Post by DiamondThief on Jun 17, 2017 18:47:53 GMT -8
6/17/17 --
GRAND ISLAND, NE - The Wichita Falls Nighthawks' playoff map was simple. Win and you are in.
The Nebraska Danger had other plans tonight as they ran away in the second half en route to a 59-44 win over Wichita Falls. Nebraska's win knocked the Nighthawks out of the playoffs. The Danger were already playoff bound, having clinched the second seed in the Intense Conference when the Spokane Empire fell to the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles on June 16 by a 45-42 score.
The Danger will travel to Phoenix to face the Intense Conference's top seeded Arizona Rattlers. That is set for next Saturday, June 24 In the conference championship game. A kickoff time has yet to be determined. In the United Conference, the Sioux Falls Storm earned the top seed with their 45-24 victory over the Iowa Barnstormers in Des Moines. The teams will meet in that conference's championship game next weekend in Sioux Falls.
Nebraska and Wichita Falls were in a see-saw battle in the first half, but it was the Danger outscoring the Nighthawks 35-16 in the second half to come away with the win.
Wichita Falls struck frist on a 24-yard pass from Charles McCullum to Jordan Jolly. A pair of runs, of four and 15 yards, from quarterback Drew Powell were enough to put the Barnstormers up 14-7 after the opening stanza.
The Nighthawks tied the game on McCullum's one-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. The Danger added a 39-yard field goal from Josh Gable before the Nighthawks took a 21-17 lead with 6:19 left in the second on Tyler Williams' four-yard pass from McCullum. Rob Brown's 19-yard touchdown run gave the Danger the lead with just over two minutes left in the quarter. Wichita Falls scored on the last play of the quarter on McCullum's two-yard pass to Demarius Washington, and the Nighthawks led at the break, 28-24.
Nebraska took the lead for good when Powell found Carl Sims for a 10-yard touchdown pass on the first possession of the third quarter, and added to that on Powell's six yard run to go up 38-28. Wichita Falls drew to 38-31 with 42 seconds left in the third on a 33-yard field goal by Rockne Belmonte.
Powell scored on a two-yard run to open the fourth quarter, but the Nighthawks came back when MCullum found Jolly for a five-yard touchdown pass. Powell led the Danger back with a six-yard run -- his fifth touchdown run of the game -- and Eric Thomas added a 10-yard run of his own, and the Danger were up by three scores at 59-38. The Nighthawks added a touchdown on a 12-yard pass from McCullum to Tyrelle Goodman with 22 seconds to go.
Nebraska outgained Wichita Falls in total offense 272 yards to 143, including an edge in the rushing game, 114 yards to 41. Each team committed nine penalties, the Danger for 76 yards and the Nighthawks for 80 yards. Neither team committed a turnover in the game.
Powell completed 17 of 23 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown, while gaining 71 yards on 11 carries with five scores. Brown rushed nine times for 33 yards and a touchdown, and Thomas had his rushing touchdown on his lone carry of 10 yards. Carl Sims topped all receivers with eight grabs and a touchdown, and Dimitri Stimphil caught four balls for 49 yards. Trey Wafford led the Danger in total tackles with 5.5, and Maurice Chavis recorded a sack.
McCullum went 12 of 26 for 105 yards and five touchdowns, while rushing six times for 30 yards with a trip to the end zone. Jolly had five receptions for 51 yards and two touchdowns. Goodman finished with two catches for 25 yards and a score. Michael Carter and Robert Haynes led the Nighthawks defense with seven total tackles each. Haynes also had a sack.
The Nighthawks end the regular season at 9-7 overall and 5-2 in Intense Conference play. They will face the Rattlers (12-4) on June 24. The Danger are winless in two meetings against Arizona this season. The Intense Conference Championship game will streamed live on the IFL's Youtube Channel, and also will be available locally on FOX Sports Arizona Rattlers Channel.
The Nighthawks end their regular season at 12-4, just a game out of a playoff berth in the United Conference. They were 6-2 in conference play.
- ANM
(Graphic courtesy SCtoC)
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