Time Expires on Pirates in Green Bay 71-68
GREEN BAY, WI - Orlando Pirates running back Pooka Williams scored three times and compiled 169 all-purpose yards, but it was not enough as the Green Bay Blizzard defeated the Pirates 71-68 at the Resch Center. The Pirates (3-2) played an almost even game with the Blizzard (5-1) as both teams had 11 first downs and neither team turned the ball over. The Blizzard had just seven more total yards than the Pirates in their three-point victory.
By:Mick Moninghoff
In a game that saw the lead change hands five times in the first half, the Pirates had one final chance to win on the game's final drive with 22 seconds to play. Starting from their own 16, Orlando was faced with a third and goal from the Green Bay 16 yard-line. Quarterback Paxton DeLaurent found wideout Nyqwan Murray at the goal line for a touchdown, but there was no time remaining for an extra point and an attempt for a "Deuce" on the ensuing kickoff to pull out a victory.
The Pirates held a 17-10 advantage after the first quarter as DeLaurent connected with wide receiver Thomas Owens for the game's first score. The Blizzard tied the game as Liam Thompson connected with Draysean Hudson on a six-yard strike. The Pirates went up 10-7 on a 37-yard field goal by Axel Perez, but Green Bay took its first lead of the game as Hudson caught his second TD pass from 24 yards out. The quarter ended with Teo Redding making a 15-yard touchdown reception as Olando led 17-14 after one.
The Second quarter would see the lead change hands three more times as the running backs got involved. Demilon Brown scored his first of two touchdowns on a five-yard run as the Blizzard led 21-17. Williams answered for the Pirates with a five-yard jaunt to put the Pirates back out front 24-21 with 8:46 to play in the half. That was the last time Orlando would lead in the game.
Isaac Ross pulled in a 28-yard TD reception to give Green Bay a 28-24 advantage. Perez added his second field goal of the game for the Pirates, but a Thompson two-yard touchdown run with four seconds left in the half saw the Blizzard take a 35-27 lead into halftime.
The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter as Terrell Carey scored his first of two TD's with an 11-yard reception. The point after by Andrew Mevis was no good as the Blizzard led 41-27. DeLaurent added a 1-yard touchdown plunge for the Pirates to pull Orlando within seven points but a 44-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Ross padded Green Bay's lead to 48-34. Ross finished his night with 127 all-purpose yards.
The Pirates scored the final points of the quarter as Williams scored his second rushing touchdown of the night from a yard out, leaving Orlando down 48-41.
The final quarter saw a total of 50 points scored by both teams. Green Bay ran its lead to 55-41 as Carey pulled in his second score of the night from nine yards out. Then Williams returned the kickoff 57 yards to keep Orlando in the game at 55-47. The Blizzard could not be stopped as Brown responded with an eight-yard TD catch, giving the Blizzard its largest lead of the night, 62-47.
Murray answered for the Pirates on a two-yard scoring run as Orlando trailed 62-55 with 6:46 to play. Brown, the game's leading rusher with 13 carries for 41 yards scored his second rushing score from seven yards out for Green Bay's final touchdown of the night, giving the Blizzard a 68-55 advantage.
The Pirates were far from finished. Owens, the game's leading receiver with six catches for 82 yards, had his second touchdown reception on a 36-yard strike. The Pirates were down 68-62 with 4:13 to play. Mevis added an 11-yard field goal for Green Bay's final points with 30 seconds remaining. The Pirates scored on the final play of the game with Murray's 16-yard touchdown catch, making the final score 71-68.
Pirates quarterback Paxton DeLaurent finished 15 of 23 passing for 182 yards and four touchdowns. Pooka Williams rushed seven times for 29 yards with two scores, pulled in two passes for 11 yards and returned five kickoffs for 129 yards with a touchdown. In addition to Owens receiving numbers, Redding had four receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown while Murray pulled in three passes for 32 yards and a score.
The Pirates leading tackler was Khari Coleman with ten tackles while Latavious Brini added seven.
For the Blizzard Liam Thompson was 16 of 21 passing for 185 yards and six touchdowns. His top target was Hudson with six catches for 69 yards with two scores. Defensively, Green Bay was led by Brian Lee Jr. with ten tackles with a sack and a tackle for a loss and Trenton McGhee with eight stops and a pass broken up.
The Pirates next game will be May 9 at the Kia Center when they host the Fishers Freight at 6:00 pm.
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