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Dispatch

2/25/06

DESTROYERS 42 | RATTLERS 26

Offense finally surfaces in victory

Kaleo throws 2 TD passes, rushes for two touchdowns

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Dave Devereux
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>NEAL C . LAURON | DISPATCH </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Destroyers defensive specialist Jerald Brown is hit by Bo Kelly of the Rattlers after making one of his two interceptions. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


With an offense in a season-long slump, the Destroyers turned to their defense to supply an early spark. But as is often the case in arena football, the initial defensive surge quickly succumbed to a game defined by the ability to outscore the opponent.
And the Destroyers did it however they could.
John Kaleo threw two touchdown passes and scored his 50 th and 51 st career rushing touchdowns, and the Destroyers defeated the Arizona Rattlers 42-26 last night in front of 12,097 fans in Nationwide Arena.
They also used powerful touchdown runs by fullbacks Leroy Thompson (3 yards) and Harold Wells (11 yards) to help snap a three-game losing streak.
"It’s a step," Kaleo said. "We were able to move the ball when we needed to move the ball and we were able to punch it in when we needed to punch it in."
It’s looking more like the offense of an arena football team instead of whatever it was the past three weeks.
Leading 21-20 at halftime, the Destroyers capped their first drive of the third quarter with a 1-yard scoring run by Kaleo. On the Rattlers’ next possession, it appeared the Destroyers held when an errant sideline pass by Sherdrick Bonner was picked off by Brandon Hefflin, but a roughing-the-passer penalty gave the Rattlers another chance.
When Bonner’s end-zone pass sailed into the arms of defensive specialist Jerald Brown, the Destroyers and the crowd finally celebrated a key stop.
Brown, who intercepted two passes last week against Kansas City, intercepted two against the Rattlers. He had one with less than a minute to play to preserve the win.
Brown drew a key assignment guarding Rattlers offensive specialist Damien Groce, who played for the Destroyers last season. Groce escaped for 84 yards and three touchdowns, but Destroyers coach Doug Kay believed Brown won their competition.
"Jerald did a great job on Damien," Kay said. "I understand Damien got three touchdowns but he did a great job on him, taking him out of a rhythm."
The Destroyers deferred the coin toss, handled by Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel, and the defense responded with a spirited goal-line stand that would have made any Buckeyes fan proud.
After the Rattlers advanced to the 2-yard line, the Destroyers stuffed two running attempts and on fourth down a pass from Bonner went off the fingertips of an open Wendall Gaines.
The Destroyers took the ball the length of the field on their first possession, keyed by a third-down pass from Kaleo to Davis for 24 yards. Thompson’s 3-yard run capped the drive.
The defense held the Rattlers on their next possession and Kaleo threw a 7-yard touchdown to Carl Bond to stretch the lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter.
"The way the defense has played, honestly, we shouldn’t have lost a game this year," Kaleo said. "Having said that, were still learning to play with one another."
Kaleo finished 21-of-34 passing for 202 yards and Bond caught six passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
The Destroyers outscored the Rattlers 21-6 in the second half.
"The entire attitude of the team rests on whether we can take the ball down the field and score," Kay said. "It rejuvenates everyone on the football team."
ddevereux@dispatch.com