by Antoine Ibrahim
LAS VEGAS - After a postseason that saw great defense, it was offense that capped the AFL’s 20th season, as the Chicago Rush won a 69-61 shootout over the Orlando Predators to win ArenaBowl XX in front of 13,476 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Chicago QB Matt D’Orazio completed 26-of-36 passes for 250 yards and six touchdowns, while Orlando QB Joe Hamilton was 23-of-35 for 291 yards and six scores of his own.
The defining moment of the game came when WR/LB Etu Molden caught a pass off of the net with under two minutes left. The play, which looked intentional, extended Chicago’s lead to 62-47, helping them capture their first-ever ArenaBowl title.
In true championship form, the game started with some explosive hitting which helped each team record first half turnovers.
After being held scoreless in the opening quarter for the first time in their ArenaBowl history, Orlando’s offense scored four straight touchdowns, including two to WR/LB Javarus Dudley in less than a minute to take a 14-10 lead. The second score was set up after the Predators forced a turnover on a kickoff return.
The Rush responded with three touchdowns of their own, including two to OS Bobby Sippio. They were able to add a 51-yard field goal as the first half expired after an Orlando miss with six seconds left. Sippio finished the game with 10 catches for 110 yards and three scores.
After recovering the games opening kick off the net which led to a score, Rush WR/DB Dennison Robinson extended their lead to 20, after returning an interception 44 yards for a touchdown. The return was the fourth-longest in AFL postseason history.
Hamilton found Dudley for a third time, throwing second-longest pass in championship history, a 45-yarder that cut the deficit to 13 after a missed extra point, 48-34. Dudley would finish the game with 10 catches for 117 yards and four touchdowns.
Orlando’s defensive unit recorded two consecutive stops, forcing the Rush miss a field goal and blocked another, but they were unable to capitalize on the first miss, as their 33-yard try on the ensuing possession bounced hard off the post.
After another Chicago score, the Predators had to turn to backup quarterback Jake Eaton when Hamilton hurt his right shoulder after being slammed to the turf. Eaton completed four-straight passes, including an 11-yard score to OS Jimmy Fryzel, who had 10 catches for 98 yards, to make it 55-41.
Hamilton returned on the next series to bring Orlando within eight, 55-47, after rushing in a score from five yards out.
The two teams would trade scores down the stretch, while Orlando recovered an onside kick that was negated after an offsides penalty.
The Predators capped the scoring with a 29-yard touchdown to WR/DB Charlie Davidson with 27 seconds left, but a second onside kick failed.
The announced crowd of 13,476 is the highest ever announced for an AFL game at the Thomas & Mack Center. The previous high was 12,521 when the Las Vegas Gladiators hosted the Tampa Bay Storm on February 17, 2003.
The figure also exceeds the attendance for ArenaBowl XIX, which was 10,822 and was also played at Thomas & Mack Center.
Offensive Player of the Game – Matt D’Orazio (Chi)
Defensive Player of the Game – Dennison Robinson (Chi)
Ironman of the Game – Bob McMillen (Chi)
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Chicago 10 24 14 21 69
Orlando 0 28 6 27 61
