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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Grand Rapids Rampage recorded five interceptions and scored 24 unanswered points in the first half as the Utah Blaze lost, 59-49, in front of 4,848 fans at Van Andel Arena on Thursday night.
"We need to do a better job of protecting the football," said Utah head coach/general manager Danny White. "But, this wasn't just one player for us. This loss goes to the entire team. We need to play better, collectively, if we expect to win."
The Rampage were led by Offensive Player of the Game QB Chad Salisbury, who connected on 19-of-30 passes for 231 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. Two-way standout, WR/DB Josh Bush, earned both Ironman and ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors by collecting three receptions for 36 yards, three touchdowns, while adding 7.5 total tackles and an interception.
The Blaze (3-5) started off the scoring when OL/DL Bryan Henderson hauled in a 10-yard reception from QB Jason Gesser to take an early 7-0 lead.
The Rampage (3-5) answered with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Chad Salisbury to Josh Bush to knot the score at 7-7. A Marvin Taylor interception was followed by a 24-yard field goal by Peter Martinez to give the Rampage a 10-7 lead to end the first quarter.
After an interception by OL/DL Colin Bryant, OS Anthony Hines scored from a yard out to give Grand Rapids a 17-7 lead to start the second quarter.
Gesser threw his third interception of the half when Bush stepped in front of OS Siaha Burley at the goal line to prevent a sure Blaze touchdown. Salisbury then found WR/LB Jerome Riley on the very next play for a 19-yard touchdown to extend the Rampage lead to 24-7.
Gesser found WR/DB Orshawante Bryant on a 21-yard touchdown to narrow the lead to 24-14 in the second quarter.
The Rampage would go on to hold a 38-21 halftime lead after touchdowns by Hines and Timon Marshall.
The Blaze would rebound to outscore the Rampage 28-21 in the second half, but fell to 1-1 against Central Division teams and failed to win back-to-back games for the first time in franchise history.
Gesser finished 24-of-42 passing for 293 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. Burley finished with seven receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns and 232 all-purpose yards. WR/LB Tom Pace finished with seven receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown.
The Blaze are back at the Delta Center to face the Las Vegas Gladiators on Friday, March 24 at 7 p.m.
