Wolfpack win thriller 40-38
Published on March 8, 2009 under Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) News Release
Oftentimes in indoor football, the tight end is the most forgotten receiver on the field. On Saturday night, Wisconsin Wolfpack tight end Mike Sherman was undoubtedly the star of the team.
Sherman's two-yard touchdown catch with no time remaining gave his team a 40-38 victory, the franchise's first in CIFL play, over backyard rival Rock River at the Rockford Metro Centre in downtown Rockford, Ill.
The final quarter of what is now known as the "Battle of the Borders" rivalry will forever go down as one of the most exciting in CIFL history.
Wisconsin (1-0) took a 34-32 lead into the game's final stanza after leading by as many as 14 early in the third. Rock River's defense twice stopped the Wolfpack deep in Raptor territory and Wisconsin's defense returned the favor by stopping the Raptors in the shadow of their own goal line.
Things got very interesting in the game's final minute.
The Raptors (0-1) took possession after Wisconsin's Tom Stetzer fired an interception at exactly the one-minute mark. They proceeded to march the length of the field in five plays that covered 50 seconds to take a 38-34 lead with 10.7 seconds left.
The Wolfpack started the ensuing drive at the Raptor 17 after a short kickoff. Stetzer hit Will Norwood down to the Rock River two on the drive's first play before Sherman burst onto the scene.
The 6-1, 290-pound University of Wisconsin-Whitewater product popped free as the clock expired and Stetzer floated a pass in his direction. Sherman hauled it in as he fell to the seat of his pants, giving the Wolfpack the last-second win.
Sherman immediately popped to his feet and was mobbed by teammates in the endzone. He slid through the crowd, threw his helmet in the air and greeted the remainder of his teammates at midfield to celebrate the victory.
CIFL Co-founder Jeff Spitaleri then presented Wolfpack head coach Jordan Kopac with the Battle of the Borders trophy, which immediately made its way into the hands of Sherman.
The touchdown grab was Sherman's only catch of the night, but was one of five scoring strikes that Stetzer threw. The Wolfpack QB finished 16-of-36 for 180 yards and five scores on the night.
Norwood caught seven balls for 110 yards and three touchdowns for the Wolfpack on the night.
Rock River's Brian Ryczkowski threw for 167 yards and five touchdowns and also ran for a score.
The Raptors host Milwaukee on March 20 in Rockford and the Wolfpack will make their home debut against Chicago on March 21 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis.
Continental Indoor Football League Stories from March 8, 2009
- Wolfpack Beat Raptors On Final Play - Wisconsin Wolfpack
- Wolfpack win thriller 40-38 - CIFL
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