Fire Get Bowled Over In 72-64 Loss To Stampede
May 17, 2014 - Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) News Release
HERSHEY, PA - In what is often called the "ËSweetest Place on Earth', the Georgia Fire (3-3) of the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) will be leaving Hershey, PA sour getting mauled over in a shootout to the Harrisburg Stampede (3-4) 72-64.
Not sure if the Georgia Fire we're able to hear it, but that was "ËHerd that just came through whiplashing them back .500 in a game in which the two clubs combined to score 136 points, highest combined scoring output 2014 PIFL season. Secondary has been a major issue for the Fire over the past couple of weeks, coming into Saturday defense had allowed 29 passing touchdowns and now you can pile on more following Stampede QB E.J. Nemeth's eight touchdown passing performance.
After picking up five turnovers in back-to-back weeks combined, Georgia could not muster any turnovers in the loss the Stampede on Saturday. Coming into the contest Nemeth had thrown a PIFL-high ten interceptions, on Saturday he completed 19 of 35 passes for 214 yards.
Harrisburg WR Collis Martin was the top receiving target on the evening hauling in eight receptions for 87 yards and four touchdowns. Martin's four end-zone trips marking the third consecutive week in which an opposing receiver grabbed four touchdowns in a game against the Fire.
Despite the huge numbers allowed on defense, it was another record setting night for Georgia QB Cecil Lester. Following up on his Offensive Player of the Week award, Lester out-did himself passing for an all-time PIFL single-game high 386 yards as well as tying the PIFL all-time single game passing mark of nine touchdowns.
It was also a record-breaking night for WR Johnny Lester hauling in a PIFL single-game high 167 yards for the season. Lester grabbed eight receptions while teammate Ronald Davis nabbed a game-high 12 receptions and five touchdowns.
With the team's going into the break tied at 29, the second-half looked like it was going to feature a see-saw battle go back and forth. Two costly second-half turnovers by the Fire, an interception thrown by Lester to DB Travis Proctor at the end of the third and a fumble by WR John Harris proved to be too much for the Georgia offense to overcome.
The victory ends the Harrisburg's two-game losing streak and coupled with the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks (4-2) 53-38 loss to Nashville it puts them back into the playoff discussion as they just a game back of the second playoff spot in the PIFL's National Conference.
Georgia will try and re-group next week when they return back to the south for another road-trip, this time taking on American Conference division rival Alabama Hammers (2-4) who with their 73-53 win over Columbus (3-3) on Saturday won their second straight and moved to within a game of the Fire.
With an 8:00 PM ET kickoff time, next week's game against the Hammers will take place on Saturday May 24th and you can catch all the action live from the Von Braun Center by visiting www.georgiafire.us and clicking on the Listen Live icon.
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Professional Indoor Football League Stories from May 17, 2014
- Alabama Hammers "Hammer" Columbus Lions for Second Win - Alabama Hammers
- Lions Still in Search of First Road Win, Fall to Hammers - Columbus Lions
- Fire Get Bowled Over In 72-64 Loss To Stampede - PIFL
- Raiders Fall to Freedom, 52-42 - Richmond Raiders
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