Avengers Finish Just a Kick Short

The most dependable kicker in the Arena Football League missed.

That’s the Cliffs Notes version of how the Avengers lost to Orlando, 55-54, in overtime Sunday at the TD Waterhouse Centre. The longer tale is how Remy Hamilton’s right foot can do only so much in a league where giving up a field goal is seen as a gimme-a-high-five defensive stand.

Hamilton hit the upright on an extra-point try in overtime, leaving the Avengers (5-4) with a six-point lead after their first overtime possession. Facing a sudden-death situation moments later, Orlando quarterback Joe Hamilton threw his seventh touchdown pass of the game, 36 yards to Jerrian James. Brian Gowins’ extra point gave the Predators (7-3) their fourth consecutive victory.

It was the third consecutive season that a game between these two teams was won on the last play. This one was engineered by Hamilton, who threw for 362 yards.

“It was a poor snap and the hold was bobbled,” Avenger Coach Ed Hodgkiss said of Hamilton’s extra-point try. “That really messes a kicker up. It was unfortunate for Remy. He kept us in the game, like he has done all season long.”

Hamilton kicked four field goals in five tries, giving him a league-high 23 for the season. But that said as much about the Avengers’ stumbling on offense in the first half as it did about his accuracy.

Both teams scored on their first four possessions. Orlando had four touchdowns, but the Avengers settled for Hamilton’s field goals three times. The Predators led, 28-16, at halftime.

“We were trading field goals for touchdowns, that was the problem in the first half and a problem for us earlier this season,” Hodgkiss said.

It was a game that highlighted the sideshow aspects of the Arena League, where up is sometimes down and no lead is safe. The Predators discovered that when their 35-16 lead early in the third quarter evaporated.

Avenger running back Lonnie Ford scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 12-yard run for a 48-42 lead with 28 seconds left in regulation. The Predators seemed determined to get out of his way, giving him a clear path to the end zone, so they could get the ball back with time to counter. Hodgkiss said he would have preferred that Ford had dropped to the ground short of the goal line to allow the Avengers a last-second play for the win.

Hodgkiss did get that chance later, but only after the Predators had scored a touchdown and Gowins had missed the extra point to leave the score tied, 48-48, with eight seconds left.

But Hodgkiss decided against a long field goal try with two seconds left, fearing that the arena’s low-hanging scoreboard would affect, or even block, Hamilton’s attempt.

Philadelphia 62, Columbus 45 -- The Soul established a franchise record in forcing five turnovers and tied a team record with four sacks in defeating the Destroyers at Columbus, Ohio.

Tony Graziani threw for seven touchdowns as the Soul (5-5) won its third consecutive game. The Destroyers (1-8) lost their sixth straight.

Nashville 40, Grand Rapids 27 -- Leon Murray threw five touchdown passes -- three to Travis McGriff -- to help the Kats (2-7) beat the Rampage (1-8) at Grand Rapids, Mich. Murray completed 17 of 30 passes for 258 yards, and McGriff finished with four receptions for 138 yards.

Colorado 61, Las Vegas 40 -- John Dutton threw six touchdown passes to lead the Crush (7-2) over the Gladiators (5-5) at Denver. Dutton completed 21 of 32 for 192 yards, and Damian Harrell led the Crush in receiving with five catches for 58 yards and four touchdowns.

San Jose 48, Arizona 27 -- Mark Grieb threw for four touchdowns to lead the defending ArenaBowl champion SaberCats (6-3) over the Rattlers (2-8) in San Jose. Grieb completed 26 of 34 for 289 yards.

Times wire services contributed to this report.