Post by drugbust on Jul 24, 2011 15:00:23 GMT -5
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS — It’s hard to pin down what made the East Texas Wranglers champions late Friday night. Their passing game played well. Their defensive line played well. Even a squib kick had a spectacular result.
Adding it all together meant the Wranglers rolled past the Southlake Pirates with surprising ease, 40-14, in the Independent Indoor Football Alliance’s championship game, Alliance Bowl IV, at the NYTEX Sports Centre.
The Wranglers (8-2-1) claimed the IIFA title in the first year of its existence while handing the Pirates (8-1-1) their only loss of the 2011 season. The Wranglers avenged both of their regular-season losses in the playoffs, including a 21-20 semifinal win over the North Texas Crunch on July 16.
“There are some resilient young men in East Texas,” Wrangler head coach Corey Mayfield said. “They play full-tilt football. I knew we could be successful.”
Wrangler quarterback Terrance Parks and receiver Drew Wallace each received game balls from Wallace after the game, a kind of unofficial co-MVP honors. Parks was 15-for-21 for 254 yards passing with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Parks would start the scoring in the first half with a five-yard touchdown run.
Wallace caught a 35-yard touchdown pass to start a 26-0 run in the second quarter, building a 33-0 halftime advantage. Wallace had four receptions for 95 yards. The Wranglers held the Pirates to 101 total yards, not to mention a scoreless first half, a rarity in indoor football.
The Wrangler defense had 11 tackles for losses and was anchored by its defensive line. Gary Glenn had 10 tackles while Longview product Torrin Bush had eight tackles. Glenn and Bush had two sacks each. Mayfield also had high praise for the play of Marquis Price.
“It was all about the defense. We played lights out and didn’t miss a tackle,” Mayfield said. “The was the best game of the season for our defensive line.”
The Wrangler defense was led by Tremin Wright, who had two interceptions, returning one 30 yards in the second quarter for a touchdown. Wright also had five tackles and a sack.
The Pirates threatened to score late in the second quarter, getting eight plays to score on two first-and-goal chances (the last four created by a penalty) but the Wranglers held the line. The Wranglers made the Pirates pay not converting as Parks connected with Damarcus Jenkins on a 49-yard touchdown pass with 7.8 seconds left in the first half.
This set up arguably the most bizarre play of the season for the Wranglers.
Wrangler kicker Daniel Young hit a squib kick. The kick was merely to keep the Pirates from a big return, but the ball caromed of a Southlake player. Alec Altowestmoreland grabbed the loose ball and ran 25 yards for a touchdown as time expired in the first half.
After the Pirates scored on their first drive of the third quarter, Cliff Edwards scored the last touchdown for the Wranglers, a 25-yard touchdown pass from Parks. On defense for the Wranglers, David Stout had six tackles while Gerald Norman had five tackles.
While the Wranglers have concluded their inaugural IIFA season as champions, more football could be up for its players shortly. Mayfield said two players — Jenkins and Atavys Dodd — are getting serious looks for the Kansas City Command, an Arena Football League team.
“A lot of these can players can play at the Arena Football League’s top level,” said Mayfield, a lineman in the AFL from 1999 to 2005. “I’m looking for a lot of opportunities.”
Mayfield said winning the IIFA title will have a special place for him because it is his first title as a head coach.
The Wranglers also persevered through unusual circumstances this season, from having two opponents (which were losing at halftime) refuse to play them after halftime to playing home contests at three different sites to a 34-day wait between the end of the regular season before its semifinal against the Crunch.
Not to mention being understaffed.
“Several times we had 16 guys and we played against 21,” Mayfield said. “I couldn’t be more proud to have worked with this group of guys.”
Adding it all together meant the Wranglers rolled past the Southlake Pirates with surprising ease, 40-14, in the Independent Indoor Football Alliance’s championship game, Alliance Bowl IV, at the NYTEX Sports Centre.
The Wranglers (8-2-1) claimed the IIFA title in the first year of its existence while handing the Pirates (8-1-1) their only loss of the 2011 season. The Wranglers avenged both of their regular-season losses in the playoffs, including a 21-20 semifinal win over the North Texas Crunch on July 16.
“There are some resilient young men in East Texas,” Wrangler head coach Corey Mayfield said. “They play full-tilt football. I knew we could be successful.”
Wrangler quarterback Terrance Parks and receiver Drew Wallace each received game balls from Wallace after the game, a kind of unofficial co-MVP honors. Parks was 15-for-21 for 254 yards passing with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Parks would start the scoring in the first half with a five-yard touchdown run.
Wallace caught a 35-yard touchdown pass to start a 26-0 run in the second quarter, building a 33-0 halftime advantage. Wallace had four receptions for 95 yards. The Wranglers held the Pirates to 101 total yards, not to mention a scoreless first half, a rarity in indoor football.
The Wrangler defense had 11 tackles for losses and was anchored by its defensive line. Gary Glenn had 10 tackles while Longview product Torrin Bush had eight tackles. Glenn and Bush had two sacks each. Mayfield also had high praise for the play of Marquis Price.
“It was all about the defense. We played lights out and didn’t miss a tackle,” Mayfield said. “The was the best game of the season for our defensive line.”
The Wrangler defense was led by Tremin Wright, who had two interceptions, returning one 30 yards in the second quarter for a touchdown. Wright also had five tackles and a sack.
The Pirates threatened to score late in the second quarter, getting eight plays to score on two first-and-goal chances (the last four created by a penalty) but the Wranglers held the line. The Wranglers made the Pirates pay not converting as Parks connected with Damarcus Jenkins on a 49-yard touchdown pass with 7.8 seconds left in the first half.
This set up arguably the most bizarre play of the season for the Wranglers.
Wrangler kicker Daniel Young hit a squib kick. The kick was merely to keep the Pirates from a big return, but the ball caromed of a Southlake player. Alec Altowestmoreland grabbed the loose ball and ran 25 yards for a touchdown as time expired in the first half.
After the Pirates scored on their first drive of the third quarter, Cliff Edwards scored the last touchdown for the Wranglers, a 25-yard touchdown pass from Parks. On defense for the Wranglers, David Stout had six tackles while Gerald Norman had five tackles.
While the Wranglers have concluded their inaugural IIFA season as champions, more football could be up for its players shortly. Mayfield said two players — Jenkins and Atavys Dodd — are getting serious looks for the Kansas City Command, an Arena Football League team.
“A lot of these can players can play at the Arena Football League’s top level,” said Mayfield, a lineman in the AFL from 1999 to 2005. “I’m looking for a lot of opportunities.”
Mayfield said winning the IIFA title will have a special place for him because it is his first title as a head coach.
The Wranglers also persevered through unusual circumstances this season, from having two opponents (which were losing at halftime) refuse to play them after halftime to playing home contests at three different sites to a 34-day wait between the end of the regular season before its semifinal against the Crunch.
Not to mention being understaffed.
“Several times we had 16 guys and we played against 21,” Mayfield said. “I couldn’t be more proud to have worked with this group of guys.”