Post by alecs on Apr 21, 2023 21:47:20 GMT -8
Knight Hawks 50, Gladiators 26
4/22/23 -- HENDERSON, NV - The stage was set for a pivotal early season intra-conference clash at the Dollar Loan Center on Friday night. The Vegas Knight Hawks hosted the Duke City Gladiators and came away with a much-needed win, 50-26, to stop a two-game losing streak.
Vegas wasted no time on their first possession – a one-play scoring drive gave the Knight Hawks an early 7-0 lead thanks to a 39-yard pass from Joey Mancuso to Quentin Randolph. The new-look Duke City Gladiators offense would find a response with a 12-yard touchdown run by Tim Whitfield. Ernesto Lacayo would pull the PAT wide right to keep the score 7-6 Vegas. The Knight Hawks would score once more late in the 1st quarter, with a clutch five-yard TD pass from Mancuso to Caleb Holley on 4th and goal making it a 14-6 Vegas lead after 15 minutes of play.
Gary Brown would supply a three-yard run to bring Duke City back within two, but a failed two-point conversion attempt would keep the score 14-12. On the next Vegas possession, Mancuso lobbed a three-yard pass into the endzone for Jordan McCray, who made a highlight-reel one-handed catch in his first game back from Short-Term Injured Reserve. Duke City’s following drive wound up as a disjointed hodgepodge of penalties, challenges, and lengthy delays, ending with a 45-yard field goal attempt by Lacayo that sailed just wide left. The Knight Hawks would take advantage of that defensive stand, this time with Mancuso doing it with his legs on a six-yard QB keeper for a touchdown. Inside the one-minute warning at this point, Vegas attempted to steal a possession away with an onside kick, but the Gladiators recovered and took it to the Vegas one-yard line. That’s when Aaron Aiken, filling in relief for the apparently injured Demry Croft, would barge forward for a one-yard TD run. He’d then supply the ensuing two-point conversion to cut the Vegas lead to 28-20. Stevie Artigue would get the final opportunity of the half to add to the Knight Hawks lead, which he did with a 28-yard field goal, building the lead up to 31-20 at the midway point.
Duke City would receive the opening kickoff of the 2nd half, but the Vegas defense held strong and forced a four-and-out to regain possession. A few plays later, Mancuso would score again on a self-induced fumble, which he recovered in the endzone, to open the Vegas lead to 38-20. Duke City’s next drive fared no better than the one prior, another four-and-out ending in a turnover on downs. Two plays later, Mancuso made his first major mistake of the game, with Roderick Chapman intercepting him for the Gladiators’ first takeaway of the contest. His efforts went to waste, however, as Demry Croft would toss an interception of his own to Quez Jackson of the Knight Hawks. The third quarter closed with Vegas in a commanding 38-20 lead.
Mancuso’s fourth passing TD of the game went to Jordan McCray from three yards out, but Artigue missed the extra point wide left. Vegas would force Duke City into their third four-and-out of the half, highlighted by a solid missed field goal return by Davonte Sapp-Lynch into Gladiator territory. Vegas would complete its quest to 50 points, with Mancuso finding Caleb Holley for a three-yard pass. Artigue would again boot the extra point wide right, albeit this one from ten yards further out due to a holding penalty on the original attempt. With time quickly winding down, Aaron Aiken would re-enter the game and collect his second rushing touchdown of the game from four yards out. The garbage-time score was the final meaningful action of the game, as the Knight Hawks ran the rest of the clock en route to an emphatic 50-26 victory.
Joey Mancuso completed 20-of-26 passes for 222 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions in the winning effort, adding four carries for 14 yards and an additional score, with a fumble recovery touchdown as well. Davonte Sapp-Lynch rushed seven times for just 16 yards, but did most of his damage as a receiver, catching two-of-three targets for 44 yards. Jordan McCray caught all five of his targets for 37 yards and two touchdowns in his season debut.
Neither Gladiators QB could get anything going tonight, with Demry Croft “leading” the duo in passing: three-of-five completions, 29 passing yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Aaron Aiken was one-of-seven passing for eight yards, and carried six times for ten yards and two touchdowns. Tim Whitfield was Duke City’s go-to playmaker tonight, rushing nine times for 43 yards and a score, while also catching a pass for nine yards. Quez Jackson and Zachary Hannibal each had an interception for Duke City.
The win for Vegas brings them back to an even 2-2 record on the season. For Duke City, this defeat is their second in a row and drops them to 2-3. These teams have one more matchup against each other near the end of the regular season. That will take place on June 24th at the Rio Rancho Events Center (Week 15).
The Knight Hawks are back in action on April 28 when they host the Northern Arizona Wranglers for a 7:05 p.m. kickoff. The Gladiators have a bye in Week 7 before visiting the Frisco Fighters on May 7 with kickoff set for 1:05 p.m. All times listed are pacific daylight time. Click for our complete 2023 IFL Schedule.
4/22/23 -- HENDERSON, NV - The stage was set for a pivotal early season intra-conference clash at the Dollar Loan Center on Friday night. The Vegas Knight Hawks hosted the Duke City Gladiators and came away with a much-needed win, 50-26, to stop a two-game losing streak.
Vegas wasted no time on their first possession – a one-play scoring drive gave the Knight Hawks an early 7-0 lead thanks to a 39-yard pass from Joey Mancuso to Quentin Randolph. The new-look Duke City Gladiators offense would find a response with a 12-yard touchdown run by Tim Whitfield. Ernesto Lacayo would pull the PAT wide right to keep the score 7-6 Vegas. The Knight Hawks would score once more late in the 1st quarter, with a clutch five-yard TD pass from Mancuso to Caleb Holley on 4th and goal making it a 14-6 Vegas lead after 15 minutes of play.
Gary Brown would supply a three-yard run to bring Duke City back within two, but a failed two-point conversion attempt would keep the score 14-12. On the next Vegas possession, Mancuso lobbed a three-yard pass into the endzone for Jordan McCray, who made a highlight-reel one-handed catch in his first game back from Short-Term Injured Reserve. Duke City’s following drive wound up as a disjointed hodgepodge of penalties, challenges, and lengthy delays, ending with a 45-yard field goal attempt by Lacayo that sailed just wide left. The Knight Hawks would take advantage of that defensive stand, this time with Mancuso doing it with his legs on a six-yard QB keeper for a touchdown. Inside the one-minute warning at this point, Vegas attempted to steal a possession away with an onside kick, but the Gladiators recovered and took it to the Vegas one-yard line. That’s when Aaron Aiken, filling in relief for the apparently injured Demry Croft, would barge forward for a one-yard TD run. He’d then supply the ensuing two-point conversion to cut the Vegas lead to 28-20. Stevie Artigue would get the final opportunity of the half to add to the Knight Hawks lead, which he did with a 28-yard field goal, building the lead up to 31-20 at the midway point.
Duke City would receive the opening kickoff of the 2nd half, but the Vegas defense held strong and forced a four-and-out to regain possession. A few plays later, Mancuso would score again on a self-induced fumble, which he recovered in the endzone, to open the Vegas lead to 38-20. Duke City’s next drive fared no better than the one prior, another four-and-out ending in a turnover on downs. Two plays later, Mancuso made his first major mistake of the game, with Roderick Chapman intercepting him for the Gladiators’ first takeaway of the contest. His efforts went to waste, however, as Demry Croft would toss an interception of his own to Quez Jackson of the Knight Hawks. The third quarter closed with Vegas in a commanding 38-20 lead.
Mancuso’s fourth passing TD of the game went to Jordan McCray from three yards out, but Artigue missed the extra point wide left. Vegas would force Duke City into their third four-and-out of the half, highlighted by a solid missed field goal return by Davonte Sapp-Lynch into Gladiator territory. Vegas would complete its quest to 50 points, with Mancuso finding Caleb Holley for a three-yard pass. Artigue would again boot the extra point wide right, albeit this one from ten yards further out due to a holding penalty on the original attempt. With time quickly winding down, Aaron Aiken would re-enter the game and collect his second rushing touchdown of the game from four yards out. The garbage-time score was the final meaningful action of the game, as the Knight Hawks ran the rest of the clock en route to an emphatic 50-26 victory.
Joey Mancuso completed 20-of-26 passes for 222 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions in the winning effort, adding four carries for 14 yards and an additional score, with a fumble recovery touchdown as well. Davonte Sapp-Lynch rushed seven times for just 16 yards, but did most of his damage as a receiver, catching two-of-three targets for 44 yards. Jordan McCray caught all five of his targets for 37 yards and two touchdowns in his season debut.
Neither Gladiators QB could get anything going tonight, with Demry Croft “leading” the duo in passing: three-of-five completions, 29 passing yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Aaron Aiken was one-of-seven passing for eight yards, and carried six times for ten yards and two touchdowns. Tim Whitfield was Duke City’s go-to playmaker tonight, rushing nine times for 43 yards and a score, while also catching a pass for nine yards. Quez Jackson and Zachary Hannibal each had an interception for Duke City.
The win for Vegas brings them back to an even 2-2 record on the season. For Duke City, this defeat is their second in a row and drops them to 2-3. These teams have one more matchup against each other near the end of the regular season. That will take place on June 24th at the Rio Rancho Events Center (Week 15).
The Knight Hawks are back in action on April 28 when they host the Northern Arizona Wranglers for a 7:05 p.m. kickoff. The Gladiators have a bye in Week 7 before visiting the Frisco Fighters on May 7 with kickoff set for 1:05 p.m. All times listed are pacific daylight time. Click for our complete 2023 IFL Schedule.
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.
- AS
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