ORLANDO-Abel White kicked a 49-yard field goal on the last play of regulation, and then kicked a 26-yarder in overtime to give the Orlando Predators a 27-24 victory over the Grand Rapids Rampage in Week 2 of the AFL season.
The early part of the first quarter saw the teams, more or less, struggle on offense. It wasn't until the 8:30 mark of the first quarter, when Orlando, starting from its own 1 yard line, began to sustain a drive. It all started with WR Farren Smithson gaining 14 yards on a reverse. QB DJ Haji then hit HB D.J. Giles on a pass for 15. FB Caleb Doering gained 3 on a draw. After a pass interference call gave the Predators a first down at the Rampage 43, Haji threw to Smithson, gaining 26. Giles gained 6 on a draw, but the drive appeared to stall at the Rampage 11, and Orlando set up for what appeared to be a 28-yard field goal. But the Predators called a fake, and backup QB Ramon Roden hit third-string TE Wiley Rooks for an 11-yard touchdown with 4:48 remaining in the first to give Orlando a 7-0 lead.
Grand Rapids would punt again, but caught a break when Orville Brill intercepted a Haji pass at the Orlando 34. From there, the Rampage would take six plays before Curtis Wayne connected with Joe Foss for a 7-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7 with 14:13 to go in the second quarter. Orlando would drive again only to see Haji fumble and have it recovered by Grand Rapids LB Bobby Harpole at his own 32. After that, both teams traded punts. Then, with 1:28 left, the Rampage punted to Smithson at the Predators 10-yard line. Smithson returned it 9 yards, but fumbled. Jake Yearian recovered for the Rampage, and four plays later, Wayne hit Toby Harrell on a 1-yard touchdown pass to put Grand Rapids up 14-7 with 42 seconds to go in the half.
The second half began much as the first half did, with both offenses punting the ball away. Then Harrell fumbled and the ball was recovered by Orlando's Ed Tennison and returned to the Rampage 18. Two plays later, Haji hit Leonard Irving for a 5-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14 with 5:55 remaining in the third. A Rampage scoring threat was extingushed by an interception by Denver Frakes. But the Predators were forced to punt, and Grand Rapids drove 24 yards on 5 plays, with George Tibbs kicking a 46-yard field goal with 14:17 remaining in the game to take a 17-14 lead.
A 52-yard return by RW Warden on the ensuing kickoff placed Orlando on the Grand Rapids 46. Eight plays later, Haji would connect on an 8-yard touchdown pass to Gene Crosby to give the Predators a 21-17 lead 10:32 to go in the game. After a 36-yard return by Hudie Naylor gave Grand Rapids the ball on the Orlando 45, the Rampage would take six plays before Bobo Cushing ran it in from the 5 to give the Rampage a 24-21 lead with 7:35 remaining. Both teams would trade punts, and Orlando would find itself at its own 33 with 1:11 left. Haji hit RW Courier for a yard, then called timeout with 1:04 remaining. Haji was forced out of the pocket and scrambled out of bounds for no gain with 54 seconds left. A pass intended for Giles fell incomplete with 46 seconds left. With no choice but to go for it, Haji made a completion to Giles for 12 yards and a first at their own 46. The Predators called their second timeout with 39 seconds left. Haji hit Smithson for 14 and he went out of bounds at the Rampage 40 with 30 seconds left. Haji was again flushed out and gained a yard, hurried the Predators to the line and hit Steven Thompson for 7 yards to the Rampage 32 and called timeout with 2 seconds left. From there, Orlando sent out White, and he made a 49-yard field goal at the gun to tie the game at 24 and send it into overtime.
Both Orlando and Grand Rapids punted to start the overtime. Haji hoped to put an end to the game with a long pass, but Brill collected his second interception of the game and returned it to the Rampage 29. But the Rampage had to punt, and Smithson's 31-yard return, coupled with an incidental facemask penalty, gave the Predators the ball at the Grand Rapids 17. After three plays netted eight yards, White connected on a 26-yard field goal with 2:24 left in overtime to give Orlando the win.
Orlando (1-1) gained 353 yards of total offense. The Predators gained 123 yards rushing, with Giles leading with 70 yards on 14 carries. Haji went 23-for-45 passing for 242 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked twice, losing 23 yards. Giles was the Predators' leading receiver, with 7 catches for 63 yards. Next week, the Predators are on the road facing the Detroit Drive.
Grand Rapids (0-2) gained 262 yards of total offense. The Rampage gained 113 yards rushing, with Harrell leading the way with 45 yards on 15 carries. Cushing had 7 carries for 42 yards and a TD. Wayne was 19-for-37 passing for 201 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked six times, losing 52 yards. Foss was Grand Rapids' leading receiver, with 6 catches for 64 yards and a TD. The Rampage are home next week, entertaining the Nashville Kats.
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