Post by alecs on Jul 29, 2023 20:05:38 GMT -8
Storm 45, Fighters 44
7/29/23 --
FRISCO, TX - On Saturday evening at Comerica Center, the Frisco Fighters hosted the Sioux Falls Storm in the Eastern Conference Final, with the winner advancing to next week's IFL Championship Game in Henderson, Nevada. For the second consecutive week, the Storm were able to erase a 20-point deficit, defying the odds once again, just as they did in last week's conference semifinal against the Massachusetts Pirates. When the dust settled, Sioux Falls raised the Eastern Conference trophy, handing the Frisco Fighters another heartbreaking playoff exit on a 45-44 final score.
The Fighters started the game with the football and wasted little time in putting up the first points of the ballgame. On just the second play from scrimmage, T.J. Edwards found Jerminic Smith on a 13-yard inside slant route to open the game's ledger. Bryce Crawford missed the extra point off the crossbar, leaving Frisco with just the six points on that possession. Sioux Falls' opening possession would not be as successful, with Lorenzo Brown throwing an endzone-bound pass that was intercepted by First-Team All-IFL DB Kordell Jackson. The Fighters could not capitalize, however, as Edwards missed high on a pass that was picked off by Clifton Duck of the Storm. With just seconds remaining in the opening quarter, Sioux Falls punched in their first score, on a four-yard run by Brown. Austin Neufeld connected on the extra point, which gave Sioux Falls a 7-6 advantage at the end of the first.
Frisco ran a lengthy drive to start the second quarter, and regained the lead on a 14-yard stop-and-go run. The Fighters defense then held the Storm out of the endzone, forcing an incomplete pass from Brown on fourth down. Edwards would lead the ensuing Fighters drive into the endzone, as his six-yard run gave the Fighters a two-score advantage. The Storm were once more unable to solve the Frisco defense, with a stop on fourth down awarding the ball back to Frisco inside the one-minute warning. With just seconds remaining on the clock, Edwards threw a ball to Phazione McClurge, who made a brilliant catch in smothering double-coverage to increase the Frisco lead to 27-7. With the spare time in the half, the Storm sent out Neufeld for a field goal attempt, which he nailed through the uprights. After 30 minutes of play, the Fighters stood on top of the Storm, 27-10.
The Storm began the third quarter with the ball and got a brilliant kick return from WR Brandon Sheperd inside Frisco's five-yard line. Brown did the rest of the work on a two-yard dive. Sioux Falls carried that wave of momentum on defense, intercepting Edwards for a second time, with LaRonji Vason-McCoy providing the pick. On the next drive, Brown would hurl a pass to Cole Thurness for a six-yard score. Frisco's next drive was beset by penalties, and the Storm forced the Fighters to come up short on fourth down to gain possession of the ball. The Storm's third-quarter surge brought them back to within striking distance, down just 27-23 with the ball entering the game's final frame.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Storm took their first lead on a huge 28-yard pass from Brown to Draysean Hudson. The Fighters were quick to counter, though, with a two-yard rush from Edwards shifting the lead back to Frisco. Sioux Falls would have none of that, as their next offensive play was a beautiful pass from Brown to Xavier Jackson down the right sideline for 26 yards, a wheel route that has become arguably Sioux Falls' most lethal scrimmage play this postseason. The Storm defense successfully held Frisco out of the endzone on the next Fighters possession, forcing them to settle for a game-tying 21-yard field goal from Crawford. The ensuing kickoff nearly resulted in a go-ahead rouge for the Fighters, but Sheperd wisely reached the ball across the goal line to keep the score tied. Frisco stymied the Storm offense pinned back deep in its own territory, and on fourth down inside the one-minute warning, Brown was intercepted by Jackson for the second time in the contest. Rather than taking the interception into the endzone, however, Jackson downed the ball inside the Storm five-yard line to set up the offense for what initially appeared to be a clock-killing endgame strategy. Edwards would wind up scoring on the first play from scrimmage on a five-yard run with 46 seconds remaining. The play gave the Fighters the 44-37 lead, but an opportunity for Sioux Falls to possess the ball. With 12 seconds remaining, Brown plunged his way to another rushing touchdown from three yards out. Faced with a critical decision on the point after attempt, Kurtiss Riggs decided to push all the chips to the center of the table and go for two and the lead. The gamble paid in spades, as Brown rolled right, threw across his body to the front-left corner of the endzone, where Donnie Corley Jr. made a spectacular play to secure possession of the ball and give the Storm a one-point advantage. Frisco had just enough time to come up with a winning play on offense, but after taking a sack on first down, Edwards had to uncork a Hail Mary on the final play of the game, which was intercepted by Eugene Ford to end what was a thrilling Eastern Conference Final.
In the upset victory, Lorenzo Brown completed 13 of his 30 pass attempts for 178 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions, while adding 37 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. Xavier Jackson turned two rushing attempts into 13 yards and added four catches for 60 yards and a touchdown to lead all Storm receivers. Draysean Hudson (4/50/1) and Cole Thurness (2/27/1) each had touchdown catches tonight. Donnie Corley Jr. caught three passes for 41 yards, with his most meaningful catch the one that doesn't show up on the stat sheet - the go-ahead two-point conversion catch that turned out to be the game-winner. Undraez Lilly and James Brown each recorded a sack on defense, while LaRonji Vason-McCoy, Clifton Duck, and Eugene Ford each collected an interception.
T.J. Edwards hit on 11 of his 17 passes tonight for 131 yards, for two touchdowns and three interceptions. He carried the rock 13 times for 88 yards and four scores as well. Jimmy Smith logged 13 rushing attempts for 67 yards and added three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown. Phazione McClurge led Fighters receivers with three receptions for 48 yards and his highlight-reel touchdown. Charles Headen (2/27/0) and Jordan Jolly (2/23/0) were each held to just two catches tonight. Both Fighters interceptions were made by Kordell Jackson.
The Storm will continue their impressive postseason run, advancing to their first IFL Championship Game since United Bowl XI in 2019, in which they defeated the Arizona Rattlers 56-53 to earn their 11th IFL Title. Sioux Falls will now vie for its 12th ring next Saturday afternoon, where they will meet with the Bay Area Panthers (who defeated the Northern Arizona Wranglers 68-46 tonight) in Henderson, Nevada, for a 1:00 kickoff. For the Fighters, tonight's loss marks their third consecutive playoff exit in the Round of Four (2021 to the Massachusetts Pirates, and 2022 to the Quad City Steamwheelers), as their quest for a first IFL Championship Game appearance will have to wait at least another season.
As for the all-time series, this marks the first time in franchise history that the Storm have defeated the Fighters, losing the first five meetings, including both regular season meetings in 2023 (54-51 on June 10th, and 56-15 on July 1st).
Any times listed in this recap are pacific daylight time. Click for our complete 2023 IFL Schedule. As with all season, SCtoC will present a comprehensive preview of the IFL National Championship Game. The preview will be posted on the main Indoor Football League page of this site.
7/29/23 --
FRISCO, TX - On Saturday evening at Comerica Center, the Frisco Fighters hosted the Sioux Falls Storm in the Eastern Conference Final, with the winner advancing to next week's IFL Championship Game in Henderson, Nevada. For the second consecutive week, the Storm were able to erase a 20-point deficit, defying the odds once again, just as they did in last week's conference semifinal against the Massachusetts Pirates. When the dust settled, Sioux Falls raised the Eastern Conference trophy, handing the Frisco Fighters another heartbreaking playoff exit on a 45-44 final score.
The Fighters started the game with the football and wasted little time in putting up the first points of the ballgame. On just the second play from scrimmage, T.J. Edwards found Jerminic Smith on a 13-yard inside slant route to open the game's ledger. Bryce Crawford missed the extra point off the crossbar, leaving Frisco with just the six points on that possession. Sioux Falls' opening possession would not be as successful, with Lorenzo Brown throwing an endzone-bound pass that was intercepted by First-Team All-IFL DB Kordell Jackson. The Fighters could not capitalize, however, as Edwards missed high on a pass that was picked off by Clifton Duck of the Storm. With just seconds remaining in the opening quarter, Sioux Falls punched in their first score, on a four-yard run by Brown. Austin Neufeld connected on the extra point, which gave Sioux Falls a 7-6 advantage at the end of the first.
Frisco ran a lengthy drive to start the second quarter, and regained the lead on a 14-yard stop-and-go run. The Fighters defense then held the Storm out of the endzone, forcing an incomplete pass from Brown on fourth down. Edwards would lead the ensuing Fighters drive into the endzone, as his six-yard run gave the Fighters a two-score advantage. The Storm were once more unable to solve the Frisco defense, with a stop on fourth down awarding the ball back to Frisco inside the one-minute warning. With just seconds remaining on the clock, Edwards threw a ball to Phazione McClurge, who made a brilliant catch in smothering double-coverage to increase the Frisco lead to 27-7. With the spare time in the half, the Storm sent out Neufeld for a field goal attempt, which he nailed through the uprights. After 30 minutes of play, the Fighters stood on top of the Storm, 27-10.
The Storm began the third quarter with the ball and got a brilliant kick return from WR Brandon Sheperd inside Frisco's five-yard line. Brown did the rest of the work on a two-yard dive. Sioux Falls carried that wave of momentum on defense, intercepting Edwards for a second time, with LaRonji Vason-McCoy providing the pick. On the next drive, Brown would hurl a pass to Cole Thurness for a six-yard score. Frisco's next drive was beset by penalties, and the Storm forced the Fighters to come up short on fourth down to gain possession of the ball. The Storm's third-quarter surge brought them back to within striking distance, down just 27-23 with the ball entering the game's final frame.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Storm took their first lead on a huge 28-yard pass from Brown to Draysean Hudson. The Fighters were quick to counter, though, with a two-yard rush from Edwards shifting the lead back to Frisco. Sioux Falls would have none of that, as their next offensive play was a beautiful pass from Brown to Xavier Jackson down the right sideline for 26 yards, a wheel route that has become arguably Sioux Falls' most lethal scrimmage play this postseason. The Storm defense successfully held Frisco out of the endzone on the next Fighters possession, forcing them to settle for a game-tying 21-yard field goal from Crawford. The ensuing kickoff nearly resulted in a go-ahead rouge for the Fighters, but Sheperd wisely reached the ball across the goal line to keep the score tied. Frisco stymied the Storm offense pinned back deep in its own territory, and on fourth down inside the one-minute warning, Brown was intercepted by Jackson for the second time in the contest. Rather than taking the interception into the endzone, however, Jackson downed the ball inside the Storm five-yard line to set up the offense for what initially appeared to be a clock-killing endgame strategy. Edwards would wind up scoring on the first play from scrimmage on a five-yard run with 46 seconds remaining. The play gave the Fighters the 44-37 lead, but an opportunity for Sioux Falls to possess the ball. With 12 seconds remaining, Brown plunged his way to another rushing touchdown from three yards out. Faced with a critical decision on the point after attempt, Kurtiss Riggs decided to push all the chips to the center of the table and go for two and the lead. The gamble paid in spades, as Brown rolled right, threw across his body to the front-left corner of the endzone, where Donnie Corley Jr. made a spectacular play to secure possession of the ball and give the Storm a one-point advantage. Frisco had just enough time to come up with a winning play on offense, but after taking a sack on first down, Edwards had to uncork a Hail Mary on the final play of the game, which was intercepted by Eugene Ford to end what was a thrilling Eastern Conference Final.
In the upset victory, Lorenzo Brown completed 13 of his 30 pass attempts for 178 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions, while adding 37 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. Xavier Jackson turned two rushing attempts into 13 yards and added four catches for 60 yards and a touchdown to lead all Storm receivers. Draysean Hudson (4/50/1) and Cole Thurness (2/27/1) each had touchdown catches tonight. Donnie Corley Jr. caught three passes for 41 yards, with his most meaningful catch the one that doesn't show up on the stat sheet - the go-ahead two-point conversion catch that turned out to be the game-winner. Undraez Lilly and James Brown each recorded a sack on defense, while LaRonji Vason-McCoy, Clifton Duck, and Eugene Ford each collected an interception.
T.J. Edwards hit on 11 of his 17 passes tonight for 131 yards, for two touchdowns and three interceptions. He carried the rock 13 times for 88 yards and four scores as well. Jimmy Smith logged 13 rushing attempts for 67 yards and added three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown. Phazione McClurge led Fighters receivers with three receptions for 48 yards and his highlight-reel touchdown. Charles Headen (2/27/0) and Jordan Jolly (2/23/0) were each held to just two catches tonight. Both Fighters interceptions were made by Kordell Jackson.
The Storm will continue their impressive postseason run, advancing to their first IFL Championship Game since United Bowl XI in 2019, in which they defeated the Arizona Rattlers 56-53 to earn their 11th IFL Title. Sioux Falls will now vie for its 12th ring next Saturday afternoon, where they will meet with the Bay Area Panthers (who defeated the Northern Arizona Wranglers 68-46 tonight) in Henderson, Nevada, for a 1:00 kickoff. For the Fighters, tonight's loss marks their third consecutive playoff exit in the Round of Four (2021 to the Massachusetts Pirates, and 2022 to the Quad City Steamwheelers), as their quest for a first IFL Championship Game appearance will have to wait at least another season.
As for the all-time series, this marks the first time in franchise history that the Storm have defeated the Fighters, losing the first five meetings, including both regular season meetings in 2023 (54-51 on June 10th, and 56-15 on July 1st).
Any times listed in this recap are pacific daylight time. Click for our complete 2023 IFL Schedule. As with all season, SCtoC will present a comprehensive preview of the IFL National Championship Game. The preview will be posted on the main Indoor Football League page of this site.
- AS
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