Indoor Football Weekly #30

Credit: Sioux City Journal

The CIF crowned it's Champion in Champions Bowl III and we've found out who would make the IFL United Bowl and the Inaugural NAL Championship Game.

Credit: Indoor Football League

The Indoor Football League kicked off it's (unfortunately) short playoffs this past weekend with Conference Championships. 

The opening game of the IFL Playoffs was the United Conference Championship between the Sioux Falls Storm and Iowa Barnstormers. The game started off fast and furious as Dee Maggit Jr. returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown to start the game of 7-0. The lead wouldn't last long as Korey Williams took the next kickoff back for a touchdown for the Storm to even the game up 7-7. From that point the game started to get out of hand as the Storm scored 28 unanswered points. A large part of that run can be credited to the defense that stopped Iowa on downs once and picked off Travis Partridge 3 times, including one that was brought back for a touchdown. After the 28-0 run both teams scored one more time each to end the half with the Storm leading 38-14. The Storm scored another 14 unanswered to start the second half which included Tyler Knight recovering a fumble by Travis Partridge. The Barnstormers would score one time in the 3rd quarter when Partridge connected with Balentine to end the quarter 52-20 as the 2 point conversion was no good. While the game was by far over at this point the 4th quarter saw the game that everyone wanted to see as both teams scored twice and stopped the opponent once, including a 4th pick on Travis Partridge to end the game. Sioux Falls heads to their 8th consecutive IFL United Bowl appearance with a 66-32 win over the Iowa Barnstormers.

Finishing the night was the Intense Conference Championship between the Arizona Rattlers and Nebraska Danger. The Rattlers started off the game with two unanswered touchdowns in the 1st Quarter. In the 2nd quarter the Danger managed to score two touchdowns but couldn't match the Rattlers, who scored 4 touchdowns, including 3 unanswered to end the half with a 34 - 14 lead. The 3rd quarter was very mundane with the only touchdown coming when Derric Bernard ran an interception back 40 yards for a TD. The Rattlers again took the 4th quarter by storm with 3 touchdowns to the Danger's two touchdowns. The Rattlers were led offensively by QB Cody Sokol who went 13-18 for 110 yards with two picks and 5 touchdowns (4 passing and 1 running) to take a 62-36 win over the Nebraska Danger and send them to the 2017 IFL United Bowl in two weeks.

Credit: Champions Indoor Football

Champions Indoor Football finished their 3rd season on Friday night with Champions Bowl II as the Texas Revolution hosted the Omaha Beef in Champions Bowl III at the Allen Event Center in Allen, TX. Champions Bowl III started to set the tone for a weekend of complete beatdowns (even though the final score didn't reflect it) and it started early as Chris Dixon hit Clinton Solomon for a 37 yard TD pass and then ran one in from the 17 yard line on the Revs next drive. Omaha would have Jonathon Ray pound one in from the 1 yard line to end the 1st with Texas leading 13-7. The 2nd quarter was a scoring fiesta with the Revs scoring four times, 3 of which were passing TD's by Dixon and one rushing TD by Dixon as well. The Beef would score twice both of which saw Ribbing run it in from inside the Red Zone. At halftime the Revs held a 39-21 lead over the Beef. The second half started off with Dixon tossing another passing TD  for the only score of the 3rd quarter. The fourth quarter saw another 6 TD's scored this time with 4 by the Beef and 2 by the Revs. The late touchdowns and three consecutive scores to end the game wasn't enough for Omaha as the Texas Revolution took a 59-49 win over Omaha to win their first ever league Championship.

Credit: National Arena League/Jacksonville Sharks/CW 12 Jacksonville

The National Arena League played it's Semi-Final playoff games last weekend in it's inaugural playoffs. The first game was on Friday night as the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks hosted the Columbus Lions. The game started off with Lehigh Valley getting 2 touchdowns in the first quarter and 3 unanswered to open the game. The Lions only points were from a 31 yard passing TD and a deuce (Kickoff through the uprights). At the end of 1 half the Steelhawks held a 21-9 lead. The 3rd quarter saw Lehigh Valley and Columbus trade touchdowns with Lehigh Valley getting a deuce on their last TD of the 3rd quarter. That however is when tables started to turn as the Lions scored 4 straight touchdowns capping it off with a second deuce for a 31-0 scoring run from the end of the 3rd quarter until late in the 4th. With under a minute to go the Lions held a 52-43 lead and in order to tie the Steelhawks needed a touchdown with conversion and a deuce. Lehigh managed to get the touchdown but with no time on the clock they couldn't kick off to try and tie the game and the Lions took a 52-50 win to send them to the NAL Championship Game.

On Saturday night the Jacksonville Sharks hosted the Monterrey Steel in the other NAL Semi-Final. A win for the Sharks puts the NAL Championship in Jacksonville and a win for the Steel would put the Championship in Columbus, GA. In a tight fight just like in Week 14, the Sharks took down the Steel 43-32 to send Jacksonville (as predicted) to the NAL Championship Game.

In the last 2 weeks we've had the Best of the Arenas competition and now were down to 16 arenas left to choose from. Don't forget to make your picks! Next week will be the IFL United Bowl and NAL Championship previews.

Indoor Football Weekly #29: In Full Swing

Credit: HistoricOmaha.com

The playoffs are now in full swing as the IFL and NAL play the Semi-Finals while Champions Bowl III in the CIF also happens this weekend.

Credit; Indoor Football League

This week Adam Lamprecht has recapped Week 18 and has given us a playoff preview this week!

Indoor Football League Week in Review: Week 18

Spokane Empire @ Salt Lake Screaming Eagles

The Spokane Empire limped into the final game of the season looking like a completely different team than what started the year. They began 7-2 to start the year, with a very controversial loss to Wichita Falls in OT early on, and looked to be going back to the playoffs. But the train seemed to come off the rails, as they would lose 5 of 6, putting themselves in a precarious 8-7 record, tied with Nebraska who had the tiebreaker.

Salt Lake was looking to play spoiler in their Friday matchup against the Empire, as obvious by the braggadocious, and completely nauseating, play-by-play for the Screaming Eagles. The game began as a back and forth affair, as both teams went tit for tat, leaving Spokane up 32-25 at the half. Spokane would add 3 more in the third, taking a 10 point lead into the fourth quarter. However, somehow, the Screaming Eagles would make a comeback, and score on the final play of the game to win 45-42, albeit very controversially, as Salt Lake had three players in forward motion, which should have been called for a penalty, but was not, thanks to the awful officiating crew in Salt Lake. And with that, Spokane’s season was ended with a giant middle finger from Project FanChise, and probably a giant middle finger to the IFL.

Arizona Rattlers @ Colorado Crush

The second Friday Night Showdown featured the Intense Conference Regular Season Champions, the Arizona Rattlers, facing off with the Colorado Crush, in what could be the Crush’s final game. The Crush gave everything the Rattlers could take, taking them to overtime, before the Rattlers would pick up the win, 47-44. And unless a potential buyer comes forward, it could be the end of Indoor Football in Loveland, Colorado. Which would be a shame as the Colorado Crush, formerly known as the Colorado Ice, began in 2006, playing eleven seasons, more than both of the Colorado teams in the AFL combined, as the AFL’s Colorado Crush lasted 6 seasons (2003-2008), and the Denver Dynamite, a charter member of the AFL, lasted only 4 seasons (1987, 1989-1991).

Wichita Falls Nighthawks @ Nebraska Danger

Besides the Barnstormers/Storm matchup, which will be highlighted in the Playoffs Preview Section, the last game of the 2017 IFL Regular Season was a battle between the Wichita Falls Nighthawks and the Nebraska Danger. For the Nighthawks, it was simple: Win, and you’re in. Lose, and you’re done. The Nighthawks went toe to toe with the Danger for 3 quarters, only trailing 38-31 after 3. But the Nighthawks began to unravel in the fourth, and the Danger, who were already in and had nothing to lose, would strike, as recently acquired QB Drew Powell would lead the Danger to a major upset over the Wichita Falls Nighthawks, 59-44, and ending the Nighthawks season at 12-4.

Indoor Football League 2017 Playoffs Preview

United Conference Championship: Iowa Barnstormers @ Sioux Falls Storm

For the seventh consecutive season, the Sioux Falls Storm host the United Conference Championship. And for the fifth consecutive season, the Storm will battle a team from Iowa. But this time, it’s in the form of another storied franchise: the Iowa Barnstormers. 

The Barnstormers make history again this season, as not only is this the first time they make the playoffs in the Indoor Football League, it is the first time they win 13 games in the regular season, with their previous record of 12 regular season wins in 2009 (the last time the Barnstormers made the playoffs) and 1996 (their second year in existence). In 1996, the team went 14-3 overall, and were led by Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner to Arena Bowl X, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Storm, 42-38.

This is the third time these two teams meet this season, and the sixth time overall historically. Last week, the Barnstormers hosted the Storm in Des Moines, looking to earn the right to host the United Conference Championship, and possibly knock out the 10-time defending National Champions from playoff contention. After a rough start for the Storm, the Barnstormers looked to control the tempo, as they went into halftime with a 21-17 lead. Coming out of the half, though, the Storm were able to make some key adjustments behind future IFL Hall of Famer Kurtiss Riggs, and dominated the second half, allowing only 3 points from Iowa, and taking the win, 45-24. Fortunately for Iowa, the Wichita Falls Nighthawks fell to the Nebraska Danger, eliminating Wichita Falls from the playoffs, and allowing Iowa for a chance at redemption. Sioux Falls is currently 6-0 against the Barnstormers, but Iowa is looking to make their first win against the Storm an impacting one.

Intense Conference Championship: Nebraska Danger @ Arizona Rattlers

Arizona, at the beginning of the year, was not looking like a team who would come in from the AFL and run roughshod over the IFL. Two major losses started the year for the Rattlers against Sioux Falls and Iowa, and many were questioning if the Rattlers would even make the playoffs. But Kevin Guy would adjust to the different league, and the Rattlers would go 12-2 over the final 14 games, only losing to Wichita Falls on a late TD, and Spokane.

Nebraska was a team of ups and downs over the course of the season. At times, the Danger looked to be that: quite dangerous. Other times, people were scratching their heads at this team. But the Danger would turn things around, finishing the season 9-7, with a big win over Wichita Falls for the exclamation point.

The Intense Conference Championship will be the third time these two face off in the 2017 IFL Season. Both times, the Rattlers would defeat the Danger, albeit in tight matchups both times, 39-36 and 43-33. And with the addition of Drew Powell, the Danger are looking to be upset-minded and make it back to the United Bowl, where they have come close 3 times to winning the United Bowl crown.

Credit: Champions Indoor Football

Last week Champions Indoor Football played the Northern and Southern Division Championships. Saturday night saw the Northern Division Championship played between the Sioux City Bandits and their arch rival, the Omaha Beef. One of the oldest rivalries in the sport had the teams duke it out in Sioux City for the right to head to Champions Bowl III. The Bandits were the heavy favorites already having beaten the Beef all 3 times in 2017, however Omaha came to stun an upset with a 55-45 win in Sioux City to win the Northern Division Championship and send the Beef to their first Championship in the 2001 Indoor Professional Football League title game. Down South it was an All-Texas affair played on Monday night as the Amarillo Venom hosted the Texas Revolution for the right to host the Omaha Beef the following week in Champions Bowl III. With three very close, very high scoring games between the teams the Southern Division Championship proved to be more of the same as the Revs knocked off the Venom 77-71.

CIF Champions Bowl III will be played on Friday night 6/23/17 at 7 PM CT from the Allen Event Center in Allen, TX as the Texas Revolution host the Omaha Beef.

Credit: National Arena League

The National Arena League also capped of it's inaugural regular season last week in Week 14 with 2 games instead of the original 3 being played. The opener saw a playoff preview between the Monterrey Steel and Jacksonville Sharks in which the Steel knocked off the Sharks 44-37 in Jacksonville. The Columbus Lions traveled to Albany to take on the Georgia Firebirds. The Firebirds tried to keep it close but stood no chance as the Lions took the win 50-34.

Just like the IFL Playoffs the NAL is the same format with four teams making the playoffs. Unlike the IFL the NAL seeds 1-4 overall. In Jacksonville the (#1 seed and 11-1 in there regular season) they host the Monterrey Steel (#4 seed and 7-4). The other Semi-Final features the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks (#2 seed and 9-1) host the Columbus Lions (#3 seed and 9-3).

Last week we started the Best of Arenas competition with a Play-In Round. Richmond and Florida, both At-Large participants from the APF, have advanced into the Round of 32. Pick up to 16 teams in this Round to see who advances to next weeks Round of 16.

Road to Champions Bowl II (IV Maybe): Indoor Football Weekly #2

Well everyone we've had another eventful week in the world of Indoor Football. The train wreck of the AIF is um "chugging" along with yet another season (God willing the pain will end someday) while the CIF played it's final week of the regular season and will start it's playoffs this week while the IFL has only a few weeks left before there playoffs start.

Again let's start off with the AIF as they opening weekend of the playoffs provided us with two tight matchups and two blowouts (where as I was expecting all four to be blowouts. It started on Thursday when the burning ship of the Savannah Steam traveled to Estero, FL to take on the Tarpons, the game would end with a blowout 71-20 victory for the Tarpons and hopefully that burning ship in Savannah has sunk. The round would continue on Saturday when the New Mexico Stars traveled to Georgia to take on the Columbus Lions. New Mexico who only played 1 real game all season did put up a very good fight against the Lions but the final would be 49-37 in favor of the 8-0 Lions. Also on Saturday we say the Myrtle Beach Freedom travel all the way from South Carolina to Muskegon, MI to take on the expansion West Michigan Ironmen, it would be a long 2 way trip and game as the Ironmen struck hot metal against the Freedom winning 78-37. The final game would be played at the Family Arena in St. Charles, MO between the host River City Raiders and visiting Lehigh Valley Steelhawks, in another tight ballgame the Steelhawks would come out and win it late 54-52. The South Division final is set for this Saturday with the Columbus Lions hosting the Florida Tarpons, in the North Division the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks will travel to Muskegon to take on the West Michigan Ironmen, hopefully none of these teams fold before the games have been played.

Now in the CIF the playoffs have been set with the Texas Revolution getting the bye in the South Division and the Wichita Force getting the bye in the North. First round games will see the Amarillo Venom host the Dodge City Law on Saturday June 11th with the winner heading to Allen to play the Revs while the Bloomington Edge will host the defending champion Sioux City Bandits with the winner heading to Wichita to play the Force. With the CIF games this week I still have to pick Dodge City and Sioux City over the host clubs.

In the IFL with a few weeks left to go the playoff scenario in the United Conference has been determined with Sioux Falls securing the bye a few weeks ago and Cedar Rapids playing Wichita Falls with only the location of that game TBD. In the Intense Conference it looks a lot different as the Spokane Empire securing the bye but no oth places being determined yet it's still an Intense fight going on out West for those other spots. Games with playoff implications this week are all of them except for the Iowa @ Sioux Falls game because Iowa has been eliminated and Sioux Falls already has the bye guaranteed.

We'll be back next week with another recap of the week in this crazy sport we all love. Again I thank everyone over at Indoor Football Forum for a lot of this information!