The Crush would then attempt an onside kick, but LA's Igor Keough would recover it to give the win for the Avengers.
Los Angeles gained 373 yards of total offense. The Avengers gained 76 yards rushing, Kindrick leading the team with 32 yards on 11 carries. Devlin scored a touchdown, gaining 14 yards on 5 carries. York went 25-for-43 for 330 yards and 2 TD. He was sacked 3 times, losing 33 yards. Dance led the Avengers with 7 catches for 96 yards and 1 TD. Ken Lavue had 7 catches for 73 yards. Kindrick caught 3 passes for 35 yards and 1 TD.
Colorado gained 317 yards of total offense. The Crush gained 70 yards rushing, with Valentine Millstone leading the team with 34 yards on 8 carries. Thom went 23-for-38 for 277 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked 4 times, losing 30 yards. Turk Dill led the Crush with 6 receptions for 113 yards. Wild caught 5 passes for 39 yards and a TD. Kelley caught 4 passes for 39 yards and a TD.
In a moment, the standings and a Week 2 schedule preview.
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