CLEVELAND — Not only will the Rush miss the playoffs for the first time in their 11-year Arena Football League existence, they lost their final game of 2012 in preposterous fashion.
Wide receiver Dominic Goodman made a 30-yard catch off the net behind the end zone on the game’s final play to give the Gladiators their third touchdown in the final minute and a 60-54 win Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
Playing the ball expertly off the net, Goodman wrestled it away from a Rush defender.
The Rush finish the season at 10-8.
Quarterback Luke Drone was 20-of-29 for 311 yards and four scores for the Rush, including a 38-yard strike to Reggie Gray with nine seconds left to even the game at 54. Drone also rushed for two touchdowns in his second straight start following a season-ending injury to Russ Michna.
However, Drone also threw a terrible interception to Levy Brown with 25 seconds left, resulting in a 52-yard return for a score that allowed the Gladiators to take a 54-47 lead.
It appeared that the Rush would escape when Cleveland’s Carlos Ojeda clanked his extra-point attempt off the left upright after Matt Bassuener hit Goodman with a 10-yard touchdown pass with 47 seconds remaining, then bounced his onsides kick out of bounds to give the Rush possession at the Cleveland 4 with a 47-46 edge.
But the Rush couldn’t run out the remaining time and had to go for it on 4th-and-goal from the 3. Drone underthrew his pass into the right corner of the end zone and Brown picked it off, setting into motion a crazy and disappointing end to the season.
