For awhile on Saturday night at Stabler Arena it, looked like the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks might actually enjoy the end of one of their Professional Indoor Football League games.
The Steelhawks led Harrisburg 34-18 with 13:10 left.
Even when the Stampede scored a touchdown with 11:29 left, the Steelhawks blocked the extra point and returned it for two points and a 36-24 lead.
But an interception in the end zone and a blocked field game attempt created another down-to-the-wire finish for the Steelhawks, keeping about 1,000 fans around to the final horn.
Trailing 36-30, Harrisburg got the ball on the Lehigh Valley 15 with 26 seconds left after the blocked field goal.
However, the Steelhawks defense -- tough when it has needed to be all season -- made one last stand. Harrisburg attempted four passes, all fell incomplete and Lehigh Valley had itself a 36-30 victory and a 4-0 record with two more home games coming up.
All four Lehigh Valley wins have come by eight points or less and the Steelhawks defense has allowed just 31 points per game over the past three weeks -- a remarkably low average for indoor football.
"I really am proud of the defense because the guys have really been playing well," said defensive coordinator Matt Cohen, a Central Catholic High and Lehigh University product. "These guys have done everything we've asked of them and they continue to set themselves up to win the game. It's great to see these guys grow. They've really jelled and I am having fun."
Not only did the defense hold down Harrisburg (2-3), but they also got an interception return for a score by Terrance Osborne.
Bethlehem Catholic graduate Adam Bednarik was sacked five times, but kept getting back up to go 17-for-23 in the air for 162 yards and one touchdown. He also carred 12 times for 49 yards and two TDs.
"I definitely took a little bit of a beating tonight and I didn't look to stay in the pocket too much once it collapsed," Bednarik said. "I just took off a lot and tried to make some plays happen. And we also called a lot of designed runs for me. So, I did take more hits than usual."
Head coach Chris Thompson was happy with the win as he edged his mentor and former coaching colleague in Reading, Harrisburg head coach Bernie Nowotarski.
However, Thompson knows his team still can, and must, play better.
"We let them back in the football game," Thompson said. "We had an opportunity to put them away and we didn't do it. We have to get better offensively. We keep putting it on the defense and they've bailed us out. But the games are only going to get tougher from here."
The Steelhawks continue their stretch of four consecutive home games on Sunday, May 11 at 4 p.m. against the Alabama Hammers.
SCORING SUMMARY
Harrisburg Stampede --- 7 - 8 - 3 - 12 -- 30
LV Steelhawks --- 0 - 16 - 11 - 9 -- 36
FIRST QUARTER
HS -- E.J. Nemeth 1 run (Cap Poklemba kick), 12:03
SECOND QUARTER
LV -- Terrance Osborne 45 interception return (Mike Barnard kick), 13:54
LV -- Barnard rouge, 13:54
LV -- Adam Bednarik 4 run (Barnard kick), 2:09
LV -- Barnard rouge, 1:42
HS -- Chris Schubert 8 pass from Nemeth (Poklemba kick), 0:19
HS -- Poklemba rouge, 0:19
THIRD QUARTER
LV -- Richie Martin 31 pass from Adam Bednarik (Barnard kick), 12:27
LV -- FG, Barnard 36, 6:09
LV -- Barnard rouge, 6:09
HS -- FG, Poklemba 21, 2:30
FOURTH QUARTER
LV -- Bednarik 1 run (Barnard kick), 13:42
LV -- Barnard rouge, 13:10
HS -- Jerrell Jones 14 pass from Nemeth (kick blocked), 11:29
LV -- Stef Whitehead PAT return, 11;29
HS -- Chris Schubert 8 pass from Nemeth (pass failed).
No comments:
Post a Comment