FIGHTERS WEATHER STRONG BID BY STEAMWHEELERS
Operations
Going into Saturday night’s home matchup with Quad City — the penultimate game of the regular season — the Fighters had turned away seven consecutive opponents.
A bye week couldn’t slow them. The Steamwheelers, try as they may, couldn’t stop them.
For the second time this campaign, Frisco outlasted Quad City, downing them in overtime by a 50-44 final.
In a bit of a change of pace, Blake Sims saw extended time behind center, rushing for a pair of scores and tossing another to receiver Jerminic Smith — who held on as he toppled over the endzone wall — in the second half.
The Fighters trailed at halftime, 21-14. Their deficit was stretched to 10 on three occasions in the last half hour. With 7:46 remaining, Frisco had to climb out of a hole that deep after the visitors’ Mike Carrigan scored his third touchdown of the night.
The task wasn’t too tall, as Sims scampered in with 4:16 left and kicker Bryce Crawford nailed a 21-yard field goal in the last minute to force an extra period.
Prior to that, the Fighters looked to take the lead on fourth down in a short-yard situation. A false start blew the play dead, giving Crawford the opportunity for an important boot.
The Steamwheelers missed the mark on a field goal attempt as time expired in regulation, but drew first blood in the college-style overtime.
Sims wasted no time in responding, floating a 20-yard pass to Tyron Laughinghouse, who picked the ball out of the air over a pair of defenders. Taking the ball first in the second go-round, Sims ran in for what ended up being the game-winner.