The Iowa Barnstormers dropped their third straight game on Saturday, losing to the Spokane Empire 54-34, in front of a crowd of 6,259. After a 3-1 start, this loss drops the team to a 3-4 record heading into a two game stretch in five days.
Barnstormers Drop 3rd Straight
Iowa trailed by five coming out of the locker rooms at halftime, but an interception and a touchdown on the ensuing play by Spokane put Iowa in a hole that they could not dig them selves out of. A kickoff return for a touchdown with making it a two possession game with 2:08 to go, ended a Barnstormer rally.
Barnstormers defensive co-ordinator, Jason Simpson, was adamant that Iowa will be kicking the ball out of bounds from now on. “We’ll make them play our defense,” Simpson said.
Without running back Robbie Rouse, the Barnstormers played their running backs by committee. Both Lucas Hefty and Austin Benson would get carries on the night, Hefty earning 56 yards.
Donovan Porterie finished the game 26-37 with 227 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions, and two fumbles.
“We’ve just got to get back on track, its not like we’re getting blown out, its not like we dont have the team to pick to be able to pick it up and get this thing going again,” Porterie said. “Its just that, we have to continue to put the work in, get in the film room, continue to get stronger and continue to get better.”
LeMans Casimier also added 80 yards and a touchdown as the leading wide reciever.
“He’s definitely a veteran wide receiver, a guy that has been around a long time, and he knows where he needs to be,” Porterie said. “For a quarterback in any type of system thats what you want, I think he definitely heads our receiving core as far as knowing where to be, and knowing the ends and outs of the offense.”
Next week, Iowa will face Green Bay on Sunday, and then will travel to Nebraska on Friday. The team finds themselves 1.5 games out of a playoff spot coming into the stretch, and is in vital need of a win.
