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IFL Indoor Football League

Competition Heats Up in IFL's Third Weekend

March 15, 2010 - Indoor Football League (IFL) News Release


Richmond, VA: The Indoor Football League's third weekend of game action featured nine league contests. Eight out of the nine games played were between division rivals which could possess playoff implications as the 2010 season progresses. Week Three was highlighted Saturday night by the IFL's Game of the Week, a showdown in the Lonestar West Division featuring the Amarillo Venom and West Texas Roughnecks.

Week Three began on Friday night with a Lonestar East Division match-up in which the San Angelo Stampede Express (0-1) traveled to face off against the Arkansas Diamonds (2-0). It was highly competitive throughout the contest, but the host Diamonds were able to pull out the victory 33-26. The Diamonds turned in a strong defensive performance led by 8 tackles and 2 sacks from DE Louis Vasquez. Both teams will be back in action next week on March 20th as the Diamonds will host the Austin Turfcats and the Stampede Express will travel to face the Abilene Ruff Riders.

Friday night was capped off by a Pacific North Division game between the Fairbanks Grizzlies and host Kent Predators. The Grizzlies jumped out to a 38-13 lead at halftime and cruised to a 57-42 win. The win improves the Grizzlies to 3-0 on the season with all wins coming within the division. The Predators are on the opposite end of the division, falling to 0-3. Next week the Grizzlies will host the Alaska Wild while the Predators will have a bye week.

Saturday's action started with the Sioux City Bandits (1-2) traveling to take on Central West Division rivals the Omaha Beef (1-1). The Beef road the momentum of a 21-0 lead to rebound from last week's lost to the Sioux Falls Storm, with a 53-26 victory. The Beef were led by QB Ben Skanky who completed 18-27 passes for 244 yards and 4 TD's. Next week both the Beef and the Bandits will be on byes.

The Chicago Slaughter traveled to take on the Richmond Revolution on Saturday. The Revolution improved to 2-0 as they outlasted the Slaughter (0-2) in a defensive battle 30-25. In front of a sell-out crowd, the Revolution allowed only 104 yards of offensive to the Slaughter, including holding Chicago to 12 yards in first quarter of play. Former Virginia Tech and current Revolution QB Bryan Randall threw for 4 TD's while RB Jarrett Payton, son of NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton, added 29 yards and a touchdown for the Slaughter. Both teams will be in action next week as the Revolution host the Maryland Maniacs on March 20th and the Slaughter host the Bloomington Extreme on March 21st.

The Sioux Falls Storm (2-0) have won back-to-back road games in the Central West Division while defeating the Wichita Wild (1-1) 43-34. The Storm were led to victory by veteran QB Terrance Bryant who went 17-24 for 190 yards and 4 TD's while rushing for another score. Wichita's RB Darius Fudge turned in a valiant performance in the loss, rushing for 79 yards and 2 TD's. Next up the Wild will host the Colorado Ice on March 20th and the Storm will host defending United Bowl Champion Billings Outlaws on Monday March 22nd.

In one of the more competitive games of Week Three, the Bloomington Extreme (1-1) defeated the Green Bay Blizzard (1-1) 24-20 in a Central North Division showdown. Green Bay QB Jake Phillips, reigning Week Two Offensive Player of the Week, turned in another solid performance (21-32 221 yards, rushing TD) but was unable to find the end zone through the air. Bloomington's defense battled all day and was paced by LB Joe Bevis' 16 tackles. The Blizzard will host the La Crosse Spartans on March 19th and the Extreme travel to take on the Chicago Slaughter on March 21st.

Week Three's IFL Game of the Week turned out to be a one sided affair as the Amarillo Venom (1-0) dismantled the host West Texas Roughnecks (1-1) 53-27. The Venom impressed in their IFL debut as QB Julian Reese completed 13-19 passes for 155 yards and 4 TD's. The Roughnecks never got in a rhythm offensively as they turned the ball over 4 times. The Roughnecks will travel to take on the Corpus Christi Hammerheads on March 21st and the Venom will have a bye next week.

The action picked up Sunday as the defending United Bowl Champion Billings Outlaws (3-0) defeated the Tri-Cities Fever (0-2) in a match-up of Pacific North Division opponents 64-50. The Outlaws, lead by reigning IFL MVP QB Chris Dixon (16-22 191 yards 4 TD's, 1 rushing TD), look to be the early season favorites to repeat as United Bowl Champions. The Fever hung around for most of the game as QB Andy Collins accounted for 5 TD's, but were never able to challenge late in the second half of play. Next week the Outlaws will travel to play the Sioux Falls Storm on March 22nd and the Fever will have a bye.

Week Three concluded Sunday afternoon as the Austin Turfcats (0-1) were defeated by the host Corpus Christi Hammerheads (1-1) 51-36. The Turfcats made a disappointing IFL debut as they turned the ball over 6 times. The Hammerheads made the most of the Turfcats miscues as they recovered a fumble for a touchdown and returned two blocked field goal attempts for TD's as well. The Turfcats will be back in action next week as they travel to take on the Arkansas Diamonds on March 20th while the Hammerheads will be on a bye.

Week Three IFL Players of the Week will be announced on Wednesday. The IFL action will pick back up in Week Four on Friday March 19th as the Rochester Raiders travel to face the West Michigan ThunderHawks and the Green Bay Blizzard host the La Crosse Spartans.

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