Edwards, Fighters Snatch Victory from San Antonio with Last-Second Score
July 1, 2024 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Frisco Fighters News Release
SAN ANTONIO - The crowd in San Antonio was raucous Saturday night as TJ Edwards took the snap and the game clock emptied with the football in his grasp.
Any Gunslingers faithful were soon muffled.
Adding to his case for a second straight Indoor Football League MVP award, the Fighters' quarterback coolly shuffled to his left and zipped a fastball to Cole Blackman 20 yards away, walking off a 58-57 road win.
The game-winning toss was just out of the reach of a diving Giovonne Sanders, who had to make his way out of a horde of excited Frisco (11-3) players and coaches thereafter.
San Antonio (6-7) quarterback Sam Castronova collected five passing touchdowns and another on the ground in the defeat.
Justin Rankin, Martez Carter, and Edwards all ran in for a score during the first half. With four ticks left in the first half, Edwards' two-yard jump pass to Phazione McClurge staked the Fighters to a 28-25 advantage halfway through.
Each member of the Fighters' rushing triumvirate notched a second-half rushing touchdown, as well, pushing their side ahead each time. Rankin's 11-yarder capped a short, three-play, 25-yard series with 2:37 to play, making it 52-49.
For his third receiving score of the night - this one a 17-yard strike with 18 seconds remaining - Nyqwan Murray twisted and plucked a Castronova pass out of the air with his left hand. Murray's 20-yard grab 4:19 earlier fixed the scoreboard to a 49-44 count after Carter's fourth-quarter surge.
In the late stages, Lionell McConnell returned the Gunslingers' kick to Frisco's 22-yard line. Eight seconds remained after Edwards connected with Rankin for eight yards, four after the signal-caller sailed a pass over McClurge's head in the end zone.
With the victory, the Fighters take the three-game regular season series between the Lone Star State rivals, winning both at Freeman Coliseum.
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