Post by Monika on Jun 8, 2024 20:52:24 GMT -8
Storm 46, Knight Hawks 40 - OT
6/8/24 --
SIOUX FALLS, SD - The Sioux Falls Storm pulled off the improbable tonight with a late rally and six-point win in overtime over the Vegas Knight Hawks at Denny Sanford Premier Center.
Vegas took a 40-37 lead with five seconds remaining, but Storm kicker Dean Sarris knotted the score at 40-40 as time expired with a 46-yard field goal. On the first possession of overtime, Lorenzo Brown, Jr. found Carlos Thompson for a 21-yard score. Sarris' point-after try was blocked, leaving the Storm lead at 46-40. The Knight Hawks had a chance to tie or even win, but Ja'Rome Johnson's pass on first down was intercepted by Elijah Reed to end the game.
The Storm improve to 3-7 with the win. Two of their three wins have come against top contenders in each conference; the Eastern Conference leading Green Bay Blizzard and the Knight Hawks, who are second in the Western Conference. Vegas, which started the season 7-0, has now lost three straight and is two games back of the Bay Area Panthers and a half game ahead of the Northern Arizona Wranglers in the West. This was the first-ever meeting between the teams and their only meeting this season.
It was much of a back-and-forth contest. The Storm scored on their opening drive courtesy of a three-yard run from quarterback Lorenzo Brown, Jr. The Knight Hawks got on the board thanks to a two-yard run from Caleb Holley. Brown rushed in from four yards, but Quentin Randolph's two-yard run put Vegas up 14-13 by the end of the first quarter.
Sioux Falls retook the lead on Brown's six-yard touchdown pass to Bryson Denley midway through the second quarter, and the Storm followed that up with a 30-yard field goal from Sarris with just over three minutes to go. Jorge Reyna hit Holley for a 33-yard touchdown for the Knight Hawks with 10 seconds remaining. Sioux Falls led 23-21 at the break.
Vegas took the opening kickoff of the second half and scored on a four-yard strike from Reyna to Holley. Claude Davis' 34-yard fumble recovery and return for touchdown gave the Storm a three-point lead later in the third. The Storm lead 31-28 heading into the fourth.
Kevin Macias capped an eight-play drive with a 30-yard field goal to tie the contest at the 11:22 mark of the fourth. Macias then gave the Knight Hawks the lead with a deuce on the opening kickoff. Denley's five-yard run midway through the quarter put the storm up 37-33 before the Knight Hawks scored with five seconds remaining, setting up Sarris' last-second kick.
Brown completed nine of 16 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. He also rushed for 23 yards and two scores. Thompson caught five balls for 66 yards and a touchdown. Amin Black led the Storm defense with 10 tackles. Reed had eight tackles to go along with his game-saving interception and Davis added a sack to his fumble return for touchdown.
Reyna finished 11 of 16 for 140 yards with two touchdowns and a pick. Johnson went four of nine for 32 yards with one touchdown and an interception. Taurean Taylor had 33 rushing yards. Holley hauled in six passes for 66 yards and found the end zone four times; three as a receiver and once as a rusher. James Ceasar's 4.5 tackles and interception paced the Knight Hawks' defense. Makel Calhoun and Lorenzo Hernandez each tallied a sack.
The Knight Hawks had a definitive edge in total offense; 250 yards to 133. That included advantages of 52 yards in the running game and 65 yards in the passing game. Vegas also led in time of possession 38:20 to 21:35. The Knight Hawks were flagged 10 times for 72 yards while the Storm were penalized six times for 38 yards.
Both teams are back in action on June 15. The Knight Hawks will visit the Duke City Gladiators and the Storm will make a trip to the Tulsa Oilers. Kickoff for both games is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. Times listed are pacific daylight time.
Both games, as well as all IFL games this season, will be streamed live on the IFL YouTube Channel and Caffeine TV IFL. 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. Click for our complete IFL 2024 Schedule.
6/8/24 --
SIOUX FALLS, SD - The Sioux Falls Storm pulled off the improbable tonight with a late rally and six-point win in overtime over the Vegas Knight Hawks at Denny Sanford Premier Center.
Vegas took a 40-37 lead with five seconds remaining, but Storm kicker Dean Sarris knotted the score at 40-40 as time expired with a 46-yard field goal. On the first possession of overtime, Lorenzo Brown, Jr. found Carlos Thompson for a 21-yard score. Sarris' point-after try was blocked, leaving the Storm lead at 46-40. The Knight Hawks had a chance to tie or even win, but Ja'Rome Johnson's pass on first down was intercepted by Elijah Reed to end the game.
The Storm improve to 3-7 with the win. Two of their three wins have come against top contenders in each conference; the Eastern Conference leading Green Bay Blizzard and the Knight Hawks, who are second in the Western Conference. Vegas, which started the season 7-0, has now lost three straight and is two games back of the Bay Area Panthers and a half game ahead of the Northern Arizona Wranglers in the West. This was the first-ever meeting between the teams and their only meeting this season.
It was much of a back-and-forth contest. The Storm scored on their opening drive courtesy of a three-yard run from quarterback Lorenzo Brown, Jr. The Knight Hawks got on the board thanks to a two-yard run from Caleb Holley. Brown rushed in from four yards, but Quentin Randolph's two-yard run put Vegas up 14-13 by the end of the first quarter.
Sioux Falls retook the lead on Brown's six-yard touchdown pass to Bryson Denley midway through the second quarter, and the Storm followed that up with a 30-yard field goal from Sarris with just over three minutes to go. Jorge Reyna hit Holley for a 33-yard touchdown for the Knight Hawks with 10 seconds remaining. Sioux Falls led 23-21 at the break.
Vegas took the opening kickoff of the second half and scored on a four-yard strike from Reyna to Holley. Claude Davis' 34-yard fumble recovery and return for touchdown gave the Storm a three-point lead later in the third. The Storm lead 31-28 heading into the fourth.
Kevin Macias capped an eight-play drive with a 30-yard field goal to tie the contest at the 11:22 mark of the fourth. Macias then gave the Knight Hawks the lead with a deuce on the opening kickoff. Denley's five-yard run midway through the quarter put the storm up 37-33 before the Knight Hawks scored with five seconds remaining, setting up Sarris' last-second kick.
Brown completed nine of 16 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. He also rushed for 23 yards and two scores. Thompson caught five balls for 66 yards and a touchdown. Amin Black led the Storm defense with 10 tackles. Reed had eight tackles to go along with his game-saving interception and Davis added a sack to his fumble return for touchdown.
Reyna finished 11 of 16 for 140 yards with two touchdowns and a pick. Johnson went four of nine for 32 yards with one touchdown and an interception. Taurean Taylor had 33 rushing yards. Holley hauled in six passes for 66 yards and found the end zone four times; three as a receiver and once as a rusher. James Ceasar's 4.5 tackles and interception paced the Knight Hawks' defense. Makel Calhoun and Lorenzo Hernandez each tallied a sack.
The Knight Hawks had a definitive edge in total offense; 250 yards to 133. That included advantages of 52 yards in the running game and 65 yards in the passing game. Vegas also led in time of possession 38:20 to 21:35. The Knight Hawks were flagged 10 times for 72 yards while the Storm were penalized six times for 38 yards.
Both teams are back in action on June 15. The Knight Hawks will visit the Duke City Gladiators and the Storm will make a trip to the Tulsa Oilers. Kickoff for both games is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. Times listed are pacific daylight time.
Both games, as well as all IFL games this season, will be streamed live on the IFL YouTube Channel and Caffeine TV IFL. 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. Click for our complete IFL 2024 Schedule.
-MMM