The Crush took advantage with another Dutton pass, to go up two scores, 49-37, at the one-minute warning.

Germaine found Whittaker in the end zone with 36 seconds remaining to cut the gap to 49-44. Utah's onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, however, and the Crush were able to run out the remaining seconds to advance to the second round. Colorado will play either at Chicago or San Jose next week.

"We just made too many mistakes," Whittaker said.

It looked the the red-hot Blaze might run away with the game early. Two Germaine touchdown passes — one to Boone and one to J.J. McKelvey — along with an interception by Damon Mason gave the Blaze a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Utah led 24-14, had the ball late in the second quarter, and it looked like the Blaze would take a two-score lead or more into the half. But the Colorado defense held on downs when the officials ruled that Boone's fourth-down catch had actually touched the ground. Colorado took advantage of the stop to score with 13 seconds remaining to trail just 24-21 at intermission.

Utah, which struggled all season in third quarters, tried to get off to a fast start by opening the second half with an onside kick attempt. The Blaze recovered, but a penalty was called and Colorado maintained possession.

Later in the third quarter it was ruled on the field that Mason had intercepted his second pass of the game, but the Colorado coaches challenged the ruling, saying the ball had touched the ground. It was the first use of instant replay ever in the AFL, which was just instigated prior to the playoffs. The play was overturned and it was ruled an incomplete pass rather than an interception.

Mason, the veteran defensive back that White used as a coach on the field, felt the Blaze defense had nothing to be ashamed of.

"I'm glad that the defense came out to play today," said Mason, one of a number of key soon-to-be free agents on the team. "I'm proud of the way we played the whole game on the defense."

The 49 points the Blaze surrendered were the fourth fewest of the season for Utah. But the 44 points the Blaze scored were the second fewest by the offense.

"We didn't execute on offense," McKelvey said, "and it cost us."

Germaine completed 23 of 36 passes for 252 yards and six scores but had a costly interception in the third quarter. McKelvey led Utah's record-setting wide receiving corps with 10 catches for 105 yards and three scores, while Whittaker caught seven passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns and Boone had five catches for 77 yards and a score.

Germaine is under contract for four more years, but all three of his receivers can become free agents, so it will be a busy off-season for the team's front office.

And now the strange-but-true 2008 Utah Blaze season is in the books.

"It's not the way we wanted to end it," summed up McKelvey. "Everybody wants to win the Arena Bowl. We came out of the blocks slow and finished strong and just wish we could have continued."

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E-mail: lojo@desnews.com