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ARENA LEAGUE PLAYOFFS: AVENGERS 64, UTAH 42
L.A. finally wins a playoff game
Turnover-fueled victory comes in the franchise's fifth postseason appearance.
By Lonnie White, Times Staff Writer
July 3, 2007


Fullback Josh Jeffries ran for two touchdowns, caught two touchdown passes and came up with a key interception for the Avengers, who took advantage of five Utah turnovers Monday to win, 64-42, for their first victory in five postseason appearances.

"Turnovers make a big difference in most Arena Football games," said Avengers Coach Ed Hodgkiss, whose team used a 37-0 run over the second and third quarters to break open the game. "Their three turnovers [in the first half] really helped."

Next up for the Avengers will be a second-round game at defending ArenaBowl champion Chicago on Monday. This year, the Avengers split two regular-season games against the Rush.

The victory not only gave the Avengers (10-7) their first win in the postseason, but it was also their first win over Utah (8-9) after going 0-4 against the Blaze the last two seasons, including a 47-37 loss last week to close the regular season.

The Avengers also defeated Utah Coach Danny White for the first time at Staples Center. White, who coached Arizona before taking over the Blaze, is 13-4 all-time against the Avengers.

"Yeah, we have a lot of things going against us," Hodgkiss said before Monday's game. "But that stuff happened in the past. We're concerned about how we play now."

It turned out that Hodgkiss should not have worried too much, because the Avengers started strong and finished even better. After playing to a 14-14 tie after one quarter, the Avengers broke the game open with 23 unanswered points to close the first half.

Quarterback Sonny Cumbie, who completed his first eight passes, finished with seven touchdown passes and 306 passing yards. Rob Turner and Robert Quiroga each had two touchdown catches, and Lenzie Jackson led the Avengers with eight receptions for 100 yards.

But the player who stepped up the most was Jeffries, who filled in for injured starter Lonnie Ford.

After scoring on an 18-yard reception in the first quarter, Jeffries made the game's first defensive stop when he intercepted Utah quarterback Joe Germaine in the end zone and returned the ball to near midfield.

Jeffries reached the end zone minutes later when he scored on a four-yard run for the Avengers' final touchdown of the first half.

Leading 37-14 at halftime, the Avengers stopped Utah's high-scoring offense seven consecutive times from the start of the second quarter to the end of the third, intercepting Germaine three times and getting two forced fumbles from safety Damen Wheeler.

Over the final 12 minutes, it was all Jeffries, who ran for a short touchdown and scored on a 38-yard shovel pass.


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lonnie.white@latimes.com