Post by DiamondThief on Jun 21, 2019 19:17:55 GMT -8
FINAL - Danger 45, Blizzard 40
6/21/19 --
GREEN BAY, WI - The last team which scores in the Indoor Football League often wins.
The Nebraska Danger proved that adage correct, as they took advantage of a late Green Bay Blizzard miscue to advance to the conferenc championship round of the IFL playoffs with a 45-40 win tonight at the Resch Center.
Nebraska recovered a fumble off a bad snap within the last minute, drove down in two plays with the go-ahead touchdown on a two-yard run from Davonte Sapp-Lynch with 35 seconds left to take a 45-40 lead. Green Bay had one last chance with a full series of downs, but four straight incompletions later, the Danger were headed to the next round and the Blizzard were headed home
The Danger's win sets up a date with either the Arizona Rattlers or Iowa Barnstormers. That opponent will be determined by the winner of the other first round playoff contest between the Sioux Falls Storm and the Tucson Sugar Skulls on June 23. If the Storm win, the Danger will visit the Rattlers in the Intense Conference Championship Game. If the Sugar Skulls win, the Blizzard will visit the Iowa Barnstormers in the United Conference Championship Game. Either game is scheduled for the evening of June 29.
Green Bay, which finished the regular season 9-5 after going a league-worst last season, was appearing in its first IFL playoffs since the 2012 season. The Blizzard had defeated the Danger in two of their three meetings during the regular season.
Eric Thomas of the Danger returned the opening kickoff to the Green Bay five yard line. They turned that into a two-yard touchdown run up the middle on fourth down from quarterback Tommy Armstrong, Jr. After a bad snap on the point after try, Armstrong was forced to loft the ball into the stands, leaving the Danger with a 6-0 lead with just over three minutes gone in the first quarter. The Blizzard came back with a methodical 40-yard drive capped off by a nine-yard bullet touchdown pass from Lenorris Footman to B.J. Hill. Edward Ruhnke's extra point give the Blizzard a 7-6 lead midway through the quarter. Nebraska responded with another two-yard plunge from Armstrong. Diego Marquez hit the extra point to give the Danger a 13-7 advantage with 2:40 remaining in the quarter.
The Blizzard started their drive, following the Danger's score. They drove down to the one from where Footman ran it for the score. Runke's extra point attempt was blocked, leaving the teams tied 13-13 at the 12:12 mark of the second quarter. Armstrong responded, leading the Danger on a 46-yard drive culminating in a six-yard run around the right side by the former Nebraska Cornhuskers' quarterback. Marquez converted the point after and Nebraska was up 20-13 in the middle of the second quarter. The QB dual continued as Footman returned the favor on a two-yard touchdown run. Ruhnke's extra point sailed wide to the left and the Danger remained in the lead, 20-19, with 6:43 left in the quarter.
On the ensuing drive, the Danger took an eight-yard lead on Armstrong's 9-yard strike to Eric Thomas. Marquez nailed the point after with 3:12 left in the second quarter. The Blizzard answered on a three-yard sweep around the left side from wide receiver Levi Copelin. Footman's the two-point conversion pass to Keshaun Taylor at the front left corner of the end zone was good enough to tied the game with 53 seconds remaining in the first half. Davonte Sapp-Lynch returned the ensuing kickoff to the five yard line, but was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when, during his celebration of the return, the ball went into the stands. The Danger took just 33 seconds to score when Armstrong rushed in from two yards out. Green Bay pulled to within three points as time expired in the half. The Danger led 33-30 at the break.
The Blizzard received the opening kick of the second half and took advantage, driving down to the one yard line where Hill stepped in for the score Ruhnke's extra point gave Green Bay a 37-33 lead just over five minutes into third quarter. The Danger responded with an 11-yard touchdown scamper from Sapp-Lynch down the right sideline, but Marquez's point after try was no good, leaving Nebraska with a 39-37 lead late in the third quarter.
Green Bay took a 40-39 lead on Ruhnke's 23-yard field goal with 11:44 left in the fourth. The Danger had the ball with a fourth and goal at the Green Bay one yard line, but were stopped on downs by the Blizzard defense. The Danger's defense returned the favor, forcing a turnover on downs to take control the ball at the Green Bay 11 yard line. The Blizzard's defense held and a 22-yard field goal try from Marquez went wide left. The Blizzard had the ball, but committed what turned out to be a fatal season error on the fumble which set up the Danger's game winner.
Armstrong rushed for four touchdowns and threw for another, and Sapp-Lynch hit the end zone twice in the win for Nebraska. Eric Thomas was on the receiving end of Armstrong's touchdown strike. Footman threw for one score and rushed for two more for the Blizzard. Hill had a rushing touchdown and another through the air and Copelin rushed for a touchdown for Green Bay.
The full official statistics were not available at the time of this writing. This article will be updated as they become available.
6/21/19 --
GREEN BAY, WI - The last team which scores in the Indoor Football League often wins.
The Nebraska Danger proved that adage correct, as they took advantage of a late Green Bay Blizzard miscue to advance to the conferenc championship round of the IFL playoffs with a 45-40 win tonight at the Resch Center.
Nebraska recovered a fumble off a bad snap within the last minute, drove down in two plays with the go-ahead touchdown on a two-yard run from Davonte Sapp-Lynch with 35 seconds left to take a 45-40 lead. Green Bay had one last chance with a full series of downs, but four straight incompletions later, the Danger were headed to the next round and the Blizzard were headed home
The Danger's win sets up a date with either the Arizona Rattlers or Iowa Barnstormers. That opponent will be determined by the winner of the other first round playoff contest between the Sioux Falls Storm and the Tucson Sugar Skulls on June 23. If the Storm win, the Danger will visit the Rattlers in the Intense Conference Championship Game. If the Sugar Skulls win, the Blizzard will visit the Iowa Barnstormers in the United Conference Championship Game. Either game is scheduled for the evening of June 29.
Green Bay, which finished the regular season 9-5 after going a league-worst last season, was appearing in its first IFL playoffs since the 2012 season. The Blizzard had defeated the Danger in two of their three meetings during the regular season.
Eric Thomas of the Danger returned the opening kickoff to the Green Bay five yard line. They turned that into a two-yard touchdown run up the middle on fourth down from quarterback Tommy Armstrong, Jr. After a bad snap on the point after try, Armstrong was forced to loft the ball into the stands, leaving the Danger with a 6-0 lead with just over three minutes gone in the first quarter. The Blizzard came back with a methodical 40-yard drive capped off by a nine-yard bullet touchdown pass from Lenorris Footman to B.J. Hill. Edward Ruhnke's extra point give the Blizzard a 7-6 lead midway through the quarter. Nebraska responded with another two-yard plunge from Armstrong. Diego Marquez hit the extra point to give the Danger a 13-7 advantage with 2:40 remaining in the quarter.
The Blizzard started their drive, following the Danger's score. They drove down to the one from where Footman ran it for the score. Runke's extra point attempt was blocked, leaving the teams tied 13-13 at the 12:12 mark of the second quarter. Armstrong responded, leading the Danger on a 46-yard drive culminating in a six-yard run around the right side by the former Nebraska Cornhuskers' quarterback. Marquez converted the point after and Nebraska was up 20-13 in the middle of the second quarter. The QB dual continued as Footman returned the favor on a two-yard touchdown run. Ruhnke's extra point sailed wide to the left and the Danger remained in the lead, 20-19, with 6:43 left in the quarter.
On the ensuing drive, the Danger took an eight-yard lead on Armstrong's 9-yard strike to Eric Thomas. Marquez nailed the point after with 3:12 left in the second quarter. The Blizzard answered on a three-yard sweep around the left side from wide receiver Levi Copelin. Footman's the two-point conversion pass to Keshaun Taylor at the front left corner of the end zone was good enough to tied the game with 53 seconds remaining in the first half. Davonte Sapp-Lynch returned the ensuing kickoff to the five yard line, but was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when, during his celebration of the return, the ball went into the stands. The Danger took just 33 seconds to score when Armstrong rushed in from two yards out. Green Bay pulled to within three points as time expired in the half. The Danger led 33-30 at the break.
The Blizzard received the opening kick of the second half and took advantage, driving down to the one yard line where Hill stepped in for the score Ruhnke's extra point gave Green Bay a 37-33 lead just over five minutes into third quarter. The Danger responded with an 11-yard touchdown scamper from Sapp-Lynch down the right sideline, but Marquez's point after try was no good, leaving Nebraska with a 39-37 lead late in the third quarter.
Green Bay took a 40-39 lead on Ruhnke's 23-yard field goal with 11:44 left in the fourth. The Danger had the ball with a fourth and goal at the Green Bay one yard line, but were stopped on downs by the Blizzard defense. The Danger's defense returned the favor, forcing a turnover on downs to take control the ball at the Green Bay 11 yard line. The Blizzard's defense held and a 22-yard field goal try from Marquez went wide left. The Blizzard had the ball, but committed what turned out to be a fatal season error on the fumble which set up the Danger's game winner.
Armstrong rushed for four touchdowns and threw for another, and Sapp-Lynch hit the end zone twice in the win for Nebraska. Eric Thomas was on the receiving end of Armstrong's touchdown strike. Footman threw for one score and rushed for two more for the Blizzard. Hill had a rushing touchdown and another through the air and Copelin rushed for a touchdown for Green Bay.
The full official statistics were not available at the time of this writing. This article will be updated as they become available.
All IFL playoff games will be streamed live on the IFL's Official YouTube Channel. As we have all season, SCtoC will present detailed previews all of the playoff games. Those previews will be posted on the board of the home team in each game. The preview for the United Bowl will be posted on the IFL board; the same board in which this recap is featured.
- ANM
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Graphic courtesy of David.