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LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Xtreme picked the right time to play their best defensive game of the season. The Xtreme clinched the Western Division title, using a smothering defensive effort in a 24-0 blanking of the San Francisco Demons. Ranked seventh in the eight-team league in total defense, the Xtreme had allowed 53 points in their last two games heading into Saturday's showdown for the divisonal title. The Xtreme (7-3) stymied the Demons, limiting them to 261 yards while forcing a pair of turnovers en route to the first shutout in club history. San Francisco (6-4), which beat Los Angeles in the first week on Mike Panasuk's 32-yard field goal as time expired, also has qualified for the playoffs and will meet league-leading Orlando next week. Improving Saladin McCullough capped a game-opening nine-play, 85-yard drive with an 11-yard run that gave Los Angeles a 7-0 advantage 5:14 into the contest. McCullough, who is a backup to Rashaan Shehee, carried eight times for 73 yards. Shehee rushed for 92 yards on 17 attempts. Noel Prefontaine scored on a 10-yard run later in the quarter, extending the lead to 14-0. Jose Cortez, the league's leading kicker, connected from 19 yards on the final play of the first half to give Los Angeles a 17-0 advantage. Not to be outdone, Tommy Maddox threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jeremaine Copeland with 8:11 left in the third quarter to cap the scoring. It was Maddox's league-leading 18th TD toss. A former NFL first-round pick, Maddox completed 15-of-24 passes for 164 yards Demons quarterback Mike Pawlawski went 17-of-29 for 136 yards and two interceptions before being pulled in favor of Pat Barnes in the fourth quarter. Barnes was 4-of-11 for 65 yards.
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