Post by Monika on Jul 7, 2024 16:15:35 GMT -8
Fighters 81, Gladiators 55
7/7/24 --
RIO RANCHO, NM - TJ Edwards and Phazione McClurge connected on five touchdowns as the Frisco Fighters toppled the Duke City Gladiators tonight, 81-55, at Rio Rancho Events Center.
The win lifts the Fighters a half game ahead of the Green Bay Blizzard in the Eastern Conference standings at 12-3. Green Bay was on a bye this week and have two games remaining, while Frisco is on a bye nest week before closing out the regular season on July 20 at home against the Iowa Barnstormers. The Fighters have already clinched a playoff berth and home field advantage in the first round. They are battling with the Blizzard for the top seed which would give them home field advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Blizzard own the tiebreaker over the Fighters.
Duke City, which has already been eliminated from the playoffs, fell to 2-12 on the season. Frisco completes the season series as they defeated the Gladiators 49-40 on March 29 at Frisco. The Fighters have now won all nine games in the historical series between the teams, including four at Duke City. Frisco's 81 points is the highest single-game point total in the IFL this season. The 136 combined points is the second-highest total; just under the 142 points scored in the Northern Arizona Wranglers 74-68 win over the San Antonio Gunslingers on June 23.
After Lionel McConnell returned the opening kickoff to the Duke City 19-yard line, Edwards tossed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Justin Rankin. On the Gladiators first drive, Hasan Rogers was intercepted by Eugene Ford. The Fighters capitalized on the turnover with a 14-yard touchdown strike from Edwards to Devon McCoy in the back of the end zone. Duke City got on the scoreboard When Rogers tossed a 10-yard touchdown to Tamorrion Terry in the back left corner of the end zone, but Ernesto Lacayo's point-after try was blocked. Edwards answered for Frisco with a two-yard run up the middle for a touchdown. The Gladiators came right back with a 25-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Rogers to Louis Dorsey. The Fighters led 20-12 after one quarter.
Frisco went up by two scores early in the second quarter with a 32-yard lob from Edwards to McClurge. Bryce Crawford nailed a deuce on the subsequent kickoff. Roger's scamper around the left side for 30 yards drew the Gladiators closer with 11:24 remaining in the quarter. Just two minutes later, Edwards found McClurge in the middle of the end zone for an eight-yard score. Duke City was forced to attempt a 53-yard field goal, but the kick was blocked by Frisco's Desmond Raiford, giving the Fighters excellent field position. They capitalized with a three-yard end around to the right side from Spencer Tears with 4 minutes remaining in the quarter. Rogers plunged in from two yards out leading down to the one-minute warning. Lacayo tacked on a deuce on the ensuing kickoff. The Fighters then scored on a 21-yard bomb from Edwards to McClurge. Crawford added a deuce for the Fighters with 16.5 seconds remaining It took only one play for the Gladiators to respond as Rogers hit Tamorrion Terry for a 45-yard catch-and-run score.
Frisco took a 52-33 lead into halftime. The combined point total at halftime was just a point-and-a-half short of the Draft Kings over/under for the game, which was listed at 86.5.
Rogers' five-yard scramble into the end zone pulled the Gladiators closer, and Lacayo hit the dropkick extra point to make the score 52-41 four minutes into the third quarter. Edwards countered for the Fighters with a 21-yard touchdown toss to McClurge. Lacayo's 58-yard field goal try was short, giving the Fighters the ball back. Edwards brought the Fighters back, firing a seven-yard touchdown to Tears who was crossing the middle of the end zone with 2:25 left in the third. Gladiators came right back with an eight-yard run up the middle from Devanaire Concliffe. Frisco took a 66-47 lead into the fourth quarter.
Edwards and McClurge connected for the fifth time; this one on a nine-yard strike to the right side. Crawford added another deuce to move Frisco's lead to 27. The Gladiators drove to the Frisco five, but turned the ball over on downs. Edwards threw his ninth touchdown of the game to Larry Harrington; a 24-yarder. Harrington, who sees some spot duty at receiver, is the Fighters' backup quarterback. Duke City answered with Terry's 25-yard touchdown catch from Javin Kilgo, who had come in earlier in the quarter for Rogers. They added a two-point conversion on Kilgo's pass to Dorsey.
Edwards completed 15 of 19 passes for 226 yards with nine touchdowns through the air and another on the ground. McClurge finished with seven catches for 114 yards to go along with his five scoring grabs. McCoy had three receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown. In all, five different Fighters caught at least one touchdown pass from Edwards. Royce See led the way for the Fighters defense with 5.5 and a sack. Jakharious Smith added an interception to go with 3.5 tackles.
Rogers finished nine of 14 for 136 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed six times for 52 yards and another three scores. He actually had another 30-yard touchdown run called back due to a holding penalty. Jadarius Byrd rushed four times for 47 yards. Terry caught four throws for 87 yards and three touchdowns and Dorsey had four grabs for 66 yards and a score.
Duke City outgained Frisco in total yards, 317 t0 306. The Gladiators had a 35-yard edge in the running game, while the Fighters held a 24-yard advantage in the passing game. Duke City was penalized nine times for 82 yards and Frisco was flagged four times for 24 yards.
The Gladiators will visit the Bay Area Panthers on July 13 with kickoff set for 6:05 p.m. The Fighters have a bye next week, but are at home for their season finale on June 20 for a 5:05 p.m. kickoff. 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. 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.
7/7/24 --
RIO RANCHO, NM - TJ Edwards and Phazione McClurge connected on five touchdowns as the Frisco Fighters toppled the Duke City Gladiators tonight, 81-55, at Rio Rancho Events Center.
The win lifts the Fighters a half game ahead of the Green Bay Blizzard in the Eastern Conference standings at 12-3. Green Bay was on a bye this week and have two games remaining, while Frisco is on a bye nest week before closing out the regular season on July 20 at home against the Iowa Barnstormers. The Fighters have already clinched a playoff berth and home field advantage in the first round. They are battling with the Blizzard for the top seed which would give them home field advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Blizzard own the tiebreaker over the Fighters.
Duke City, which has already been eliminated from the playoffs, fell to 2-12 on the season. Frisco completes the season series as they defeated the Gladiators 49-40 on March 29 at Frisco. The Fighters have now won all nine games in the historical series between the teams, including four at Duke City. Frisco's 81 points is the highest single-game point total in the IFL this season. The 136 combined points is the second-highest total; just under the 142 points scored in the Northern Arizona Wranglers 74-68 win over the San Antonio Gunslingers on June 23.
After Lionel McConnell returned the opening kickoff to the Duke City 19-yard line, Edwards tossed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Justin Rankin. On the Gladiators first drive, Hasan Rogers was intercepted by Eugene Ford. The Fighters capitalized on the turnover with a 14-yard touchdown strike from Edwards to Devon McCoy in the back of the end zone. Duke City got on the scoreboard When Rogers tossed a 10-yard touchdown to Tamorrion Terry in the back left corner of the end zone, but Ernesto Lacayo's point-after try was blocked. Edwards answered for Frisco with a two-yard run up the middle for a touchdown. The Gladiators came right back with a 25-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Rogers to Louis Dorsey. The Fighters led 20-12 after one quarter.
Frisco went up by two scores early in the second quarter with a 32-yard lob from Edwards to McClurge. Bryce Crawford nailed a deuce on the subsequent kickoff. Roger's scamper around the left side for 30 yards drew the Gladiators closer with 11:24 remaining in the quarter. Just two minutes later, Edwards found McClurge in the middle of the end zone for an eight-yard score. Duke City was forced to attempt a 53-yard field goal, but the kick was blocked by Frisco's Desmond Raiford, giving the Fighters excellent field position. They capitalized with a three-yard end around to the right side from Spencer Tears with 4 minutes remaining in the quarter. Rogers plunged in from two yards out leading down to the one-minute warning. Lacayo tacked on a deuce on the ensuing kickoff. The Fighters then scored on a 21-yard bomb from Edwards to McClurge. Crawford added a deuce for the Fighters with 16.5 seconds remaining It took only one play for the Gladiators to respond as Rogers hit Tamorrion Terry for a 45-yard catch-and-run score.
Frisco took a 52-33 lead into halftime. The combined point total at halftime was just a point-and-a-half short of the Draft Kings over/under for the game, which was listed at 86.5.
Rogers' five-yard scramble into the end zone pulled the Gladiators closer, and Lacayo hit the dropkick extra point to make the score 52-41 four minutes into the third quarter. Edwards countered for the Fighters with a 21-yard touchdown toss to McClurge. Lacayo's 58-yard field goal try was short, giving the Fighters the ball back. Edwards brought the Fighters back, firing a seven-yard touchdown to Tears who was crossing the middle of the end zone with 2:25 left in the third. Gladiators came right back with an eight-yard run up the middle from Devanaire Concliffe. Frisco took a 66-47 lead into the fourth quarter.
Edwards and McClurge connected for the fifth time; this one on a nine-yard strike to the right side. Crawford added another deuce to move Frisco's lead to 27. The Gladiators drove to the Frisco five, but turned the ball over on downs. Edwards threw his ninth touchdown of the game to Larry Harrington; a 24-yarder. Harrington, who sees some spot duty at receiver, is the Fighters' backup quarterback. Duke City answered with Terry's 25-yard touchdown catch from Javin Kilgo, who had come in earlier in the quarter for Rogers. They added a two-point conversion on Kilgo's pass to Dorsey.
Edwards completed 15 of 19 passes for 226 yards with nine touchdowns through the air and another on the ground. McClurge finished with seven catches for 114 yards to go along with his five scoring grabs. McCoy had three receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown. In all, five different Fighters caught at least one touchdown pass from Edwards. Royce See led the way for the Fighters defense with 5.5 and a sack. Jakharious Smith added an interception to go with 3.5 tackles.
Rogers finished nine of 14 for 136 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed six times for 52 yards and another three scores. He actually had another 30-yard touchdown run called back due to a holding penalty. Jadarius Byrd rushed four times for 47 yards. Terry caught four throws for 87 yards and three touchdowns and Dorsey had four grabs for 66 yards and a score.
Duke City outgained Frisco in total yards, 317 t0 306. The Gladiators had a 35-yard edge in the running game, while the Fighters held a 24-yard advantage in the passing game. Duke City was penalized nine times for 82 yards and Frisco was flagged four times for 24 yards.
The Gladiators will visit the Bay Area Panthers on July 13 with kickoff set for 6:05 p.m. The Fighters have a bye next week, but are at home for their season finale on June 20 for a 5:05 p.m. kickoff. 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. 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