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IFL Indoor Football League

Playoff Picture Comes Into Focus

May 17, 2010 - Indoor Football League (IFL) News Release


Richmond, VA: Week Twelve of the Indoor Football League filled in several blanks of the playoff picture. Both the Richmond Revolution and Amarillo Venom were able to claim playoff spots. Week Twelve was also host to several other teams looking to prove their potential playoff medal. This included the IFL Game of the Week which featured the Omaha Beef staying hot against Central West Division rivals, the Sioux Falls Storm.

Week Twelve was kicked off with the Bloomington Extreme (5-5) battling it out at home with the Chicago Slaughter (4-5). The Slaughter had just come off a major upset of the Green Bay Blizzard and looked to continue dominance in the Central North. Slaughter Quarterback Tavares Woodley would lead the offensive showcase by completing 28 for 39 passes for four touchdowns and 242 yards. Woodley would target Wide Receiver Shatone Powers for most of the game. Powers would score a touchdown on seven receptions and rack up 73 yards. The Extreme would prove to be the dominant team in their 33-30 slugfest. With the closing moments of the first quarter, Bloomington followed a blocked field goal with a 26 yard touchdown pass to take control 7-0. The second quarter would open with much of the same scoring as Rocky Hinds threw a 43 yard touchdown pass to John Cooper. The real difference maker in the contest would be Bloomington Kicker Peter Christofilakos. He would hit four field goals throughout the close game, but none more clutch than the very last. With two seconds left in the game, the Extreme placed their hopes on a 41-yard attempt that ended up solidifying the victory. Next week, Bloomington will travel to La Crosse in a Week Eleven rematch. The Slaughter will attempt a Week Eleven repeat as they travel home to take on Central North Rivals, the Green Bay Blizzard.

The second Friday Night game displayed an offensive implosion as the Kent Predators (4-6) defeated the Fairbanks Grizzlies (5-4) by a score of 42-26. Despite the fact the Grizzlies defense allowed only 23 points scored against them and an opening touchdown drive by Fairbanks, Kent was able to start out early by responding to being down 7-0 in the first quarter with 13 points off of a fumble and a blocked field goal. Grizzlies Quarterback Justin Rummel would throw three touchdowns passes and 153 yards, but midway through the third quarter, the Grizzlies offense stopped producing. It would be the Predators defense proving to be top of the food chain. Kent had four sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss to terrorize the Grizzlies backfield. Fairbanks will try to wake up from this offensive hibernation when they host the Billings Outlaws next week. Kent will have a Week Thirteen Bye to keep their claws sharp.

Saturday's action opened to a big upset. The Colorado Ice (1-9) were seeking to end their cold streak and pick up their first victory of the season over the Tri-Cities Fever (3-6). The Fever looked hot when it came to having 270 total yards. However, Tri-Cities could not capitalize when it counted, failing to convert on third downs, with only two out of ten conversions. The game marks another struggle for the Fever on the road. Tri-Cities have not won a road game since 2008. The Ice upset Tri-Cities 57-41. Colorado will have a Bye Week while Tri-Cities look to boil over its road woes against the Alaska Wild.

Atlantic East Leading Richmond Revolution (9-1) came into West Michigan looking to clinch a playoff spot against the ThunderHawks (4-5). The Revolution clinched with a 61-37 route to victory. The top ranked West Michigan offense was no match for the Revolution star Quarterback Bryan Randall. Randall threw four touchdowns, which included his 40th of the season, and also had four rushing touchdowns. For the third time this season, and in his second straight game, Randall did not throw an interception in Richmond's clinching victory. Randall led the Richmond offense after trailing 10-0 in the first quarter. From there the Revolution were able to put the ThunderHawks away with 263 return yards from kick returns, 104 total rushing yards, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. The Revolution outscored West Michigan by 34 points in the final three quarters of the game. Richmond returns home after their successful road trip to host the Rochester Raiders. West Michigan will host Atlantic East opponents, the Maryland Maniacs.

Lonestar East met Lonestar West as the Austin TurfCats (2-7) played in-state opponents, the Abilene Ruff Riders (2-8). The Ruff Riders were able to snap a 0-3 skid by defeating Austin 47-20. The Ruff Riders led by as many as 40 points during which Quarterback Robert Kent was able to complete two touchdowns passes to Ivory McCann. McCann also scored a rushing touchdown on a 23 yard carry, on top of his 110 yards with five receptions. Defense was also a key player in the Austin defeat; Abilene Defensive End Jason Berryman forced two fumbles that helped account for two of the Ruff Riders first four touchdowns. This was all part of a defensive showcase that saw Archie Reed and Santino Hall intercept two Austin passes, David Vaitafa returning a 50 yard fumble for a touchdown, and Darvin Peterson returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown in the closing seconds of the first half. Abilene will play the second of their three- game home stand next week against Lonestar West rivals, the West Texas Roughnecks. Austin will travel to Corpus Christi to try and improve their record against Lonestar East opponents, the Corpus Christi Hammerheads.

The IFL game of the week Featured the red-hot Omaha Beef (5-4) looking to upset Central West leaders and rivals, the Sioux Falls Storm (8-2). The action started out in the Beef's favor early, as Quarterback Ben Sankey was 8 for 9 for 41 yards in the first quarter of play. The Storm could only muster 24 total yards and one first down for their first quarter efforts. The second quarter did not look as promising when Michael Phillips intercepted a Terrance Bryant pass and returned it for a touchdown that put the Beef up at that point 16-0. Sioux Falls eventually got on the board in the second quarter with a Sean Treasure touchdown run. The end of the game looked liked the Storm would surge ahead. With the score 43-37 in favor of the Beef, Omaha had tried to throw the ball away to kill the clock. However, the ball would be intercepted. On a play that featured several laterals, it appeared the Storm's Stewart Franks ran in for the score. However, an illegal blocking penalty would negate those efforts. With one second left, and the Storm on their own one, a forward lateral penalty would end the game. The Beef would hold on to win the game with the 43-37 score intact. Omaha will travel back home for Week Thirteen to host Central West rivals, the Sioux City Bandits. The Sioux Falls Storm will have a Bye week to blow things over.

The Wichita Wild (7-3) traveled to host Sioux City Bandits (4-5). The Wild defeated the Bandits by a final score of 53-44. The Wild gained 315 total yards in the win that brings them another step closer to closing in on a playoff berth. Wild Quarterback Dixie Wooten was able to go 20 for 30 with 207 yards and three touchdown passes to lead the Wild offense. Hurtiss Chinn proved to be a top target of Wooten, catching one touchdown on 8 receptions for a total of 115 yards. Running Back Darius Fudge would also play a role in running over the Bandits. Fudge had 91 yards on 21 attempts with three touchdowns. The Bandits will look to rebound next week by look to steal a victory in Omaha against their Central West rivals the Beef. Wichita can head home looking to take the next step in their playoff hopes by derailing the San Angelo Stampede Express.

Playoff hopes have been in the minds of the Amarillo Venom (8-1) who looked to lock up the Lonestar West if they could defeat the San Angelo Stampede Express (7-3) at home. The Express looked good early as they scored 28 unanswered points in the first half. San Angelo had playoffs in mind as well having come off of three straight victories. However, the Venom would answer. Amarillo Quarterback Julian Reese would throw for 4 touchdowns. The ground game would also work for the Venom as the tandem of Dontrell Moore and Sha-Ron Edwards would account for two more touchdowns each. The Venom would end up striking for the 66-41 win over the Stampede Express. The victory clinches the Lonestar West for Amarillo who will host the Arkansas Diamonds next week. San Angelo will look to go full steam ahead as they travel to Wichita to play the Wild.

The Arkansas Diamonds (8-2) were scuffed up at the hands of Omaha last week. They came into Saturday's game against the West Texas Roughnecks (3-7) looking to avoid a second straight loss for the first time this season. Arkansas would not waste any time, scoring a 37 yard touchdown pass on their second play from scrimmage. Roughnecks Receiver Josh Floyd would cut the least to 7-6 on a one yard touchdown run. The game would be back and forth as the Diamonds kicked a field goal to enter halftime with a 27-20 lead. The Diamonds would be shut down for the third quarter, but would bounce back in the fourth off a 47-yard Dedrick Poole touchdown after the Diamonds defense recovered a Roughnecks fumble. The game would when the Roughnecks on the 23-yard line could not convert a 4th and 3, which set up an Arkansas touchdown pass from Willie Copeland to Steven Savoy. Copeland threw for 145 yards and three touchdowns passes. His top target of the day, Wide Receiver Steven Savoy scored two touchdowns with 77 yards on four receptions. The Diamonds would out last the Roughnecks 41-29. Arkansas will hope to out shine the Amarillo Venom in Texas next week as the Roughnecks look to battle Lonestar West rival, the Abilene Ruff Riders.

The final game of the week saw Atlantic East action as the Rochester Raiders (7-3) hosted the winless Maryland Maniacs (0-9). The Maniacs had no answer for the offensive onslaught brought onto them by the air attack of the Raiders. Rochester Quarterback Perry Patterson had seven touchdown passes, five of which were caught by Kevin Conception to lead the Raiders over Maryland 51-18. Maryland was also hurt defensively with the Raiders picking off Maniacs QB Cameron Dantely five times. Raiders' Daniel West had three of the interceptions. Maryland will look to capture their first victory against Atlantic East opponents, the West Michigan ThunderHawks. Rochester will try and run through Richmond as they seek to prove their Atlantic East dominance.

Week Twelve Vidswap.com IFL Players of the Week will be announced on Wednesday. The IFL season will continue with Week Thirteen on May 21st when the Bloomington Extreme visit Central North opponents, the La Crosse Spartans.

The Indoor Football League was created in 2008 from a merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football Association. It consists of 25 teams located across the United States from Alaska to Washington D.C. For more information about all things IFL log on to www.GoIFL.com or contact Mike Allshouse, IFL Director of Communications, at the league office, (804)643-7277.



Indoor Football League Stories from May 17, 2010


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