Avengers Are at a Loss in Debut

Coach Stan Brock was not fooled by the Los Angeles Avengers’ unbeaten preseason record. Even with a team stocked with veterans, there were problems, he said, specifically on the lines where the team was spotty in protecting its quarterbacks and unable to put much pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Those problems cropped up again Saturday, and were pivotal in the Avengers’ Arena Football League regular-season opening loss to Grand Rapids, 51-31, before 8,192 at Van Andel Arena.

To be sure the Rampage offense did its part to ruin L.A.’s Arena debut. Quarterback Craig Kusick completed 20 of 35 passes for 268 yards and five touchdowns (with one interception). Rampage receiver Thomas Bailey caught nine passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns, and teammate Michael Baker caught seven passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. Baker also became the fourth player in Arena history with more than 4,000 career yards in receiving and kickoff returns.

But Brock said the Avengers contributed to their demise.

Quarterback Scott Semptimphelter, who passed for 174 yards and three touchdowns, was sacked three times and completed only 17 of 36 attempts.

“They were able to get to our quarterback and we could not get to theirs,” Brock said. “And next thing we know we’re down by 20 and have to play catch-up against a very good team.”

Because Arena football is geared to scoring, any defensive stop is crucial. And because the Rampage was able to pressure Semptimphelter, it stymied the Avengers at two critical junctures.

Los Angeles led, 10-3, in the second quarter after Semptimphelter’s nine-yard scoring pass to Anthony Rice and a 50-yard field goal by Kyle Pooler. But the Rampage scored the next 20 points to take a 23-10 lead at halftime.

And when Los Angeles could not score on its opening drive of the third quarter, Kusick floated a four-yard touchdown pass to Bailey to push Grand Rapids’ lead to 30-10--a 20-point margin they would maintain the rest of the game.

“Los Angeles is going to be a very good team,” said Rampage Coach Mike Trigg, who got his first victory in three tries against a Brock-coached team. “But even the veterans they have need some time together. But you can see they are explosive.”

Said Semptimphelter: “There wasn’t too much to like tonight. We have to raise our level of play. Sure it’s one game of 14, and in the grand scheme of things, maybe [the loss] doesn’t mean much. But tonight was a lesson. This is a tough league.”