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IFL Recap Week Two

March 26, 2024 - Indoor Football League (IFL) News Release


Week Two of the IFL season is complete, and this young season is already showcasing the parity we've come to expect from the Indoor Football League. Two games reached overtime, while three games came down to a difference of a touchdown or less.

Kicking off Week Two of the 2024 IFL season, The Sioux Falls Storm visited the Quad City Steamwheelers. In both team's season debut, the Steamwheelers walked away Friday night with an overtime victory.

The Storm offense was led by quarterback Billy Hall, who completed eight of 14 passes for 88 yards, and a touchdown, adding a team-high 58 rushing yards and a score. Third-year running back Bryson Denley also found the end zone against a stingy Steamwheelers defense, though the effort wasn't enough to bring home a victory for the Storm.

Judd Erickson opened the season for Quad City with a strong performance at home, throwing for 169 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, Edward Vander found the end zone twice on nine carries for 34 yards.

In overtime, Erickson found the end zone on a two-yard rush followed by a botched extra point attempt, giving the Steamwheelers a six point lead. The Storm were in need of a touchdown and an extra point to walk away with the overtime victory.

Billy Hall led the Sioux Falls offense down the field for an eventual 2nd and goal. Looking for a dramatic win, Hall fired into the endzone only to be picked off by Trey Smith for the game-sealing interception. The Steamwheelers weather the Storm, winning their home-opener 38-32.

In the second Friday night matchup of Week Two, the Tulsa Oilers and Frisco Fighters faced off in a season-opener for both sides. The Oilers were primed for an early-season road win with a 19-7 halftime lead. Late into the third quarter, Tulsa extended their lead to 15 points, as the score stood 25-10.

With TJ Edwards behind center, you can never count Frisco out. Edwards reminded everyone why he was voted last season's league-MVP with a performance reminiscent of 2023.

Through regulation, TJ Edwards gashed Tulsa on the ground, finding the end zone three times. Between Edwards and running back Jimmy Smith, the Tulsa Oilers didn't have much of an answer for Frisco's rushing attack. The duo combined for 127 yards on the ground, averaging just over four yards per carry.

Behind two fourth quarter rushing touchdowns from Edwards, the Frisco Fighters fought back to even the score in regulation. Another Friday night matchup was headed to overtime.

Tulsa began the overtime period with possession, though Lionell McConnell flipped momentum to Frisco's sideline after a crucial interception. Frisco then marched into enemy territory, capping their game-winning drive with TJ Edwards' fourth rushing touchdown of the night.

The Frisco Fighters open their season with a come-from-behind overtime victory at home against the Tulsa Oilers, 31-25.

Saturday night opened with the Iowa Barnstormers making their season-debut on the road against the 0-1 Green Bay Blizzard. Green Bay lost their Week One matchup to the Pirates and came into Week Two looking to even their record with a win against the Barnstormers.

The first three quarters of this matchup were neck-and-neck. Outside of a field goal for Iowa with six seconds left in the first half, the first 45-minutes went score-for-score.

Darius-James Peterson was the main source of offense for Iowa, scoring all three of the Barnstormers' touchdowns. Peterson ran through the Blizzard offense, carrying the ball 12 times for 73 yards. Rob Washington also added 61 yards on 13 carries.

The Green Bay Blizzard trailed by three points entering the fourth quarter, and it didn't take long for Max Meylor and the Blizzard offense to take the lead. Meylor found Harry Ballard for a touchdown, giving the Blizzard a four-point cushion. After almost 15 minutes of scoreless football, the Green Bay Blizzard put the Barnstormers on ice with a second Jalyn Cagle touchdown.

Following a back-and-forth matchup, The Green Bay Blizzard even up their record to 1-1 after a 35-24 victory against the Iowa Barnstormers.

In their IFL-debut, the Jacksonville Sharks were hosted by the Massachusetts Pirates in a Week Two matchup. The Pirates were coming off a victory in Week One behind Alejandro Bennifield, earning himself Offensive Player of the Week with his 136 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns.

This was the IFL's first look at the Jacksonville Sharks, and after their first quarter of play, they led by a touchdown.

Early in the second quarter, however, Alejandro Bennifield started heating up with a 35-yard touchdown strike to Isaac Zico. This would be Bennifield's first of four passing touchdowns, all of which being hauled in by a different Pirates player.

Following a Jimmie Robinson touchdown reception to put the Pirates up 26-14, Conor Blount and the Jacksonville Sharks got back on the board after a scoreless third quarter. The Sharks marched down the field, resulting in a four-yard touchdown pass from Blount to Marquis McClain, bringing the Sharks within a touchdown.

Jacksonville couldn't stop Jimmie Robinson in the final minutes, however, allowing the Pirates to bleed the final six minutes off the clock and walk out of Week Two with a 26-21 victory. The Pirates enter Week Three as the only team with a 2-0 record, as they've had a hot start to the 2024 season.

In another thrilling Week Two matchup, the Vegas Knight Hawks opened their season on the road against the 1-0 Arizona Rattlers in a heavyweight slugfest.

This Week Two matchup featured over 500 yards of offense and over 85 points. Both offenses were firing on all cylinders.

The Knight Hawks and Rattlers went back and forth, trading scores nearly every drive from the second quarter on. Of the 22 total drives, 16 ended with points, leaving only five empty drives the entire game.

This matchup was an offensive battle, and with time expiring, Kevin Macias nailed a 32-yard field goal to give the Vegas Night Hawks a Week Two victory on the road.

Ja'Rome Johnson finished Week Two with one of the strongest offensive performances of the week, totaling 293 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns. Through the air, Johnson went 9/16 with 179 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 116 rushing yards and three more touchdowns on 12 carries.

To wrap up Week Two, the San Diego Strike Force made their way to Rio Rancho, NM, to face off against the Duke City Gladiators in a Monday night battle. Both teams entered Week Two untested with a mutual hunger for a season-opening victory.

Gladiators quarterback Javin Kilgo found some success through the air, throwing for two touchdowns against a Strike Force defense that didn't allow much. Kilgo's two touchdowns, along with a rushing touchdown from Tasleem Wilson, weren't enough to combat the turnovers and overall lack of production for the Gladiators.

The San Diego Strike Force's offense was led by IFL veteran quarterback Nate Davis, as well as running back Travon Van. Davis was tested by the Duke City defense, though, ultimately found enough of a rhythm to earn the Strike Force a win.

Nate Davis ended the night 17/33 for 173 yards and a touchdown pass, while Travon Van was able to find the end zone three times on nine carries for 29 yards.

Stout defensive play was the main story, as both teams hardly allowed either side to establish much of an offensive game plan. San Diego's defense, however, was the star of the show, allowing just 81 total yards of offense for the Duke City Gladiators and forcing three turnovers- two of which were caused by Kishawn Walker.

In the final matchup of the week, the San Diego Strike Force overcame the Duke City Gladiators, defeating them 32-26.

Week Three features six matchups spread across four days, starting with the Sioux Falls Storm visiting the Massachusetts Pirates on Friday night. That game is scheduled to kickoff at 6:05 p.m. CT. Find this and every game streaming live on YouTube or Caffeine.

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