Wheelers Win Opening Night Fight against Rivals Green Bay
March 23, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release
In the season opener, the Quad City Steamwheelers faced off against their rival and conference foe, the Green Bay Blizzard, at XUSD Field at Vibrant Arena at The MARK. Last season, the Steamwheelers snuck into the playoffs at 8-8, while the Blizzard took the Eastern Conference's number one seed with a 13-3 record. In the playoffs, the two teams faced off against each other, which led to the Blizzard sending the Steamwheelers home. However, this opening night game would end up differently. A consistent offensive attack from the Wheelers' offense and timely stops from the defense were enough to ensure a Quad City win.
On the game's first drive, Blizzard quarterback Max Meylor led their team down the field and into the end zone to give Green Bay a quick 7-0 lead, converting on a fourth down and a few third downs on the way. Despite a short drive and a missed field goal from the Steamwheelers on their first drive, a David Cagle sack led to a missed Andrew Mevis field goal to keep the game at 7-0 going into the second quarter.
During the ensuing Quad City drive, a Jordan Vesey reception and Jarrod Ware Jr. rush brought the Steamwheelers to the doorstep of the end zone, where quarterback Daquan Neal would sneak it in from a yard out to tie the game, 7-7. After this drive, both teams would go back and forth between scores that would last to halftime and beyond. Green Bay would start to drive, but an excellent open-field tackle from Quad City linebacker Bubba Arslanian would hold the Blizzard to a field goal to make it 10-7.
With time starting to wind down, Neal finds a receiver in Travalle Calvin in the back of the end zone for a diving touchdown, giving the Steamwheelers a 13-10 lead. However, right before half, a long return to the Quad City four-yard line led to a Meylor quarterback sneak and a 17-13 Blizzard lead at halftime.
Right out of halftime, the Steamwheelers' offense got right back on track on a drive that saw a catch, run, and near touchdown-clinching dive by receiver Keyvan Rudd, moved the ball to the one-yard line, and was capped off with a Neal touchdown run to make it 19-17 Steamwheelers. After another Green Bay field goal, Neal finds Davion Johnson for a long catch and run on the first play to reclaim the Wheelers' lead, 25-20. Green Bay used a few extended plays to get inside the red zone, but a stout Steamwheeler defense held strong and forced a turnover on downs.
Entering the fourth, the Steamwheeler offense had their backs against the wall, nearing their own end zone, but a Neal quarterback scramble gave them some room. Like how it started, the drive would end with a Neal touchdown run, which was set up by a defensive pass interference on the Blizzard, to extend the Quad City lead to 32-20. While the Blizzard used a fourth down conversion, a touchdown, and a two-point kick to keep the game close, the Quad City offense used the time to their favor and burned off valuable time to move down the field. On a crucial fourth down, Davion Johnson finds a hole and bruises his way into the end zone from three yards out to push the lead to 39-29 with 55 seconds left.
On the first play of what would end up being their last drive, Meylor's pass is nearly intercepted by Quad City defensive back Camron Harrell before a Meylor scramble for a first down with 36 seconds left. A long touchdown pass and catch for Green Bay is then followed by a successful two-point conversion to cut the score to two, but following the kickoff, the Steamwheelers would come out with the 39-37 win.
This win marks the second straight year that Quad City has won on opening night. Next week, the 1-0 Steamwheelers will travel to Massachusetts to take on the Pirates on Friday, March 28, to start their early-season two-game road trip.
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Indoor Football League Stories from March 23, 2025
- Wheelers Win Opening Night Fight against Rivals Green Bay - Quad City Steamwheelers
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