Fever Hold off Crush, 37-34
April 2, 2016 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Tri-Cities Fever News Release
Through four games this season, Tri-Cities Fever fans have worn out the edge of their seats and probably have a few extra gray hairs.
So why would the fifth game be any different? It wasn't.
The Fever had another game go down to the closing seconds before pulling out a 37-34 victory Friday night at the Toyota Center to keep the Colorado Crush winless on the season.
"This was another close one," said first-year coach Ryan Lingenfelder. "We were able to pull this one out; it's a good win for us."
The Fever improves to 2-3 on the season with the win, but are 2-2 at home, knowing that to make the playoffs this season, there are going to have to be some road wins.
"We have it great here," said Dee Maggitt Jr. "I love the fan base; we need to take this momentum with us."
The Fever plays four of its next five games on the road, starting next Saturday at Wichita Falls.
Tri-Cities held the lead entering the fourth quarter after Pat McCain scored on a 4-yard run with 7:25 left in the third quarter to give the Fever a 30-27 lead. It was the third straight game the Fever led heading into the final quarter and the fourth time in five games it had a lead in the fourth quarter.
Only once, did the Fever go on to victory before Friday. After the go-ahead touchdown in the third, the Fever offense stalled. And when Colorado (0-5) scored on a Doug Williams 2-yard pass from Damien Fleming with 3:01 left in the game, it appeared the Fever was going to be doomed again in the fourth quarter.
But Hunter Wanket and Akeem Foster had the answer. With time winding down the two connected on a 6-yard pass play with 24 seconds remaining to give Tri-Cities a 37-34 lead. Colorado had one final chance but Theodore Beuchert's 52-yard field goal as time expired came up short.
"We just couldn't get out of jail," said Lingenfelder in the fourth quarter referring to his offense's inability to move the ball. "We go down and score one time and it's a 10-point game."
Despite the offense's woes, the defense was key, forcing two fourth-quarter turnovers that kept the Ice out of the end zone. The first turnover came when Maggitt jumped in front of an underthrown ball by Fleming and the Fever's 1-yard line. The second turnover came inside the Fever 5-yard line on a fumble by Breon Allen.
"We stepped up and made plays," said Fever defensive lineman Brandon Rankin. "We needed to play together and play all-out every down."
Wanket did just enough Friday night, completing 13 of 23 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Newly-acquired running back Rob Brown made an immediate impact, rushing eight times for 31 yards and two touchdowns.
Maggitt, in addition to his interception, had four returns for 98 yards, averaging more than 24 yards per return.
Indoor Football League Stories from April 2, 2016
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- Fever Hold off Crush, 37-34 - Tri-Cities Fever
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