Avengers Can’t Get Started in 52-30 Loss

The start of the 2001 Arena Football League season looked much like 2000 for the Avengers--especially against their Northern California rival.

Their battle with host San Jose wasn’t as embarrassing as last season, when Los Angeles lost by 53 points, but Saturday’s 52-30 defeat against the SaberCats at the Compaq Center in San Jose was no less decisive.

The victory extended San Jose’s regular-season winning streak to 12. Last year the SaberCats won their final 11 games and posted the league’s best record at 12-2, but were knocked out in the semifinals of the playoffs.

San Jose rolled up a 31 consecutive points in the first half before the Avengers (0-1) broke through with a field goal by rookie kicker Brian Reaves.

“Obviously we did not play well,” Avenger Coach Stan Brock said. “It looked like it was in the first half; some guys playing their first games, [quarterback] Todd [Marinovich] getting banged around. But my expectations are still high for the year.”

Marinovich, who completed 23 of 49 passes for 244 and four touchdowns despite three sacks, two interceptions and limping around on a gimpy left ankle, got the Avengers as close as 38-23 on a 32-yard touchdown pass to Travis Hannah with 8:16 left.

But on the ensuing kickoff, the Avengers had a miscommunication and the SaberCats recovered an onside kick at the Avenger seven-yard line. San Jose’s Bob McMillen scored on the next play to clinch it.