Panthers Survive Knight Hawks, 55-54, Secure Home Playoff Bid

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IFL Bay Area Panthers

Panthers Survive Knight Hawks, 55-54, Secure Home Playoff Bid

July 12, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Bay Area Panthers News Release


Four days after dropping a close bid in San Diego, the Bay Area Panthers returned home as a 5.5-point favorite to take on another Western Conference rival: the Vegas Knight Hawks.

With potential playoff positioning in the balance, both teams hit the gridiron with amplified energy. The Silicon Valley crowd on-hand did well to feed off the heightened atmosphere, especially on First Responders Night at SAP Center. Those vibrations proved to be vital down the stretch as Bay Area ultimately edged out Vegas, 55-54.

The action commenced with the Panthers on offense. Following a slow start on Monday, they wasted no time finding the end zone in Week 17. The first drive was powered by quarterback Josh Jones' legs, as the signal caller snapped off multiple runs before rushing for a five-yard score.

Immediately after the opening touchdown run from Jones, kicker Axel Perez proved his worth yet again by producing a squib that was recovered by Bay Area receiver BK Smith Jr. That allowed the Panthers to double-up possessions right out of the gate.

Bay Area's second offensive drive was more methodical. Jones did well to get playmakers Josh Tomas, Tyrese Chambers and Trevon Alexander involved. Once on the cusp of the end zone, Bay Area utilized an inside handoff to Tosin Oyekani to take a 14-0 lead all before Vegas' offense saw the field.

Guided by former-Arizona Wildcat Jayden de Laura, the Knight Hawks struggled during their initial offensive drive. The Panthers flew around from sideline to sideline, especially in the secondary. Safety Tyrese Wright provided a crucial touchdown-saving pass breakup before Vegas was eventually forced into a turnover on downs.

After being shut out in the first quarter, the Knight Hawks were more formidable over the second period.

De Laura fell into a passing rhythm, tossing two touchdowns before halftime. Additionally, Vegas' other quarterback-reigning-league MVP Ja'Rome Johnson-used his dual-threat abilities to rush for a touchdown.

Jones and Tomas also registered scores on the ground in the second frame. That left Bay Area with a 28-21 advantage at halftime.

Quarters three and four in San Jose featured back-and-fourth action in the most thrilling way. The Knight Hawks found success by rotating between de Laura and Johnson (depending on the on-field situation). Kicker Ben Derby was integral in the process, converting a pivotal deuce in the third to give Vegas their first lead of the evening.

The two sides essentially traded scores for the rest of the contest. Each time Bay Area pulled away, Johnson or de Laura rallied their side right back. The Knight Hawks actually managed to take two leads with less than four minutes to play, but lengthy touchdowns from Tomas and Chambers put the Panthers back on top. Alexander also hauled in a critical reception for a two-point conversion to go up 55-48 with under a minute remaining.

Vegas scored one final miraculous tuddy as regulation ended, but instead of kicking the extra point to force overtime, the Knight Hawks' ensuing two-point attempt was thwarted by defensive back Franky West Jr. driving through the football.

"[West] played a phenomenal game. I'm really happy for him and [Panthers CB] Trae Meadows," Panthers Head Coach Rob Keefe said after Friday's victory. "Everybody's playing hard. These are playoff games from here on out. (...) Everybody is giving their all."

Jones also expressed confidence after defeating Vegas. "It was a full-team win. We were ready to go out there and put a complementary football game together," the 2024 IFL Rookie of the Year stated. "It was good for us to be tested a little bit, but the offense came up big, and obviously, the defense came up big for the win."

The Panthers' victory on Friday evening moves them to 11-3 in 2025 while earning the Western Conference's top seed for the upcoming playoffs-that means postseason football is coming to SAP Center on August 3!

Bay Area is next in action on Saturday, July 19 at the Tucson Sugar Skulls. Kickoff at Tucson Arena is set for 6:05 PM PT. Fans can livestream the action with a subscription to IFL Network, or tune in to the radio broadcast on KNBR 1050. Of course, you can always head to the official watch party at The Plex in San Jose.



Indoor Football League Stories from July 12, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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