Utah Blaze: Germaine's nine TD passes not enough

Special to the Deseret News
Published: Sunday, April 13, 2008 1:02 a.m. MDT
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LOS ANGELES — Despite nine touchdown passes by Joe Germaine, the Utah Blaze came out on the wrong end of the score again, dropping their seventh game of the season Saturday night, this time a 79-62 decision to the Los Angeles Avengers.

Germaine threw for 362 yards, with J.J. McKelvey catching 11 balls for 171 yards and five touchdowns. All those numbers, however, were overshadowed by a disastrous stretch of missed opportunities and turnovers just prior to and after the half.

Utah held a 34-30 lead with 2:20 left in the half. Things unraveled quickly, though, as the Avengers scored 21 unanswered points to take control of the game and put the Blaze away.

The Blaze, hoping to go into the half with some momentum, tried a 37-yard field goal that would have tied the score at 37-37.

But the strategic move to run the clock down, hoping the field goal attempt would be the final play of the half, turned bad as Steve Azaris' kick missed and was returned for a touchdown by Josh Jeffries with no time on the clock, giving Los Angeles a 44-34 lead at the break.

Germaine threw four incomplete passes to start the second half and the Avengers took over at Utah's 5-yard line and scored on their first play to put the Blaze in a 51-34 hole less than three minutes into the third quarter.

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The Avengers later turned a Germaine interception into another third-quarter touchdown and a 65-41 lead with 5:02 on the clock.

Another four-and-out turned the ball over to the Avengers, and they made the Blaze pay with a short drive for a Lonnie Ford rushing touchdown and a 72-41 lead at the end of the quarter.

The Blaze, to their credit, didn't pack it in over the fourth quarter.

Utah outscored the Avengers 21-7 in the period, but it was too little, too late to salvage the first win of the season.

L.A. was led by Tim Hicks, who threw for eight touchdowns on 18-of-29 passing for 284 yards.

Utah's Aaron Boone had eight receptions for 78 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Still looking for their first win of the season, the Blaze will be back at home next Friday when they host San Jose.

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