Thunder in Playoffs Despite 57-23 Loss at San Angelo
July 1, 2008 - Intense Football League (Intense)
Frisco Thunder News Release
SAN ANGELO, Tex. (June 28, 2008) -- The bad news is that the Frisco Thunder will enter the 2008 Intense Football League playoffs on a four-game losing streak.
That's also the good news.
With a little help from the Odessa Roughnecks and the Fairbanks Grizzlies, the Thunder backed into their second post-season appearance Saturday despite a 57-23 regular season finale loss to the San Angelo Stampede Express in the San Angelo Colisuem.
Frisco (6-8) benefitted from Odessa (7-7) defeating the Katy Ruff Riders (5-9) 74-60 and the Grizzlies (3-11) upending the Alaska Wild (5-8) 68-66 to secure the fifth seed in the six-team post-season.
Idle CenTex (8-6) will be seeded third, Odessa fourth and Alaska slipped into sixth via tiebreakers, meaning the Thunder gets to sojurn to the lovely West Texas hamlet of Odessa to give battle unto the renowned Roughnecks upon the seasoned surface of Benny Boyd Field in the first round of the playoffs.
The Thunder has advanced to the post-season in each of its two seasons. Frisco started the season 5-2, but has gone 1-6, including a four-game skid, on its seven-game road swing.
Making the playoffs wasn't inspiring enough for a rousing versuin of Barry Manilow's ``Looks like we made it.'' Frisco's an injury-riddled team trying to regain its offensive rhythm with a patchwork line-up.
``It's going to difficult,'' said Frisco coach Troy Esprit. ``The key is going to be the same thing we've had to deal with all season -- getting people healthy.''
Starter Wes St. Aubin -- making his return to the line-up after missing the Alaska game -- left the game in the second quarter. Backup Dixie Wooten worked the second half, throwing one touchdown pass to Daron Lawrence and rushed for another for Frisco in the fourth quarter.
For San Angelo, Brent Dearmon threw for 223 yards and six touchdowns --three to Anthony Perine -- as the Stampede Express (5-9) scored 33 consecutive points to pull away from a 14-9 first quarter lead and win its fourth straight game.
Quincy Jones of Dallas Roosevelt HS, had five catches for 41 yards and one touchdown for the Thunder. TCU product Ricky Madison rushed for 30 yards, former North Texas star Don McGee registered two interceptions, and Dennis Hopovac kicked his IFL-leading 17th field goal. Kevin Lenford returned two kickoffs inside the San Angelo 5-yard line, setting up a field goal and a touchdown.
Intense Football League Stories from July 1, 2008
- Thunder in Playoffs Despite 57-23 Loss at San Angelo - Frisco Thunder
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