Post by DiamondThief on Jul 29, 2022 19:32:28 GMT -8
Steamwheelers 48, Fighters 41
7/29/22 --
FRISCO, TX - It wasn't a hail mary, but it very well could be close.
E.J. Hilliard's 40-yard touchdown bomb to Keyvan Rudd with three seconds left proved to be the game winner as the Quad City Steamwheelers pulled off the improbable and rallied to shoot down the Fighters tonight, 48-41, at the Comercia Center. The win propels the Steamwheelers into the IFL title game in two weeks and sends the Fighters, who ended the regular season with a league-best 14-2 record, home for the fall/winter.
The game was streaky to say the least, beginning with the Fighters taking a 14-0 lead in the opening quarter, the Steamwheelers answering to tie it, before Frisco reeled off another 14 points. The back-and-forth went from there.
Quad City will enter the championship game with a 11-7 overall record, including the playoffs. The Steamwheelers earned a berth in this contest after defeating the Massachusetts Pirates, 39-38, in the opening round of the playoffs. This is the first championship game berth for Quad City, which joined the IFL following the 2019 season. They played one year before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and took 2021 off due to regulations via the pandemic.
The Steamwheelers will face the winner of the Western Conference Championship game between the Northern Arizona Wranglers and Arizona Rattlers for the championship in two weeks. The Wranglers and Rattlers will decide which team advances to face the Steamwheelers tomorrow night at 6:05 p.m.
The Fighters finished their season in disappointment after the surprise loss. Their elimination from the playoffs complete comes after a decisive 64-39 win over the Iowa Barnstormers in the opening round. As the top seed, they finished the season 15-3 overall and will have some time to think about their next campaign.
Frisco leads the overall series between the teams, 2-1 and 1-1 at home. The loss, obviously coming at the hands of the Steamwheelers tonight. The Fighters won both regular season games over the Steamwheelers, 68-51 (at Moline, Illinois) on April 16, and 50-44 in double overtime on July 9.
The Steamwheelers finished the regular season 9-7 overall and 3-5 on the road. They are coming off a 39-38 overtime road win over the Massachusetts Pirates in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on July 22. The Fighters finished the regular season 14-2 overall and 7-1 at home. They are coming off a 64-39 home win over the Iowa Barnstormers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on July 22.
Quad City drove down to the Frisco five, but Kimo Naehu's 20-yard field goal try went just wide right. The Fighters scored on a one-yard strike from T.J. Edwards to a leaping Jerminic Smith in the shallow left side of the end zone. After the Fighters blocked another Naehu try, Justin Rankin rushed in from three yards away. The Fighters took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter.
The Steamwheelers scored on Edward's five-yard touchdown toss to Mike Carrigan early in the second. Quad City blocked Crawford's 53-yard field goal try and was back in business at the Fighters 12. The Steamwheelers capitalized on the miscue with a five-yard scramble from Hilliard ending in a dive over the defender in to the end zone and the game was tied with just under five minutes remaining in the first half. Edwards found Smith down the right sideline to the two-yard line. From there, Edwards lobbed a two-yard score to Tyron Laughinghouse with 2:25 left. Frisco's defense forced a turnover on downs, leaving them with the ball at the Quad City seven. The Fighters took advantage, scoring on a seven-yard run from Laughinghouse up the middle with 33 seconds remaining. Hilliard's 15-yard pass to Isaiah Grice pulled the Steamwheelers to within seven points just seven seconds later. Naehu followed that up with a deuce on the ensuing kickoff, but the Fighters were not done. Edwards found Smith for a five-yard touchdown with three seconds left, but Crawford missed the point after. Naehu tacked on a 38-yard field goal as time expired. Frisco led 34-26 at the intermission.
Edwards found Smith for a three-yard touchdown lob with just over 10 minutes to go in the third quarter. Carrigan's five-yard touchdown snare from Hilliard, along with Hilliard's run for the two-point conversion, pulled the Steamwheelers to within a touchdown. Edwards fumbled on a run around the left side which was forced by Laughinghouse and recovered by Antwan Smithto give the Quad City a chance to pull even. A short field goal attempt by Naehu went wide right, allowing the Fighters to get the ball back with a seven-point lead.
Quad City caught their own break when Crawford missed a short field goal try. On third-and-10 from the Frisco 12, it appeared Hilliard would be caught in the backfield, but instead, he scampered out of the end zone for a 12-yard score which tied the contest with 53 seconds left in regulation. Frisco was driving when Edwards was forced to scramble to his left. He attempted to throw the ball into the stands, but the ball came out prior to his forward motion. Originally, the referees called it an incomplete pass but, upon Quad City head coach Cory Ross' review request, it was deemed a fumble which was recovered by the Steamwheelers. They scored with four seconds left on Hilliard's 40-yard bomb in the left side of the end zone to take the lead. The Fighters had one last shot, but Edwards was intercepted by Smith in the end zone as time expired.
Hilliard went 15 of 29 for 179 yards with four touchdowns. He also rushed for 28 yards and a pair of scores. In addition to his game-winning touchdown, Rudd hauled in three passes for 65 yards. Carrigan had six catches for 62 yard and a score. Smith and Darreon Jackson had eight tackles, while Noah Lyles tallied a sack.
Edwards was splendid despite taking the loss. He finished 12 of 13 for 141 yard with four touchdown tosses, and added 70 rushing yards for the Fighters. Smith caught six passes for 86 yards and three scores, while Laughinghouse had four grabs 41 yards and a score. Charles Williams paced the defense with six total tackles. Caleb Bailey had a sack.
Click for our SCtoC Indoor Football League schedule.
7/29/22 --
FRISCO, TX - It wasn't a hail mary, but it very well could be close.
E.J. Hilliard's 40-yard touchdown bomb to Keyvan Rudd with three seconds left proved to be the game winner as the Quad City Steamwheelers pulled off the improbable and rallied to shoot down the Fighters tonight, 48-41, at the Comercia Center. The win propels the Steamwheelers into the IFL title game in two weeks and sends the Fighters, who ended the regular season with a league-best 14-2 record, home for the fall/winter.
The game was streaky to say the least, beginning with the Fighters taking a 14-0 lead in the opening quarter, the Steamwheelers answering to tie it, before Frisco reeled off another 14 points. The back-and-forth went from there.
Quad City will enter the championship game with a 11-7 overall record, including the playoffs. The Steamwheelers earned a berth in this contest after defeating the Massachusetts Pirates, 39-38, in the opening round of the playoffs. This is the first championship game berth for Quad City, which joined the IFL following the 2019 season. They played one year before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and took 2021 off due to regulations via the pandemic.
The Steamwheelers will face the winner of the Western Conference Championship game between the Northern Arizona Wranglers and Arizona Rattlers for the championship in two weeks. The Wranglers and Rattlers will decide which team advances to face the Steamwheelers tomorrow night at 6:05 p.m.
The Fighters finished their season in disappointment after the surprise loss. Their elimination from the playoffs complete comes after a decisive 64-39 win over the Iowa Barnstormers in the opening round. As the top seed, they finished the season 15-3 overall and will have some time to think about their next campaign.
Frisco leads the overall series between the teams, 2-1 and 1-1 at home. The loss, obviously coming at the hands of the Steamwheelers tonight. The Fighters won both regular season games over the Steamwheelers, 68-51 (at Moline, Illinois) on April 16, and 50-44 in double overtime on July 9.
The Steamwheelers finished the regular season 9-7 overall and 3-5 on the road. They are coming off a 39-38 overtime road win over the Massachusetts Pirates in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on July 22. The Fighters finished the regular season 14-2 overall and 7-1 at home. They are coming off a 64-39 home win over the Iowa Barnstormers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on July 22.
Quad City drove down to the Frisco five, but Kimo Naehu's 20-yard field goal try went just wide right. The Fighters scored on a one-yard strike from T.J. Edwards to a leaping Jerminic Smith in the shallow left side of the end zone. After the Fighters blocked another Naehu try, Justin Rankin rushed in from three yards away. The Fighters took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter.
The Steamwheelers scored on Edward's five-yard touchdown toss to Mike Carrigan early in the second. Quad City blocked Crawford's 53-yard field goal try and was back in business at the Fighters 12. The Steamwheelers capitalized on the miscue with a five-yard scramble from Hilliard ending in a dive over the defender in to the end zone and the game was tied with just under five minutes remaining in the first half. Edwards found Smith down the right sideline to the two-yard line. From there, Edwards lobbed a two-yard score to Tyron Laughinghouse with 2:25 left. Frisco's defense forced a turnover on downs, leaving them with the ball at the Quad City seven. The Fighters took advantage, scoring on a seven-yard run from Laughinghouse up the middle with 33 seconds remaining. Hilliard's 15-yard pass to Isaiah Grice pulled the Steamwheelers to within seven points just seven seconds later. Naehu followed that up with a deuce on the ensuing kickoff, but the Fighters were not done. Edwards found Smith for a five-yard touchdown with three seconds left, but Crawford missed the point after. Naehu tacked on a 38-yard field goal as time expired. Frisco led 34-26 at the intermission.
Edwards found Smith for a three-yard touchdown lob with just over 10 minutes to go in the third quarter. Carrigan's five-yard touchdown snare from Hilliard, along with Hilliard's run for the two-point conversion, pulled the Steamwheelers to within a touchdown. Edwards fumbled on a run around the left side which was forced by Laughinghouse and recovered by Antwan Smithto give the Quad City a chance to pull even. A short field goal attempt by Naehu went wide right, allowing the Fighters to get the ball back with a seven-point lead.
Quad City caught their own break when Crawford missed a short field goal try. On third-and-10 from the Frisco 12, it appeared Hilliard would be caught in the backfield, but instead, he scampered out of the end zone for a 12-yard score which tied the contest with 53 seconds left in regulation. Frisco was driving when Edwards was forced to scramble to his left. He attempted to throw the ball into the stands, but the ball came out prior to his forward motion. Originally, the referees called it an incomplete pass but, upon Quad City head coach Cory Ross' review request, it was deemed a fumble which was recovered by the Steamwheelers. They scored with four seconds left on Hilliard's 40-yard bomb in the left side of the end zone to take the lead. The Fighters had one last shot, but Edwards was intercepted by Smith in the end zone as time expired.
Hilliard went 15 of 29 for 179 yards with four touchdowns. He also rushed for 28 yards and a pair of scores. In addition to his game-winning touchdown, Rudd hauled in three passes for 65 yards. Carrigan had six catches for 62 yard and a score. Smith and Darreon Jackson had eight tackles, while Noah Lyles tallied a sack.
Edwards was splendid despite taking the loss. He finished 12 of 13 for 141 yard with four touchdown tosses, and added 70 rushing yards for the Fighters. Smith caught six passes for 86 yards and three scores, while Laughinghouse had four grabs 41 yards and a score. Charles Williams paced the defense with six total tackles. Caleb Bailey had a sack.
Click for our SCtoC Indoor Football League schedule.
The 2022 Dollar Loan Center IFL Championship game will be held on August 13 at Henderson, Nevada. stay tuned for this space for more information. IFL's Official YouTube Channel. SCtoC will present previews of each of those contexts. Those previews will be posted on the main IFL board of the this forum.
- ANM
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Graphic courtesy of David.
