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PORTLAND, Ore. -- Darron Thomas' first start of the season couldn't have gone much better, as the former University of Oregon quarterback finished with 229 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, and one rushing score, driving the Portland Thunder (3-4) to a 63-47 victory over the winless LA KISS (0-8) in front of 10,023 fans at the Moda Center Saturday night.
"I think [the team] accepted Darron Thomas being moved to the forefront for the opportunity and the team really responded," Thunder head coach Mike Hohensee said.
On an evening honoring our men and women in uniform, as well as "Thunder Tackles Cancer" Night, Thomas was able to spread the ball around to five different receivers, with Jared Perry and V'Keon Lacey leading the way. Lacey finished with a team-leading four touchdowns and Perry led the team in yards with 109. Thomas helped engineer the Thunder to a franchise-record 63 points in the game.
"It's real important to go out every series and make every series count," said Thomas after the game. "I've been waiting for the opportunity."
The Thunder set the tone with an early sack of LA KISS quarterback Danny Southwick by KC Obi in the first quarter, forcing a KISS field goal attempt that kicker Kenny Spencer could not connect on. On the ensuing possession, Thomas found Perry for a 32-yard completion to set the Thunder up nicely in the red zone. Thomas then opened the scoring with a two-yard rushing touchdown at the 8:50 mark of the first quarter. The KISS responded in their second drive of the first half, as Southwick was able to find a wide open Donovan Morgan for a 17-yard touchdown pass. However, in the Thunder's next possession, on a 4th-and-8, Thomas again found a wide open Jared Perry up the seam for a 16-yard score, giving the Thunder a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter started off the same way as first. A collective sack by Frank Trotter, KC Obi, and Dexter Davis forced a 4th-and-4 for the KISS where Thunder defensive back De'Mon Glanton made a huge stop on former Thunder and current LA KISS wide receiver Jeffrey Solomon to force a turnover on downs. That stop led to Thomas finding V'Keon Lacey for a jump ball in the back of the end zone resulting in a seven-yard touchdown with 10:52 to go in the second. The KISS immediately responded to the Lacey score with a 55-yard kick return for a touchdown by Laron Scott, bringing LA within one score. The Thunder's next drive featured Lacey snagging a 2- yard reception which set up Thomas to drop a dime over KISS defensive back Anthony Goodwin for a spectacular nine-yard touchdown pass in corner of the end zone, again to Lacey. The touchdown put the Thunder up by two scores with 7:28 to go in the first half, a margin they held through to halftime.
Kick return specialist Duane Brooks returned the second half kickoff 54 yards for a Thunder score, giving Brooks his second kick return touchdown in as many games. After a lengthy responding drive, Southwick fumbled the exchange from center at the three-yard line and Thunder defensive back Okechekwu Okoroha recovered. After the turnover, the Thunder drove down the field thanks to the Cutters Catch of the Game by Perry, who snagged a 35-yard Thomas pass by the fingertips to set up a one-yard touchdown run by John Martinez late in the third.
The KISS would respond with a score of their own with Southwick finding Morgan for a touchdown to cut the Portland lead to 27-49. LA was shorthanded on extra point tries and kickoffs the rest of the game after Kenny Spencer went down with an injury. With defensive back Laron Scott filling in for onside kicks, LA was unable to recover any kickoffs to cut into the Thunder lead.
Following a 10-yard Lacey touchdown reception, the KISS would score two more times in the final frame, adding a two-point conversion to cut Portland's advantage to 15 points. However, another onside kick recovery by the Thunder set up Lacey's fourth touchdown grab of the night. On the final drive of the game, Thunder defenders Marquis Jackson and Frank Trotter wrapped up Southwick for the team's third sack to close out the contest.
MEDIA AWARDS
Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game: Portland QB Darron Thomas
Riddell Defensive Player of the Game: Portland DB Osagie Odiase
J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Game: Portland WR Duane Brooks
Cutters Catch of the Game: Portland WR Jared Perry's fingertip grab for 35 yards
AFL Highlight of the Game: Portland WR Duane Brooks' 54-yard KR TD
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