DES MOINES, IA-Powell Ramos scored two second-half touchdowns to help the Iowa Barnstormers earn a 41-27 victory over the Chicago Rush in a Week 2 AFL game.
The Barnstormers opened the game with a 6-play, 60-yard drive. Ryan Travers finished it off with a 7-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead with 11:55 remaining in the first quarter. The Rush would respond with a 14-play, 78-yard drive. Dete Justen would kick a 22-yard field goal to make it 7-3 with 6:45 remaining in the first. After a Barnstormers punt, Chicago would drive 44 yards on 5 plays. Hershel Kimbrell finished it off with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Marty Margerum to give the Rush a 10-7 lead with 2:02 left in the first quarter. Another Iowa three-and-out led to Chicago striking again with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Kimbrell to Zach Allen pushing the score to 17-7 with 16 seconds left in the first.
The teams traded punts to start the second quarter, then Iowa went on an 8-play, 45-yard drive ending with a 42-yard field goal by SB Rhoads to make it 17-10 with 7:55 remaining in the second quarter. Chicago answered back with a 7-play, 70-yard drive. Lonnie Clements scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to make it 24-10 with 3:50 to go in the half. Caleb Whitlock returned the ensuing kickoff 68 yards to the Rush 19-yard line. After five plays netted 15 yards, Rhoads kicked a 21-yard field goal to make it 24-13 with 1:20 remaining in the second quarter. Seth Waltrip picked Kimbrell off at the Chicago 9-yard line, and Lars Witt scored on a 9-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds remaining in the half to make the score 24-20 at the half.
The Rush opened the second half with a 7-play, 52-yard drive. Justen ended the drive with a 40-yard field goal to make it 27-20 with 11:16 to go in the third quarter. Norm Damron fumbled on a scramble and Shaun Donruss recovered for Chicago at the Barnstormers' 28-yard line. But Justen would miss a 32-yard field goal attempt, and Iowa drove 78 yards on 3 plays. Damron's 58-yard completion to Preston Covington set up an 18-yard touchdown run by Ramos to tie the game at 27 with 4:56 remaining in the third.
After the Rush punted, the Barnstormers moved 57 yards on 9 plays, and Damron tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Davlin Coggins giving Iowa a 34-27 lead with 13:02 remaining in the fourth quarter. Chicago punted, then Niko Simon intercepted Damron at the Barnstormers' 23-yard line. The Rush went for it on fourth-and-4 from the 17, but Kimbrell's pass to Allen fell incomplete. The Barnstormers drove hoping for a score to put the game out of reach, but Rhoads' 43-yard field goal attempt was blocked. Waltrip atoned for the missed opportunity by picking off Kimbrell and returning it 9 yards to the Chicago 23-yard line. Five plays later, Ramos plunged the dagger into Chicago's heart with a 5-yard touchdown run making it 41-27 with 1:13 left in the game. Waltrip picked Kimbrell off again to seal the deal.
Iowa (1-1) gained 378 yards of total offense. The Barnstormers ran for 185 yards on 32 carries. Travers led the team with 69 yards on 11 carries and a TD. He also led with 5 catches for 46 yards. Damron was 16-of-25 passing for 214 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked three times, losing 21 yards. The Barnstormers visit the Dallas Desperados next week.
Chicago (1-1) gained 294 yards of total offense. The Rush ran for 25 yards on 21 carries. Clements led the team with 14 yards on 11 carries and a TD. Kimbrell was 22-of-39 passing for 312 yards, 2 TD and 3 INT. He was sacked five times, losing 43 yards. Allen led the receivers with 10 catches for 164 yards and a TD. The Rush host the Milwaukee Mustangs next week.
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