
Cali Clash Victory: Panthers Top Strike Force 57-34
May 6, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Bay Area Panthers News Release
The Bay Area Panthers continued their winning streak on Sunday night, defeating their in-state rivals, the San Diego Strike Force for the second time this season in a 57-34 showdown at SAP Center. With the win, the Panthers improve to 4-1 on the season and are now tied for the top spot in the IFL Western Conference standings.
Following their Week 6 bye, the Panthers returned to the field with a renewed sense of purpose, and their high-powered offense and opportunistic defense delivered another complete performance.
"Coming off the bye, we emphasized upholding the standard we set against San Diego earlier this season," said Bay Area Panthers Head Coach Rob Keefe. "Past success doesn't guarantee future results, but our guys came out focused, physical, and ready to finish the job."
Running back Josh Tomas was the star of the night, scoring in the first half and adding three more touchdowns in the second, helping turn the tide after the Panthers entered halftime trailing 15-16. His 42-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter sealed the momentum shift, setting the tone for a dominant final stretch that carried Bay Area to the finish.
Quarterback Josh Jones continued his efficient play, tossing three touchdown passes, including strikes to Tomas, RZ McCorker Sr., and Trevon Alexander. Jones now has eight total touchdown passes over his last two games.
Defensively, the Panthers were exceptional, forcing three interceptions, including one by defensive back Joe Foucha and two by defensive back Trae Meadows. Meadows' second interception stood out as a highlight of the night, making a remarkable play that saw him diving into the stands to secure the ball. The Panthers' defense also added to the scoring with defensive back Franky West Jr. scooping up a muffed kickoff return in the end zone for his first touchdown of the season, putting the game further out of reach for the Strike Force.
While San Diego managed to secure three rushing touchdowns and a passing score, they struggled to keep up with Bay Area's explosiveness and turned the ball over four times. With this dominant victory, the Panthers have now outscored San Diego 98-52 across two meetings this season and taken a 2-0 lead in the rivalry series.
Next up, the Panthers set their sights on a pivotal road test against the 4-1 Arizona Rattlers this Friday, May 10th at 6:05 p.m. PT- a key Western Conference matchup that will break the tie at the top of the standings.
Indoor Football League Stories from May 6, 2025
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- IFL Announces Week 8 Coaches Poll - IFL
- Panthers Announce Updated 2025 Ticket Prices and New 3-Game Flex Plan - Bay Area Panthers
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- Cali Clash Victory: Panthers Top Strike Force 57-34 - Bay Area Panthers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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