XTREME EXTINGUISHED PANASUK'S LATE KICK WINS IT FOR DEMONS AS XFL DEBUTS IN SAN FRANCISCO S.F. 15, XTREME 13.

Byline: Steve Irvine Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO - The record book will state that the Los Angeles Xtreme's first foray into XFL play ended when opposing kicker Mike Panasuk made a 33-field goal as the clock struck zero to give the San Francisco Demons a 15-13 victory Sunday.

The stories beyond the record book will detail a noisy gathering of more than 38,000 at Pac Bell Park and a kicker who didn't join the team until the day before the game and hadn't kicked in a contest since his college days at Ferris State in Big Rapids, Mich.

But for every story there's another story. And for every entry in a record book there are remembrances of how it could have been different.

For that, turn to Xtreme quarterback Tommy Maddox and his view of the team's having to settle for a pair of short field goals by Jose Cortez after getting close to the goal line in the second half.

``If we score twice down there, we are talking about a different game and this is a different locker room,'' said Maddox as he sat on a couch in the middle of a somber team after the Xtreme not only lost a Western Division game but also the $2,500 that goes to each player of the winning team.

In other words, it probably shouldn't have come down to San Francisco quarterback Mike Pawlawski calmly moving his team toward the winning points against a tired and beaten-up defense after Cortez's 25-yard field goal gave the Xtreme a 13-12 lead with 3:55 remaining.

``We had the game won and let it slip out of our hands,'' said defensive back Terry Billups.

Ironically, it was a huge blunder by the Demons that seemingly put the Xtreme in position to take a late lead that wouldn't be threatened by a field goal. The mistake came with San Francisco holding a 12-10 lead and set up in the shadow of its own goal line.

Receiver Brian Roberson gathered in a short pass before being stripped of the ball by safety Ricky Parker, and Xtreme linebacker Juan Long scooped up the loose football. After a short return, the Xtreme was just 12 yards away from the end zone. But, after a 3-yard rushing loss by Rashaan Shehee, the Xtreme could gain only 8 yards on two Maddox completions and had to settle for Cortez's second field goal.

``That's not our offense,'' receiver Jeremaine Copeland said. ``When we get in the red zone, we're usually going to score a touchdown.''

The Demons then took over 73 yards from the end zone, with under four minutes to operate and no timeouts. The Xtreme had a defense which was missing three defensive lineman, a linebacker and safety because of injuries.

After an incomplete pass and a false start, Pawlawski hit Roberson for 15 yards and a first down. A few plays later, San Francisco faced second- and-23 after a sack by McGee, but the Demons escaped on passing gains of 16 and 8 yards to Roberson.

Then, with just over 40 seconds left, the Xtreme failed to tackle Calvin Schnexnayder in bounds and he stopped the clock after a 14-yard gain.

``If we keep him inbounds, maybe it's a different story,'' said Xtreme coach Al Luginbill, whose team's home opener in Saturday against Chicago.

The story ended four plays later when Panasuk hurried onto the field with the clock running and converted the winning field goal.

``I saw nine seconds on the game clock and thought, 'Here we go.' That's what I live for,'' said Panasuk, who earlier missed a 42-yard attempt.

The Demons held the ball for nearly the entire first quarter and forced Maddox into fumbling on the Xtreme's first offensive play from scrimmage. But, 11 plays after Maddox's fumble at the Xtreme 39-yard line, the Demons' lone score came on a 3-yard pass from Pawlawski to Vaughn Dunbar.

The 6-0 lead held up until the waning minutes of the first half, when Darnell McDonald took a bullet from Maddox, bounced off a big hit from safety Greg Williams and fell into the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown. Shehee then burrowed in for the extra point for a 7-6 advantage.

``It was a well-earned touchdown,'' said McDonald, who suffered a rib contusion on the play.

The lead grew to 10-6 on a 35-yard by Cortez with 12:23 left in the game. But the Demons countered quickly to take a 12-10 lead by stringing together a six-play, 60-yard drive which began after Cortez's kickoff landed out of bounds. The drive culminated when Schnexnayder fought off good coverage by McGee and made a diving catch in the end zone on a 32-yard play.

The Xtreme threatened on their next drive, but Maddox (15 of 27, 164 yards) was intercepted by Artesia native Kevin Kaesviharn at the Demons 3-yard line. Four plays later, Roberson lost the fumble, but the Xtreme couldn't put the Demons away.

``Any time you kick field goals instead of scoring touchdowns, it comes back to haunt you,'' Maddox said. ``That's what happened.''

CAPTION(S):

4 photos, box

Photo: (1 -- color) Demons wide receiver Brian Roberson (89) leaps over Dell McGee to avoid being tackled.

Jeff Gritchen/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) L.A. Xtreme Tommy Maddox drops back for a pass Sunday against the San Francisco Demons.

Paul Sakuma/Associated Press

(3 -- color) Demons fan Chris Wright shows there's more to enjoy than just football at XFL games.

Paul Sakuma/Associated Press

(4 -- color) In the XFL, fans can get close to cheerleaders, like Debbie, a member of the San Francisco Demons squad.

Jeff Gritchen/Staff Photographer

Box: GAME RECAP