Fighters Left on Doorstep of Title Matchup, Lose to Quad City in Semis
July 30, 2022 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Frisco Fighters News Release
History tends to repeat itself.
For the Fighters, on Friday night, that wasn't a good thing.
Despite owning a two-possession lead on three occasions, Frisco was unable to put away the visiting Quad City Steamwheelers, bowing 48-41 and coming up just short of an IFL Eastern Conference crown.
This marks the second year in a row in which the Fighters fell a victory short of competing for a league championship.
It was an arguable fumble that doomed Frisco (15-3), as TJ Edwards climbed out of the pocket and tried to shovel the football forward with 0:21 remaining in the game. The score was knotted up, 41-41, at that juncture.
Early on, the Fighters took advantage of a pair of Quad City's special teams shortcomings. The Steamwheelers (11-7) pushed one field goal wide right and had another blocked, both of which led to touchdowns for the Fighters.
The guests pulled even with 4:53 to go in the second frame, but even then, a few touchdowns by wideout Tyron Laughinghouse - one receiving and one rushing - staked Frisco to another 14-point edge.
The Fighters were up 34-26 at the half, and they stretched their lead to 15 when, with 10:03 left in the third period, Edwards hit Jerminic Smith for a second time on the night. They'd be held scoreless for the last 25 minutes of the contest, however.
With under a minute to play, on a third down, Quad City's E.J. Hilliard found a way to wheel into the endzone and tie up the game. With a pump fake a few snaps after Edwards' critical turnover, Hilliard froze Frisco's secondary long enough to connect with Keyvan Rudd for the game-winner.
The Steamwheelers will meet either the Arizona Rattlers or Northern Arizona Wranglers in the Dollar Loan Center IFL National Championship on August 13.
Indoor Football League Stories from July 30, 2022
- Fighters Left on Doorstep of Title Matchup, Lose to Quad City in Semis - Frisco Fighters
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