Post by DiamondThief on May 18, 2018 20:06:36 GMT -8
FINAL - Storm 56, Titans 45
5/18/18 --
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Sioux Falls Storm outscored the Cedar Rapids Titans 24-8 in the fourth quarter en route to a 56-45 Indoor Football League week 13 win tonight at U.S. Cellular Center.
The Storm improved to 8-3 on the season, while the Titans fell to 1-10. Sioux Falls, which has clinched a playoff berth, kept pace in their hopes for home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. A loss by the Iowa Barnstormers to the Arizona Rattlers on May 20 could help boost the Storm in that goal.
The Storm improved to 8-3 on the season, while the Titans fell to 1-10. Sioux Falls, which has clinched a playoff berth, kept pace in their hopes for home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. A loss by the Iowa Barnstormers to the Arizona Rattlers on May 20 could help boost the Storm in that goal.
The Titans got things rolling when Jake Medlock found Javon Bell for a six-yard touchdown just 42 seconds into the contest. The Storm knotted the game at 7-7 when Marques Rodgers ran it in from 10 yards. Michael Georgetti's IFL season high 51-yard field goal gave the Titans a three point advantage.
The Storm defense registered a safety to pull Sioux Falls to within a point. They took the lead when Chad Stoterau returned a blocked field goal five yards for the touchdown, and the Storm were ahead 15-10. Marquel Wade found himself on the receiving end of a 16-yard touchdown pass from Medlock. The Titans were back on top, 17-15. James Calhoun's 27-yard interception return put the Titans up 23-15 with 51 seconds left in the first half. Miles Bergner hit a 19-yard field goal as time expired to cut the Cedar Rapids' lead to 23-18 heading into the break.
Sioux Falls took the opening drive and marched right down the field, capping the drive on quarterback Lorenzo Brown's two-yard run. Cedar Rapids responded with a one-yard run from Medlock. Then the Storm countered on a one-yard plunge from Brown. The Titans re-took the lead When Medlock lofted the ball into the end zone and Bell came down with it for a 21-yard touchdown. The score gave the Titans a 37-32 lead with 1:09 left in the third quarter.
The Storm pulled to within two points on Bergner's 33-yard field goal with 13:01 remaining in regulation. They followed that up on Mike Tatum's 21-yard pass from Brown, then extended their lead to 49-37 with 2:49 remaining. The Titans drew to within four points when Medlock ran it in from a yard out with 53 seconds left. Medlock's pass for the two-point conversion made the score 49-45. The Storm effectively sealed the win on another one-yard run from Brown.
In Rodgers, the Storm featured their first 100-yard rushing game by a running back this season.
The Storm outgained the Titans in total offense, 249 yards to 163. They had a 170 to 22 yard edge on the ground, while the Titans had a 141 to 79 yard advantage through the air. Sioux Falls was penalized 11 times for 93 yards. Cedar Rapids was flagged 7 times for 70 yards.
Brown finished 8 of 13 for 70 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He rushed 10 times for 34 yards and 3 scores. Rodgers became an emerging star, scoring twice on 20 carries for 111 yards. Mike Tatum had a pair of catches for 27 yards and a touchdown. Jabari Gorman and Trey Wafford each had 5.5 total tackles to lead the Storm. Dezmin Reed and Claude Davis each recorded a sack.
Medlock went 12 of 26 for 149 yards with 3 touchdowns, while rushing for 2 more scores. Marquel Wade finished with 4 receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown, and Javon Bell had 3 receptions for 28 yards and 2 touchdowns. James Calhoun recorded an impressive 13.5 total tackles to go along with his interception. Darren Wilson tallied a sack for the Titans.
Both teams have byes in week 14 The Storm will be back in action on June 1 as they visit the Green Bay Blizzard. Kickoff is set for 5:05 p.m. pacific (7:05 p.m. central). The Titans will host the Nebraska Danger on June 2 with kickoff set for 5:05 p.m. pacific (7:05 p.m. central).
Both games, as well as all IFL games this season, will be streamed live on the IFL's Official YouTube Channel. SCtoC will present previews of those, and all, games this season. Those previews will be posted on the board of the home team in each game.
- ANM
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