Steamwheelers Ride 19-Point Second Quarter to 40-26 Victory in Second Annual Happy Joe's Pizza Bowl
Published on March 24, 2006 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release
Moline, Ill. - Quarterbacks Tim Hicks and Matt Pike combined for three touchdowns on Orthopaedic Specialists Field as the Quad City Steamwheelers defeated the Green Bay Blizzard 40-26 in the second annual Happy Joe's Pizza Bowl on Thursday, March 23 at The MARK of the Quad Cities. The Blizzard scored first when Bobby Boyer found an open Musa Conteh just 1:23 into the game on a 28 yard pass. The Steamwheelers responded strongly bouncing back to score the next 17 points. Bo Smith tied the game when he dashed into the end zone from two yards out with 8:44 remaining in the first quarter.
In the second quarter Hicks would find Kris Peters for a 30-yard touchdown pass just a minute in on second down and 16 to go. Quad City's Troy Graham would recover a fumble on the ensuing kick-off when Green Bay's Howard Clewis coughed up the ball. That recovery would lead to a 39-yard field goal by Kimo Naehu with 10:59 left in the second. After the two teams traded scores Naehu would make a 24-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to give Quad City a 26-13 halftime lead.
Matt Pike would start the third quarter for the Steamwheelers, and go 12 for 23, while throwing two touchdown passes and three interceptions. His first touchdown pass would come off a three-yard pass to Graham in the third quarter to give the Steamwheelers a33-20 lead with 4:19 left. With 1:06 left in the game Pike would fire a nine-yard scoring strike to Peters Quad City a 40-26 lead.
Hicks finished the game 15 for 23 passing, while throwing for 138 yards and one touchdown.
Defensively, Patrick Horne would lead the Steamwheelers with four tackles, while Mikey Novak, the ADT Defensive Player of the Game, finished the game third on the team in tackles with 2.5 and recovered two fumbles.
Peters, who finished the game with 11 receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns, was named the Offensive Player of the Game. Alfonso Pugh was awarded the Ironman of the Game award.
The Quad City Steamwheelers will open the season on Friday, March 31 against the Arkansas Twisters with kickoff scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Single game tickets can be purchased through The MARK box office or through Ticketmaster. For season and group ticket information call the Steamwheelers at (563) 324-4888 or 1-866-STEAMTIX.
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