Week 17 IFL Coaches Poll Results
June 5, 2013 - Indoor Football League (IFL) News Release
Richmond, VA - For the second consecutive week the Sioux Falls Storm have been voted to the top spot in the IFL Coaches Poll.
Idle in Week 16, the Storm (8-4) host their final regular season home game this weekend against the Texas Revolution. The Storm enter the final two weeks of the season needing just one win to clinch a playoff berth in the United Conference. Wins in both games will result in the Storm earning, at a minimum, home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
For the first time this season there is a tie in the voting. The Nebraska Danger and the Colorado Ice finished deadlocked in the voting at #2 in the poll. The Danger were idle in Week 16 with a bye while the Ice soundly defeated the Texas Revolution 63-26. Ice running back Dennis Kennedy stole the show in Texas, rushing for over 100 yards and 4 touchdowns on his way to earning Offensive Player of the Week. It seems as though these teams have been attached at the hip throughout the entire 2013 season. The two teams will face-off for the fourth and final time this weekend in Colorado (Nebraska leads the series 2-1). The teams enter the game with matching 8-4 records, both already clinching playoff berths in the Intense Conference. The winner of this weekend's game will likely earn the right to host the other in the first round of the playoffs.
The Cedar Rapids Titans (8-5) remain at the #4 spot in this week's poll. The Titans returned victorious from their road trip to Wyoming with a 67-55 win over the Cavalry. Falling behind 18-7 early in the game, the Titans battled back, using a power run game featuring Anthony Silvers. Silvers, making his first IFL start, replaced All-IFL RB Laron Council who was placed on injured reserved last week due to a torn Achilles. The Titans new starting running back pounded the Cavalry defense in the second half with 5 rushing touchdowns. With a bye in Week 18, this weekend marks the final regular season game for the Titans. A playoff spot is on the line this weekend when they host the Green Bay Blizzard. With a win, the Titans will earn the team's first ever playoff berth.
For the third consecutive week, the Chicago Slaughter (8-5) round out the Top 5. The Slaughter outlasted the Green Bay Blizzard on Friday night, 52-51. Trailing 52-45 and driving late in the 4th quarter, Blizzard QB Donovan Porterie scrambled right to find a wide-open Lucian Walker in the corner of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the margin to 1 point. In a surprise gamble, Coach Chad Baldwin sent his offense back on the field to go for the win with a 2-point conversion attempt. However, the Slaughter defense stiffened up, forcing an incompletion to end the game. Next up the Slaughter are on a bye in Week 17 before returning to action in the final week of the season at Green Bay. The Slaughter need a win in Week 18 and losses by the Titans and/or Storm for a chance to earn a playoff spot.
Spots 6-9 belong to the Tri-Cities Fever, Green Bay Blizzard, Texas Revolution, and Wyoming Cavalry. The Fever (5-7) host the Cavalry after having a bye in Week 16. The Blizzard (4-8) are coming off the heartbreaking loss in Chicago. They head to Cedar Rapids this weekend hoping to spoil the Titans postseason hopes. Playoff aspirations for the Revs (5-7) were shattered over the weekend with a 63-26 loss to the Colorado Ice. The Revs will have upset on their mind in the final two weeks of the season with back-to-back games against the Sioux Falls Storm. Concluding this week's poll is the Wyoming Cavalry (1-11). The Cavs lost another hard fought game over the weekend, but continue to show improvements each and every week. WR/KR Troy Evans was named Special Teams Player of the Week for performance against the Titans (131 kick return yards, 104 receiving yards, TD).
The 2013 IFL Regular Season concludes in two weeks (the weekend of June 15th). The First Round of the postseason will take place the weekend of June 22nd and the season will culminate with the United Bowl Championship game during the weekend of June 29th. IFL playoff seeds, matchups, and schedules will be released as soon as they are determined.
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