After giving up a long touchdown to the Cleveland Gladiators with less than 20 seconds left in the game, all hope seemed lost for the Chicago Rush. Goal kick returner Chris Martin still believed.
Moments later, Martin made the rest of the Rush believe when he returned the opening kickoff 57 yards the other way to seal Chicago’s 52-49 victory.
“We needed to make a play, and we didn’t,” Cleveland wide receiver Steve Sanders told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “There are no excuses. We have to make a play right there. A game can change in 10 seconds.”
The Gladiators got off to a hot start taking a 28-14 lead late in the second period of play. But that’s when Chicago heated up and their streak began.
The Rush scored just before the half to cut the lead to 28-21 as they entered the locker room. Coming off the half, Chicago scored again but missed the extra point to cut the deficit to one.
After the Gladiators scored on fourth-and-goal to regain a 35-27 lead, Chris Gould added a 24-yard field goal to cut the lead to 35-30. On Cleveland’s ensuing possession, Josh Ferguson intercepted a pass from John Dutton, his first interception thrown since May 1, setting up a touchdown pass from Russ Michna to Samie Parker to give Rush the lead for the first time.
The advantage, however, did not last long. Cleveland responded with a 2-yard touchdown run by Russell Monk to regain the lead at 42-36. But it takes a long time for Rush to tie the game back together, as Michna found Alan Turner a couple of moves later to take the game to 42 overall.
And then Rush’s defense finally got the biggest chance of the night.
Rush’s defense was able to stop Gladiator’s subsequent drive and gave his offense a chance to take control of the game with a minute to play. And the offense did not disappoint.
Despite failing to score, Gould kicked a 23-yard field goal to give Rush a 45-42 lead.
But Cleveland didn’t go so easily, scoring on its next possession to take a 49-45 lead with 21 seconds left. That set up Martin’s big comeback to give the Rush the final lead.
But Rush still had to hold off Cleveland’s offense on their final possession, which they did when Gladiator kicker Matt Denny missed a 34-yard field goal at the buzzer.
“A hallmark of this team is that we just don’t give up,” Rush head coach Mike Hohensee told ArenaRush.com. “We struggled at times, but we got a great interception from Josh Ferguson in the third quarter and then Martin’s comeback was huge. He’s been close to breaking a few breaks the last few games and he finally got one.”
Michna was 22-for-29 for 272 yards and four touchdowns. His favorite receiver, Parker, finished with eight receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
Dutton went 28-for-39 with 351 yards and five touchdowns.
With the win, Rush improves to 6-2 on the season and remains tied with the Milwaukee Iron. They will head home to take on the amazing Jacksonville Sharks next Friday night.
The Gladiators drop to 3-5 this year and remain bottom of the Midwest Division. They will stay home and take on the faltering Utah Blaze next Friday night.