Drillers hold off Twin City 48-40 for a road win
April 30, 2006 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Beaumont Drillers News Release
MONROE, LA - The Beaumont Drillers improved to 4-2 overall and 4-1 in the NIFL Pacific South with a 48-40 road win over the Twin City Gators on Saturday night at the Monroe Civic Center. The Gators remain winless at 0-6. The Drillers lead the Katy Copperheads (4-3) by a half-game for first place in the Pacific South Division. Katy hosts the Big Sky Thunder (0-6) on Sunday afternoon.
Down 10-9 at the half and trailing by three points, 25-22, going into the final 15 minutes, the Driller offense came alive by outscoring the Gators 26-15.
With the game tied at 34, Beaumont quarterback Damone Scott put the Drillers up for good on a 1-yard scoring run. Marc Whitman's extra-point was good to give Beaumont a 41-34 advantage.
Twin City made things interesting when quarterback Donald Allen scored on a 15-yard scamper with 2:25 left but the Gators failed on a 2-point conversion when Allen fumbled to pull Twin City within one, 41-40.
Teddy Garcia's ensuing onside kick went out of bounds and Roland Hayes scored his fifth touchdown of the game to extend his team's lead to 48-40.
The Gators had one last shot to send the game into overtime but Allen's pass was intercepted by Marcus Jones in the end-zone with :15 seconds left to seal the victory for Beaumont.
Hayes scored five touchdowns to give him a NIFL league-leading 21 scores plus rushed for 95 yards on 21 carries. Scott threw for 137 yards and one touchdown on 8-of-17 attempts. Pat Palmer led all receivers with 3 catches for 67 yards and one score. Shock Davis added 3 grabs for 59 yards.
Shane Winchester and Micah Roach added interceptions for the Driller defense, who limited the Gators to just 146 total yards.
The Gator offense was one-dimensional as Allen threw for 68 yards on 11-of-24 attempts with three interceptions and one touchdown. He also led his team in rushing with 56 yards.
The Drillers will remain on the road and step out of conference play to face the NIFL Atlantic North's first place River City Rage (5-1) on May 5 in St. Louis, Mo. Beaumont will then travel to Alabama to face the Montgomery Maulers on May 13 before coming home to host the Katy Copperheads on May 20.
During halftime of that home game, the Drillers will honor the memory of Alicia Bonura and Ashley Brown. The Drillers have teamed up with Uniqgraphics and will present to both the Bonura and Brown families along with the Lady Bruin soccer team, two commemorative soccer balls. Uniqgraphics sold each section of the soccer ball to a sponsor and all proceeds will be donated to the West Brook Lady Bruin soccer team.
The Beaumont Drillers will then unveil a banner that will hang inside Ford Arena that displays two soccer balls with both Alicia's and Ashley's jersey numbers as well as all other Lady Bruin soccer players' names.
The two jersey numbers will also be retired by West Brook during the halftime ceremony.
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National Indoor Football League Stories from April 30, 2006
- Commentary: NIFL daily buzz, Sunday evening - OSC Original by Jerry Hewitt
- Commentary: NIFL daily buzz - OSC Original by Jerry Hewitt
- Drillers hold off Twin City 48-40 for a road win - Beaumont Drillers
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