On any given day in any sporting event, anything can happen. That’s exactly what happened on Saturday when the Wichita Falls Nighthawks upset Sioux Falls.
Wichita Falls used an uncharacteristically good defense to pound the Storm for a 36-21 win, breaking the Storm’s home win streak of 68 games.
The win propels the Nighthawks to 10-3 on the season and drops Sioux Falls to 11-2, At the start of the game, however, it looked like another Sioux Falls victory.
Wichita Falls Nighthawks upset Sioux Falls Storm
The Storm got the stop against Wichita Falls’ offense on the first drive, and forced the Nighthawks into a fourth down on their own 11-yard line. However, kicker Rockne Belmonte was able to put the Nighthawks on the board, giving his team a 3-0 lead.
Shortly after, the Sioux Falls offense made it look easy with a 27-yard Korey Williams touchdown 2:24 later to take a 7-3 lead.
That was the last lead that Sioux Falls would have in the game.
The teams traded possessions with no luck of finding the end-zone and ended the first quarter with the same score.
Right off the bat in the second, Wichita Falls running back Tyler Williams would earn a four-yard touchdown to put the Nighthawks back in the lead 10-7.
On the ensuing possession for Sioux Falls, quarterback Lorenzo Brown would cough up the football. The Nighthawks capitalized and took a 17-7 lead with 5:48 to play in the first half.
Wichita Falls would make the only remaining score of the half as Belmonte chipped in a field goal, giving his team a 20-7 lead heading into halftime.
It only continued in the second half.
Both teams missed field goals on their first possessions before the Nighthawks would punch in a touchdown.
Sioux Falls would counter on the ensuing possession and go into the third quarter trailing 27-14.
To start the fourth, Sioux Falls’ Korey Williams would earn the interception, giving the Storm a big swing in momentum.
However, the Nighthawks’ defense came up big once again.
Sioux Falls was stopped on four downs, giving Wichita Falls the ball at the seven yard-line.
The Nighthawks would score and ultimately take the win against the Storm on the road.
Playoff Situation
In the Indoor Football League, the top two teams in each respective conference get into the playoffs. This leaves Wichita Falls and Sioux Falls in a bind.
The Nighthawks are on the outside looking in. However, if they can win out they will be in a tie with either Sioux Falls or the Iowa Barnstormers, as the teams play each other during the regular season finale.
Wichita Falls owns the tiebreaker over Sioux Falls. If Sioux Falls is downed by Iowa during that last home game, they could find themselves out of the playoffs entirely.
Although, the Barnstormers and Nighthawks split in their two meetings and the second tiebreaker for the league is strength of schedule (SOS). The league has not said how they will determine SOS. But since Iowa traveled to Wichita Falls for both games, it isn’t likely the Nighthawks would get that tiebreaker.
| Indoor Football League Standings | ||||
| United Conference | ||||
| Position | Team | Record | GB | |
| 1 | Sioux Falls | 11-2 | ||
| 2 | Iowa | 11-2 | ||
| 3 | Wichita Falls | 10-3 | 1 | |
| 4 | Green Bay – e | 2-12 | 9.5 | |
| 5 | Cedar Rapids – e | 1-12 | 10.5 | |
| Intense Conference | ||||
| Position | Team | Record | GB | |
| 1 | Arizona | 8-4 | ||
| 2 | Spokane | 8-5 | 0.5 | |
| 3 | Nebraska | 7-5 | 1 | |
| 4 | Salt Lake | 3-9 | 5 | |
| 5 | Colorado – e | 3-10 | 5 | |
e – Eliminated from the playoffs.
x – Clinched playoff spot.
y – Clinched conference.
z – Clinched home field advantage through playoffs.
Week 15 Schedule
Friday, May 26
Iowa Barnstormers 64, Green Bay Blizzard 12
Spokane Empire 48, Colorado Crush 43
Saturday, May 27
Wichita Falls Nighthawks 36, Sioux Falls Storm 21
Sunday, May 28
Nebraska Danger at Arizona Rattlers | 5:00 p.m.
Monday, May 29
Cedar Rapids Titans at Salt Lake Screaming Eagles | 8:00 p.m.
