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Fairbanks Outlasts Tri-Cities in 4OT Thriller

03/09/2010 2:37 PM - The Tri-Cities Fever ‘s Indoor Football League debut didn’t want to end. But when it finally did after four overtimes, the Fever came up short, losing 69-67 to the Fairbanks Grizzlies on Monday night at the Carlson Center.

In a game full of twists, turns and penalties, Grizzlies quarterback Matt Bassoenor hit Anthony Parks on a two-point conversion in the fourth overtime to end a game that lasted nearly four hours...

The Fever’s best chance to win came in the third overtime.After stopping Fairbanks (2-0) on a two-point conversion to start the third overtime, Tyson Thompson scored on a 20-yard run to tie the game at 61. But the Fever could not put the game away as quarterback Andy Collins’ pass fell incomplete on the conversion sending the game into the fourth overtime.

After trailing 20-6 at halftime, the Fever was able to push the game to overtime thanks to a fumble recovery by Blair Boynton with 1:27 left in the game. Tri-Cities converted a key fourth-down play on the ensuing drive, setting up Thyron Lewis’ 8-yard touchdown catch from Collins to tie the game at 41 with 36 seconds left.

The game that wouldn’t end looked like it was over at halftime. After trailing 3-0, Fairbanks, which beat Alaska the week before by one point, led 20-6. The Fever allowed just 65 yards of total offense, but had two turnovers and seven penalties for 98 yards.

But the new-look Fever quickly turned things around in the third quarter.

Collins hit Kevin Heard on a 31-yard touchdown play to cut the lead to 20-13 on its first possession of the second half. The Fever then got the ball back less than three minutes later and tied the score at 20 after a 3-yard run by Collins.

Fairbanks took the lead right back on its next drive when Bassoenor scored on a 6-yard TD run to make the score 27-20.

The Fever again had the answer, this time Collins hit Brandon Copeland with 1:39 left in the third quarter. But Brett Jaekle missed the extra point and the Grizzlies held on to a 27-26 lead.

However, the Fever would not go way. After Fairbanks scored again, Ray Little returned a missed field 52 yards to cut the Grizzlies’ lead to 34-32. Collins then connected with Heard on the two-point conversion to tie the game at 34 with 6:00 left in the game.



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