IFL Week 13 Recap

June 11, 2024 - Indoor Football League (IFL) News Release

Following Saturday's full slate of action, Week 13 is officially over. Over half of this week's matchups resulted in an upset, as Green Bay now holds the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

To kick off Week 13's full slate of action on Saturday, the Green Bay Blizzard (9-2) took on the Massachusetts Pirates (6-5) in the Tsongas Center. With the help of Andrew Mevis' leg in the game's final seconds, Green Bay came away with the narrow victory by a score of 36-33. This marks Green Bays' fifth win in a row, evening their series record with the Pirates in their final meeting of the regular season.

Facing off against the Pirates, who they lost to in the first week of the 2024 season, Green Bay looked to even up the series, extending their win streak to five games. It was a back-and-forth battle in Lowell, MA, but with six seconds remaining, Andrew Mevis' 34-yard field goal handed Green Bay their fifth win in a row. With multiple 60-point performances by the Blizzard's offense in the last month, scoring was less abundant in Week 13. Quarterback Max Meylor completed 14/22 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Along with Meylor's two touchdown passes, running back EJ Burgess rushed for 38 yards and a touchdown on nine attempts. On top of Andrew Mevis' game-winning special teams effort, Andre Williams put points on the board following his 53-yard kick return for a touchdown. Defensively, Ravarius Rivers was a force to be reckoned with, combining for 14 tackles, two interceptions, and a blocked kick. With this win, the Blizzard took sole ownership of the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference standings following Frisco's loss later in the night.

Heading into this game following a loss to Frisco the week before, Massachusetts looked to replicate their performance against Green Bay in Week One when they took down the Pirates 44-40. However, in a game where they were missing multiple key members to both sides of the ball, the Pirates fell short in the game's final seconds, dropping their second game in a row. Backup quarterback Connor Degenhardt finished this game 18/25 with 117 yards and a touchdown, while Qunic Patterson primarily rushed when lined up at quarterback for Massachusetts. All three of Patterson's rushes found the end zone, as he was the Pirates' main source of scoring, outside of Degenhardt's solo passing touchdown and Jimmie Robinson's single rushing touchdown. The Pirates were able to come away with a safety late in the first quarter, giving Massachusetts an early lead. However, with a lack of turnovers forced by the Pirates, Green Bay's offensive attack was enough to take down the Pirates in Week 13.

Following the afternoon action, the Tulsa Oilers (3-8) faced off against the Jacksonville Sharks (2-8) in a battle that came down to the absolute last second. Trailing the entire game, the Sharks came from behind, defeating the Oilers 45-42 in the week's first upset.

Coming into this game off a three-game losing streak, the Jacksonville Sharks rang the victory bell again in Week 13. The Sharks played from behind in this game for 59 minutes and 59 seconds, as they took their first lead of the game with one second remaining following an 11-play, 46-yard touchdown drive capped by a Tyler King rushing touchdown. This marks the second-best offensive performance by the Sharks, as all aspects of the offense were clicking. Quarterback Fred Payton Jr. completed 19/26 passes for 153 yards and three touchdown passes while leading the team in rushing with 74 yards and two rushing scores. Scoring the game-winning touchdown, Tyler King also found the end zone twice, rushing for 31 yards on seven attempts. Defensively, Jacksonville played a much better second half than they did in the first, allowing just two touchdown drives in the second half, compared to four in the first half. In a competitive battle that went to the game's final seconds, the Sharks handed Tulsa their sixth loss in a row.

The Oilers entered this week favored by more than a field goal, and for a majority of this game, they were looking to break their five-game losing streak. However, in the game's final seconds, Tulsa's defense surrendered the final blow, as Jacksonville took the lead with one second left on the clock. Quarterback Andre Sale had a strong night, completing 25/33 passes for 205 yards and four passing touchdowns, adding a touchdown on the ground. Defensively, the Oilers won the turnover battle, recovering a fumble for the game's only turnover. Tulsa forced a turnover on downs to start the second half but followed that up by allowing four touchdown drives in a row, ultimately leading to their sixth straight loss. Tulsa looks to turn the page next week, taking on the Sioux Falls Storm in front of their home crowd.

Continuing Saturday's evening action, the Duke City Gladiators (5-5) took on the San Antonio Gunslingers (1-9) at the Freeman Coliseum. It was a back-and-forth battle, and in the final 30 seconds of the game, the Gunslingers took the lead, leaving too little time for Duke City to get on the board.

In their return from bye the week before, the Gunslingers bounced back from a loss the last time they took the field. Sam Castronova continued showcasing why he's considered one of the top passers in the league. Castronova finished the night with nearly 80% completion rate, throwing for 233 yards and four passing touchdowns, adding two touchdowns on the ground. Of San Antonio's six touchdowns, Sam Castronova was responsible for each one. Along with Castronova, TC Stevens added two deuces to the Gunslingers' score in a game that came down to one point. Defensively, San Antonio won the turnover battle two-to-one, bringing in an interception and a fumble recovery. The Gunslingers return to action next week at the Tsongas Center as they face off against the Massachusetts Pirates.

Following their first win of the season last week against Tucson, the Gladiators traveled to San Antonio, TX, to take on the Gunslingers for the second time this season. They dropped the first game by three points, and this meeting featured an even closer score. This week, the Gladiators had two quarterbacks take snaps, with Javin Kilgo and Hasan Rogers sharing quarterback duties. Kilgo was 7/15 for 93 yards, while Rogers finished the night a nearly perfect 5/6 for 117 yards and three touchdowns. Rogers also led the team in rushing, totaling 81 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Defensively, Duke City held the highest-scoring offense to just two touchdowns in the first half, but the defensive unit wasn't as stout in the second half, allowing four straight touchdown drives. The Gladiators couldn't build off last week's win, but they look to bounce back next week against the Knight Hawks who've lost their last three games.

Continuing the Saturday action, the Frisco Fighters (8-3) traveled to Moline, IL, to take on the Quad City Steamwheelers (5-5). With Green Bay winning earlier in the day, Frisco looked to come away with the victory to stay tied at the top of the Eastern Conference. However, the Steamwheelers outlasted Frisco, defeating the Fighters 52-49.

The Frisco Fighters and Green Bay Blizzard have been in lockstep of the top position in the conference for a few weeks, but following this loss, Frisco officially falls behind in the conference standings. Frisco battled until the end, but time ran out in the Fighters' come-from-behind attempt. TJ Edwards had another strong performance since returning from his injury, totaling over 200 yards of offense. Edwards finished the night 16/24 for 196 yards and four passing touchdowns, rushing for 19 yards and two more touchdowns. Ethan Caselberry hauled in his third interception of the season, forcing the game's only turnover. The Fighters drop their first game of the month as they look to bounce back next week against the Sugar Skulls in Tucson.

Following a loss last week to Green Bay, the Quad City Steamwheelers turned the page this week with a thrilling win against Frisco. Quad City started the game with Mike Irwin under center, but Judd Erickson would take over later in the first quarter, remaining the quarterback for the rest of the game. Erickson went 10/19 for 102 yards and two touchdown passes, adding a touchdown on the ground. However, a majority of Quad City's scoring came from running back Edward Vander, as he rushed 18 times for 78 yards and three touchdowns. Jarrod Harrington also played a significant part in this victory, accumulating over 100 yards on three kick returns, including a 52-yard kick return touchdown to start the second half. Next week, the Steamwheelers face off against the Barnstormers in their third meeting, with the series locked at one win apiece.

In a cross-conference meeting at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, the Vegas Knight Hawks (7-3) matched up with the Sioux Falls Storm (3-7). Though Vegas was favored by double digits, the Storm handed them their third upset loss in a row, defeating them 46-40 in overtime.

In this back-and-forth matchup, the Sioux Falls Storm came away with their third win of the season, handing Vegas another overtime loss to their record. Quarterback Lorenzo Brown Jr. was the leading scorer for the Storm, completing 9/16 passes for 117 yards and two touchdown passes, adding 23 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground. Defensively, Claude Davis had a game-changing play, recovering a fumble and taking it back 35 yards for a touchdown. Along with Davis, Rome Weber came away with an interception and a fumble recovery. As the game's final seconds ticked away, Vegas scored a touchdown to put them up three, giving Sioux Falls five seconds to even the game up. Dean Sarris trotted out to attempt a 46-yard field goal, and with a good snap and hold, Sarris nailed the field goal, sending this game to overtime. In overtime, Lorenzo Brown Jr. connected with Carlos Thompson on a 21-yard pass, putting Sioux Falls up by six. On the ensuing possession, Vegas had their chance to win in overtime. However, Ja'Rome Johnson heaved a deep ball to the end zone, and Elijah Reed came down with the interception, sealing the overtime victory for Sioux Falls.

The Vegas Knight Hawks were five seconds away from rejoicing in victory following back-to-back losses, but instead, they were handed their third straight loss. The Knight Hawks had a dual-quarterback system, as both Ja'Rome Johnson and Jorge Reyna split reps throughout this matchup. Reyna finished the night 11/16 for 140 yards and two touchdowns, while Johnson completed 4/9 passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, James Ceasar hauled in Vegas' only interception as they lost the turnover battle four-to-one. The Knight Hawks get an opportunity to turn the page next weekend, taking on the Duke City Gladiators in Week 14.

Continuing a night full of upsets, the Arizona Rattlers took on the San Diego Strike Force in a matchup at the Pechanga Arena. This was the second time these teams met, and with San Diego favored by five-and-a-half points, Arizona came out on top 47-46.

As road underdogs, the Rattlers dug deep and found a way to win this matchup against San Diego. Dalton Sneed found the end zone three times, completing 15/34 passes for 147 yards, and led the team in rushing with 29 yards. However, the Rattlers' defense played an integral part in the Week 13 upset for Arizona. Kevin Simes Jr. and Jarmaine Doubs both hauled in interceptions, returning them for touchdowns. On top of their strong offensive and defensive play, Dawson Evitts went perfect on field goal attempts, knocking in both. The Rattlers head into next week's matchup on a three-game winning streak as they look to extend it to four games following their meeting with the Wranglers next week.

San Diego came into this game favored by almost a touchdown, but a touchdown reception with less than 30 seconds on the clock for Arizona left the Strike Force with too little time remaining. Nate Davis had a strong night, completing 20/29 passes for 147 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, the Strike Force reminded the league why they're the top secondary, coming down with three more interceptions to bring their season total to 18 interceptions through 11 games. Kishawn Walker hauled in two, and Atoa Fox brought in one, while Tevita Mo'unga recovered a fumble, tallying the team's fourth turnover. Along with a strong defensive performance, Elijah Lilly returned another kickoff for a touchdown, leading the IFL with four kickoff return touchdowns. Following this loss, the Strike Force takes on Bay Area next week as they look to take down the top team in the Western Conference.

Wrapping up a Saturday night full of IFL action, the Tucson Sugar Skulls (2-8) visited the SAP Center for a Western Conference battle against the Bay Area Panthers (9-1). The Panthers asserted their dominance on Tucson, coming away with a 51-12 victory on Saturday night.

In their most lopsided victory of the season, Bay Area was stout on all phases, coming away with a true team victory. The Panthers featured a mix of Daquan Neal and Felix Harper, showcasing both quarterbacks' ability to pick apart a defense. Neal completed 7/12 passes for 117 yards and three touchdowns, while Harper was 5/12 for 88 yards and one touchdown. On the ground, Daquan Neal added 45 yards and a touchdown rush, while Shane Simpson rushed for 45 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Bay Area's defense won the turnover battle in this matchup, as BJ Taufalele recovered a fumble and Joe Foucha hauled in an interception. The Panthers' defense had their best performance of the season, allowing scores on two of nine drives for the Sugar Skulls, and one of the scoring drives came with 40 seconds left in the game. Bay Area returns to the SAP Center next week for their third straight home game, as they take on the Strike Force for their third matchup of the season.

Tucson entered this game following back-to-back losses, looking to come away with another upset against a top team in the Western Conference. In their last victory, the Sugar Skulls defeated Vegas in upsetting fashion, and they looked to do the same to Bay Area. However, with a new quarterback in the lineup, Tucson's offense struggled to score against a high-powered Bay Area defense. Zach Reader was signed a couple of days before this matchup, and in his debut for the Sugar Skulls, he was 11/22 for 80 yards and a touchdown and led the team in rushing with 32 yards. In efforts to bounce back from their three-game losing streak, Tucson takes on the Frisco Fighters next week as they look for their third win of the season.

With no teams on bye, Week 14 features a full eight-game slate spanning from Friday to Sunday. The action kicks off at 7:05 p.m. CT, with the Jacksonville Sharks taking on the Green Bay Blizzard at the Resch Center. Be sure to catch all eight games streamed live on the IFL YouTube Channel and Caffeine TV.

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Indoor Football League Stories from June 11, 2024

• Panthers Remain on Top in Coaches' Poll - Bay Area Panthers
• IFL Coaches Poll - Week 13 - IFL
• IFL Week 13 Recap - IFL
• A Special Gift for All the Father's out There - Massachusetts Pirates

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