Week 13 Previews

Published on July 15, 2021 under Indoor Football League (IFL) News Release

With games spread throughout the entire week, the Indoor Football League will have ten teams in action for week 13. The IFL Game of the Week on Stadium which will showcase the Spokane Shock (5-2) hosting the Tucson Sugar Skulls (2-6) on Saturday, July 17, at 8 p.m. CT. You can watch the rest of the games on the IFL's YouTube page.

FRISCO FIGHTERS AT BISMARCK BUCKS - FRIDAY, JULY 16, 6:05 P.M. CT

This week, the team has been preparing to face Bismarck's dynamic offense, which has lots of moving parts. The Bucks are coming off their second loss in a row and looking to get their sixth win of the season. They recently signed two new quarterbacks - Caleb Lewis, LSU alum and formerly with the Duke City Gladiators, and Kelly Bryant from the University of Missouri. In his first game with the Bucks, Lewis threw for 154 yards with four passing touchdowns and one on the ground. Wide receiver JT Stokes is another offensive weapon, who has 445 receiving yards along with 12 receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown on the season.

Defensively, the Bucks play a lot of man coverage. Defensive back Malik Duncan is a key player who is tied for second in the league in tackles for loss (8.5). On the season, he has 16 solo tackles and 30 total tackles. Defensive back Deion Carter is another dynamic player with 33 solo tackles, 43 total tackles, eight pass breakups, and three forced fumbles this season.

The Fighters continue to utilize a dual quarterback system with Jonathan Bane as the starter and Jerrod Heard as the running option. Last game, Heard ran in a key touchdown with 0:03 left on the clock to secure the win, earning his second Player of the Game honors. The two quarterbacks have a combined 1,273 of total offensive yards (passing, rushing, and receiving) on the year.

Running back DeMarcus Felton has scored 13 touchdowns on the ground and two in the air for a total of 353 yards this season. Felton is tied for the second-most rushing touchdowns in the league and tied for first in the IFL with the longest run of the season (44 yards).

TUCSON SUGAR SKULLS AT SPOKANE SHOCK - SATURDAY, JULY 17, 8:00 P.M. CT

Meeting for the first time this season, the Spokane Shock will host the Tucson Sugar Skulls in the IFL Game of the Week on Stadium.

Blake Sims recorded his first in-game snaps since college on Saturday as a member of the Indoor Football League's reborn Spokane Shock, totaling 163 total yards and four touchdowns in a 46-35 win over the Sioux Falls Storm at the Spokane Arena.

The Shock come into the game with a 5-2 record and have had a consistent presence on defense. Spokane goes into week 13 with the fifth-best defense in the IFL and the No. 1 defense against the pass.

The Sugar Skulls are coming off a 41-40 victory over the Duke City Gladiators in week 12. Sugar Skulls quarterback Demry Croft waltzed into the left side of the end zone on the two-point conversion attempt, giving his team the one-point lead over Duke City Gladiators.

The Sugar Skulls defense shut down the run game of the Gladiators, only allowing one rushing yard in the entire game.

Off the heels of that dominant run defense, the Sugar Skulls stopped the third-best scoring offense in the IFL (45.4) on four different drives, as they forced two missed field goals and two turnover-on-downs to give their offense a chance.

DUKE CITY GLADIATORS AT NORTHERN ARIZONA WRANGLERS - SATURDAY, JULY 17, 8:05 P.M. CT

Meeting for the third time this season, the Duke City Gladiators will hit the road to face the Northern Arizona Wranglers in Prescott Valley on Saturday, July 17, at 8:05 p.m. CT and can be watched on the Indoor Football League's YouTube page.

Duke City comes into the game off a41-40 loss to the Tucson Sugar Skulls. Sugar Skulls quarterback Demry Croft ran in a two-point conversion in the final seconds to seal the victory over the Gladiators. Duke City quarterback Nate Davis threw 23-41 for 232 yards for five touchdowns and wide receiver Dello Davis had 12 receptions for 113 yards for two touchdowns.

The Gladiators have leaned on the passing game, leading the league in passing attempts (227) and are second in the league in passing percentage (60.8). Nate Davis leads the IFL in passing touchdowns with 44 on the season and have connected with Dello Davis on almost half of them at 19, which leads all wide receivers.

The Wranglers look to get back on track after falling to the Arizona Rattlers, 62-19. Northern Arizona quarterback Verlon Reed Jr. threw 12-of-23 for 129 yards and hit wide receiver Todd Athey for six catches for 97 yards.

Athey is second in the league in receptions per game (5.3) and is tied for eighth in touchdowns with 7 on 21 total receptions in just four games this season.

ARIZONA RATTLERS AT MASSACHUSETTS PIRATES - SUNDAY, JULY 18, 12:05 P.M. CT

The Rattlers are in first place in the IFL with their only loss coming in their second game of the season; a 50-46 setback to the Sioux Falls Storm. Arizona's latest victory was last Saturday night over Northern Arizona 62-19. In that game, the Rattlers scored 21 unanswered points in the first quarter and coasted the rest of the way.

Quarterback Drew Powell was 10 of 13 passing for 106 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. Powell was the team's leading rusher with 42 yards on four carries. Nick LaSane also carried the ball six times for 25 yards and a touchdown. Jarrod Harrington was the leading receiver with four receptions for 51 yards and a score. Two of Jeremiah Harris' three receptions went for touchdowns as he finished with 44 receiving yards.

Massachusetts was led by quarterback Alejandro Bennifield as he threw five touchdown passes and ran for another. Bennifield was 12 of 20 for 214 yards with one interception. He was also the Pirates leading rusher with 19 yards on six carries. Thomas Owens led all receivers with eight receptions for 147 yards and three touchdowns.

The Pirates, who are currently in fourth place in the IFL standings, have not lost since June 12 when the Frisco Fighters defeated Massachusetts at Phoenix Field at the DCU Center 40-33.

SIOUX FALLS STORM AT GREEN BAY BLIZZARD - SUNDAY, JULY 18, 3:05 P.M. CT

The Storm look to get back in the win column after losing 35-46 against the Spokane Shock. In that game, quarterback Lorenzo Brown completed nine passes for 41 yards and one interception along with 86 rushing yards and one touchdown. Running back Nate Chavious had 44 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Brandon Sheperd had 31 reception yards along with eight rushing yards and one touchdown.

Defensive lineman Ch'aim Smith led the Thunder Defense with six total tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. Linebacker Paris Thomas had three tackles and one pass break-up. Defensive back Famus Hasty had one pass break-up. Kicker Chase Vinatieri made one field goal and two extra points.

The Blizzard look to extend a one-game win streak after defeating the Iowa Barnstormers 48-44 on June 25. Green Bay's defense leads the IFL in interceptions with 13 on the season. Defensive backs Momodou Mbye (4) and Mason Gray (3) lead the league in interceptions, respectively.

Defensive lineman Dajon Emery has led the front of the defense for Green Bay. Emery is fifth in the league in both tackles for loss (8.0) and sacks (3.0).

 

Indoor Football League Stories from July 15, 2021

• Pirates Look to Rattle Arizona - Massachusetts Pirates
• Shock to Hold Pep Rally - Spokane Shock
• Week 13 Previews - IFL
• Fighters Take Flight in Bismarck - Frisco Fighters

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