Fever knock off Fairbanks for first IFL victory
April 12, 2010 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Tri-Cities Fever News Release
The Tri-Cities Fever kept getting closer and closer. On Saturday night, the Fever finally got there.
Tri-Cities picked up that elusive first Indoor Football League victory in franchise history with a dramatic 44-39 win over division-leading Fairbanks at Toyota Center.
"I am happy for the guys," said head coach Adam Shackleford. "They worked hard enough to win this football game."
And it took them working until the final seconds to do so. On fourth-down and goal, the Fever stuffed Fairbanks' Asi Faoa just short of the goal line with 13.6 seconds left in the game, putting the exclamation point on a stellar night for the defense.
The Fever allowed just six second-half points and intercepted Fairbanks quarterback Justin Rummel four times.
"We were at home and we have to protect our home field," said defensive back Montavis Pitts. "We had to step up."
"I can't say enough about our defense," said Fever quarterback Andy Collins. "It was because of them we won this game."
The Fever came into the game allowing 62.7 points a game, and it appeared early on that the Grizzlies would easily reach that number if not more. Fairbanks, which came into the game in first place in the Pacific North Division, led 20-0 after less than 12 minutes and had 33 points by halftime.
"We just came out flat," Shackleford said.
But if Fairbanks' first five games of the season were any indication, the game was going to be a nail-biter. And that's exactly how it turned out. The Grizzlies (4-1) had won three of its four games by a combined four points, including a 69-67 four-overtime win over the Fever back in March.
And just like in that game, Tri-Cities (1-3) used a big second half to get back in the game. On this time, the Fever completed the comeback.
After scoring a touchdown in the waning seconds of the first half to cut the margin to 33-24 at halftime, the Fever opened the second half with another score. Collins found Kevin Heard across the back of the end zone get the Fever within 33-31.
The Fever took its first lead on the Grizzlies' next possession. On fourth down at the Tri-Cities' 11-yard line, Rummel was leveled by Kwame Agyeman just as he was throwing. Montavis Pitts intercepted the wobbling pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown, giving the Fever its first lead at 38-33 with 3:06 left in the third quarter. It was Pitts' second interception of the game.
"We are starting to come together and play together," Pitts said.
Trailing 20-0, the Fever faced the reality of falling behind even further with Fairbanks again driving deep in Tri-Cities' territory. But Carldayle Brantley ended that drive with a leaping interception in the end zone. The Fever came back and scored on its ensuing possession, starting a string of points. Tri-Cities went on to score 44 of the game's next 57 points and led 44-33 an 11-yard touchdown catch by Brandon Copeland. At one point the Fever reeled off 27 straight points.
"We were able to start finding some holes in their defense," Collins said.
Collins, a Zillah native, completed 17 of 28 passes for 136 yards and four touchdowns.
But, Saturday night was not about his offensive numbers, it was about the ones on defense.
"I am on my way to thank them right now," Collins said leaving the field after the game.
The win is Shackleford's first as Fever coach and one he says he will remember.
"I was lucky enough to win a lot of games before I came here," said Shackleford about his three seasons as head coach of the Spokane Shock. "This win felt every bit as good as those."
NOTE: The Fever is on the road this week, playing at Kent on Sunday.
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