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Playoffs
Wildcard Round
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People pursue patternPeoria showed why Colin Oskopy had the best pass composite in the league, and perhaps an even more impressive defensive performance allowed the People to overcome division foe Columbus for only the second playoff win in franchise history. Peoria's only other win in the playoffs was 20 years ago: a 1986 wildcard victory over Pontiac 17-13. The People even spotted the Natives a 7-0 lead when the latter returned the opening kickoff for a score. From scrimmage, however, it was a different story. Peoria score all it's point before halftime, building a 16-7 lead on three Harry Belli field goals and a 3-yard run by RB Laurent Housing to cap a 10-play, 84-yard drive in the middle of the 2nd quarter. Peoria stifled the Columbus offense, rushing and passing equally, allowing only 112 yards passing from Columbus QB Bug Zappa, and only 55 net yards rushing, from Zappa and marquis RB Dave Rath as well as RB Ray Frollywood. By the time the Natives scored on a 5-yard run by Rath, to cap a lightning drive with a 23-yard pass from Zappa to TE Phil Awful, there was only half the 4th quarter left. Peoria kept the ball on a drive to kill most of the rest, then clamped down on two final Columbus possessions. Oskopy got 7 catches for 103 yards from TE Heartless Dykes and 10 catches for 121 yards from WR Ray Pist. This tandem, along with first-round draft pick WR Dustin DeWynn, lifted Oskopy to the top of the passing stats this season. Peoria will now get a home playoff game because every team in the Central East Division had a better record than the rest of the conference, including Northeast Division winner Maryland. |
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Potatoheads escape Linemen againA repeat of last year's wildcard match-up turned out to be just that in all the best ways. Last year, home team Wichita chased underdog Idaho the whole game in a shootout, then fell just short, 29-27. This year, home team and favorite Idaho won in a comeback thriller, with a last-minute field goal, to keep the Linemen from turning the tables. Wichita used surprisingly gritty defense and rushing to lead for most of the game, extending a 10-6 halftime lead just five plays into the 3rd quarter. QB Payne Indiass capped the drive with a 5-yard TD run. Indiass had 54 yards rushing, and only 178 passing, typical of this season which saw him do as much or more harm with the run. RB Milo Rider had 84 yards to lead all rushers and was the main offensive force for the Linemen, though WR Adolph DeFlore was not silent, with 5 catches for 84 yards and a TD. The Linemen continued to hold down the Potatohead offense until the 4th quarter, and even then stalled a long drive to force Idaho to settle for a 48-yard Charlatan Heston field goal. This put then Idaho within eight points, at 17-9, and with only about half the quarter remaining, that spelled two-point conversion attempt. Remarkably, after a 9-yard pass on the next play for scrimmage, the Linemen failed to pick up a first down at their own 19. On 4th down, the Idaho rush forced Wichita to improvise a play and an incomplete pass gave the Potatoheads the ball there. Idaho took it to the end zone in three plays, the touchdown a 9-yard pass from QB Howard Juneau to WR Milo Sefastim. Sure enough came the two-point conversion attempt to tie, but Juneau was forced to throw the ball away. Wichita led 17-15. Idaho got the ball on their own 36 after a failed Wichita field goal attempt. WR Howie Wonder-Warr, who only returned from injury this week, caught a 9-yard pass, then a 16-yarder. Two plays later, Idaho had a third down at the Wichita 24-yard line, but brought on Heston for the 41-yard attempt. He hit it and Idaho won. |
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