DETROIT-The Grand Rapids Rampage and the Detroit Drive met in a Week 8 AFL matchup that went back-and-forth until the Rampage were finally able to pull out the win 30-24 in the final minute.
Detroit started the game with possession and promptly marched 80 yards on 5 plays. Lou Couch finished it off with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Vern Kelly to go ahead 7-0 with 12:46 left in the first quarter. Grand Rapids marched toward a potential score of their own, bur Curtis Wayne was stripped of the ball, and Tad Adler recovered for the Drive at their own 17-yard line. After trading punts, the Rampage drove 75 yards on 6 plays. Wayne dove in from the 1 to tie the game at 7 with 2:33 remaining in the first.
The Drive would punt on their next possession, then the Rampage took five plays to go 80 yards. Wayne finished it with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Kinzer, giving Grand Rapids a 14-7 lead with 11:23 left in the second quarter. Detroit responded with a 5-play, 39-yard drive that ended with Cletis Frayer kicking a 51-yard field goal to make it 14-10 with 8:59 remaining in the half. Grand Rapids would punt the ball away, then the Drive got rolling, moving the ball 71 yards on 11 plays. Couch threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Dave Huntley to put Detroit ahead 17-14 with 1:24 remaining in the second.
The third quarter was fairly quiet. Neither team seemed able to sustain a drive, then Toby Harrell would fumble for Grand Rapids, and T.T. Presley recovered for Detroit at his own 48-yard line. But Dillon From would pick off Couch two plays later. The Rampage then drove 53 yards on 10 plays, ending with Herbert Shipley scoring on a 7-yard touchdown run to put Grand Rapids ahead 21-17 with 14:08 left in the fourth quarter.
Detroit would answer with a 10-play, 67-yard drive of their own. Artie Thom would end the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run to put the Drive ahead 24-21 with 8:42 to go in the fourth. The Rampage would punt on their next drive, then Merrill Fernandez recovered a Patch Brolie fumble at the Grand Rapids 47-yard line with 2:33 remaining. Six plays and 53 yards later, Thad Lennard, filling in for the injured Wayne, hit Harrell for a 4-yard touchdown pass. George Tibbs missed the extra point, and the score was 27-24 with 52 seconds to go. From came up big for Grand Rapids again, intercepting a Couch pass at the Detroit 12-yard line. After the Rampage ran three plays, gaining seven yards, and burning all three of Detroit's timeouts, Tibbs connected on a 22-yard field goal with 9 seconds left to make it 30-24.
Grand Rapids (4-4) gained 395 yards of total offense. The Rampage ran for 156 yards on 32 carries. Bobo Cushing led the team with 75 yards on 12 carries. Wayne was 12-of-19 passing for 190 yards and a TD. He was sacked twice, losing 13 yards. Lennard was 6-of-10 for 84 yards and a TD. He was also sacked twice, losing 22 yards. Kinzer led the receivers with 7 catches for 78 yards and a TD. Next week, the Rampage visit the Los Angeles Avengers.
Detroit (4-4) gained 325 yards of total offense. The Drive ran for 182 yards on 36 carries. Brolie led the team with 57 yards on 9 carries. Couch was 12-of-21 passing for 144 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked once for a 1-yard loss. Kelly (36 yards, TD) and C.J. Jetton (32 yards) each caught three passes in the game. Next week, the Drive will visit the Arizona Rattlers.
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