Second Half Shock in Spokane, Quad City Falls 68-63
Published on May 28, 2006 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release
(Spokane, Wash.) - Five turnovers doomed the Quad City Steamwheelers as Spokane shocked Quad City 68-63 thanks in part to three straight turnovers early in the third quarter.
Quad City held a 20-18 halftime lead and Spokane scored just two plays into the second half on an eight-yard rush to the right side by Levi Madarieta. With the Shock leading 25-20 the Rob Keefe and Charles Frederick show took over as they captured three straight Quad City turnovers. On Quad Cities first offensive play of the second half Keefe would register his first of two interceptions on the evening as he picked Tim Hicks, the Steamwheelers quarterback, pass and walked it two-yards into the end zone for a 32-20 lead.
On the ensuing drive for the Steamwheelers, Frederick would return his second fumble recovery of the contest for a 25-yard touchdown and a 39-20 Spokane lead. One play later Keefe notched his second interception of the game and returned it to the five-yard line, setting up a five-yard touchdown rush to the left side by Anthony Griffin.
With three straight turnovers and trailing 46-20 not even midway through the third quarter the Steamwheelers turned to veteran backup quarterback, Matt Pike. Quad City would not give up and with Pike under center started to mount a comeback.
Kris Peters, who finished the game with 104 yards and three touchdowns on seven catches, was Pike's favorite target in the second half. Pike would hit Peters for a 19-yard touchdown pass and after giving up a touchdown to Spokane would go right back to Peters to start the fourth quarter.
On fourth down early in the fourth quarter, Pike looked into the right corner of the endzone and hit Peters with a 12-yard pass. Peters caught the two-point conversion attempt in almost the same spot in the end zone to make the score 52-35.
Frederick recovered the on-side kick attempt by the Steamwheelers on the ensuing kickoff and returned it 11 yards to give the Shock a 59-35 lead. After a Pike interception the Shock took the biggest lead of the night, 65-35 on a naked bootleg to the left side by backup quarterback Kyle Rowley.
Quad City did not give up as they battled back. Pike followed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Tim Dodge with another touchdown to Kris Peters. The two-point conversion by Jeff Macrea brought Quad City to within 15, 65-50.
The Steamwheelers once again attempted an on-side kick and for the second time Frederick recovered the football. Frederick almost ran the ball in for a touchdown, but was stopped short. Raul Vijil tried to run the ball in for his second rushing touchdown of the evening, however, he lost control of the ball around the goal line and Quad City fell on it.
As Pike led the team back down the field to attempt to pull within a touchdown he injured his leg on the drive. Hicks came back into the game and threw two touchdown passes. The first was to Jack Walker Jr., who finished the game with 156 yards and three touchdown receptions, to make it a 65-57 game.
Kimo Naehu attempted another onside kick and it was nearly recovered by both Sidney Lewis and Jack Walker Jr., for the Quad City Steamwheelers. However, neither could hold on to the football and with time running out the Steamwheelers turned to their defense, which had been struggling most of the season. The defense held forcing Spokane to attempt a 36-yard field goal attempt, which Jon Koker put through the uprights with just 32 seconds remaining in the contest.
Hicks, who finished the game with 222 yards and four touchdowns, led a quick drive down the field that ended with a touchdown pass to Walker Jr. The two-point conversion failed leaving Quad Cities a touchdown away from winning the game, 68-63. The Steamwheelers once again failed to recover the onside kick by Naehu and Spokane was able to run out the clock.
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