Predators tame Panthers for first victory
Dan Barutha, Ironman Insider CorrespondentJuly 7, 2008
Franklin, WI – On a warm and sunny evening at the Milwaukee County Sports Complex, the IFL faithful gathered to witness the West Allis Predators defeat the New Berlin Panthers, 22-7 in a pivotal National Conference midseason match-up.
With both sides fearful that a loss could curtail their playoff hopes, each team struggled out of the gate offensively, as they both fell victim to incompletion and interceptions.
Early in the second quarter, New Berlin managed to jump on West Allis’s miscues first, as Linebacker Corey Smith intercepted Quarterback Derek Daley’s pass and ran it back 75 yards for the score. However, that would be the only time that New Berlin would sniff the goal line.
West Allis then answered right back. Daley moved the Predators inside the Panthers redzone with his long pass to Wide receiver Quadrir Bruce, and the drive was capped off by Running back Bobby “Boom Boom” Windom’s two yard touchdown run. After a failed two-point conversion, West Allis trailed, 7-6.
The Predators would get right back in the end zone only minutes later though. After holding the Panther offense to a three-and-out series, West Allis’s special teams made a game breaking punt block. The loose ball was scooped up by Defensive End Dannon “yogurt” Haas and returned 45 yards for the touchdown. Quarterback Mike Bernal hooked up with Tight End Mark “the Stork” Stankowski on the two-point conversion to give West Allis the 14-7 advantage at halftime.
The score would remain the same until midway through the fourth quarter when the Predators tacked on their final score. This time, Quarterback Mike Bernal called his own number on the quarterback keeper from 11 yards out, and following another successful two-point conversion, West Allis shut the door on New Berlin.
With the victory, the Predators improve their record to 1-3 while the Panthers fall to 1-3 with the defeat. West Allis will square off against the Spring City Cyclones next Saturday night at 5pm at Carroll College in another important National Conference affair. New Berlin will meet the Milwaukee Venom next Sunday night at 5pm at the Milwaukee County Sports Complex.