Avengers Record First Victory, 36-33

In a season when so much has already gone wrong for the Avengers, something finally went right Saturday.

Brian Reaves’ 40-yard field goal as time expired booted the Avengers past the Oklahoma Wranglers, 36-33, in an Arena Football League game before 6,813 spectators at Staples Center.

The kick gave the Avengers (1-5) their first victory and ended the team’s eight-game losing streak dating to last year. Oklahoma (2-5) lost its fifth in a row.

“Right now it’s hard to celebrate,” said Avenger interim coach Robert Lyles, who won his first game as an Arena league head coach. “The team’s been under a lot of pressure, and the organization’s been under a lot of pressure from a competing aspect. You’ve got to win in L.A.

“But finally getting that first win. . . . It was time something good happened for us.”

Reaves’ kick ended a flurry of fourth-quarter activity in what had been a relatively low-scoring affair.

Oklahoma led, 20-19, with 11:54 to play when the Wranglers’ Lamont Cooper could not handle a missed field-goal try by Reaves. Avenger fullback Ed Smith recovered and scored from two yards out.

The Wranglers regained the lead on a two-yard touchdown run by Travis McDonald at the 7:34 mark. But in trying to run out the clock, McDonald fumbled on the Wranglers’ seven-yard line with 36 seconds left. Avenger lineman Kevin Carroll scooped up the ball and scored to put Los Angeles ahead, 33-27.

Oklahoma scored one last time on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Ron Lopez to Bobby McGowens with 11 seconds to play. But Chris Sailer missed his second extra point, and the score remained tied.

After the kickoff, Avenger quarterback Erik Wilhelm passed 12 yards to Chris Jackson to position Reaves at midfield (the 25-yard-line) for the winning kick.

“I wasn’t sure it was good at first,” said Reaves, who also kicked field goals of 19 and 23 yards and missed three others. “I hit another one as good in the game and it drifted to the left.”