EVERETT – After battling to scramble out of an icy 0-7 crevasse they plummeted into to start the season, the Everett Hawks finally slipped into the abyss Saturday night.
On an evening when the stars were seemingly aligned for a storybook ending, the Hawks failed to stay alive for a postseason bid, falling 55-52 in a heartbreaking loss to the Green Bay Blizzard at the Everett Events Center.
With the defeat Everett (4-10) was officially eliminated from any possibility of qualifying for the playoffs in its first season in the arenafootball2 league.
Everett finishes up with road games at Spokane (July 22) and Bakersfield (July 29).
Green Bay (9-6) remained in contention for the American Conference East Division title with the victory.
The sting of defeat was even sharper for Everett because the other contenders for the final National Conference playoff berth – Amarillo, Bakersfield and Stockton – all lost on Saturday night.
Everett had a chance to tie the score and force overtime, but Craig Hawley’s 25-yard field goal attempt with four seconds remaining came out low – it might have been partially blocked -and missed right.
“I couldn’t tell if he just missed it or it was blocked. But, I never should have put my kicker in that situation. It’s not like the outdoor game where that’s a chip shot,” Everett coach Tony Wells lamented. “I don’t kick field goals. I’d rather put the ball in the hands of my quarterback and receivers.”
The Hawks trailed throughout the game, but rallied from a 10-point deficit and took their only lead, 52-48, when J.R. Thomas – who ignited the offense with 13 receptions for 228 yards – caught his fourth touchdown pass with 50 seconds remaining in the game.
The TD was set up by Toure Butler’s diving interception and 24-yard return with a minute to play.
The Blizzard stormed back into the lead when Luke Leverson got behind Everett’s Ruschard Dodd-Masters and Green Bay quarterback James MacPherson found him wide open for a 39-yard TD pass that stunned the 3,885 fans in attendance and made the score 55-52 with 35 seconds remaining in the game.
Everett advanced the ball deep into Green Bay territory, but after having converted three out of four times on fourth down, Wells opted for the field goal try and the tie, but the kick never had a chance.
“I was never as concerned about the record,” Wells said. “I was more concerned about the effort and the execution.”
The most enthusiastic crowd of the season made lots of noise in Everett’s final home game of the season.
“That was awesome,” Wells said. “Hopefully we can build on that for next year.”
After leading by a point at the end of the first half, Green Bay extended the margin to 34-26 on the first play of the third quarter when MacPherson dumped a short pass to Robert Garth who broke through three defenders and rambled 29 yards for a touchdown.
Everett battle to within 34-32 when Thomas caught his second TD pass of the game and had an opportunity to take the lead when the defense stopped the Blizzard on downs on its next possession, but settled for a missed field goal.
At Everett Events Center
Green Bay7201414-55
Everett719620-52
First Quarter
Green Bay – Holmes 22 pass from MacPherson (Pelz kick) 11:43 Everett Brockman 6 pass from Baker (Hawley kick) 4:19
Second Quarter
Green Bay Lazare 2 run (Pelz kick) :10 Everett Thomas 34 pass from Baker (Hawley kick failed) 12:00 Green Bay Leverson 25 pass from MacPherson (Pelz kick) 8:10 Everett Johnson 12 pass from Baker (Hawley kick) 21-20 4:10
Green Bay Harris 8 pass from MacPherson (Pelz kick failed) 27-20:55
Everett Brockman 9 pass from Baker (Hawley kick blocked):2127-26
Third Quarter
Green Bay Garth 29 pass from MacPherson (Pelz kick) 34-2614:30
Everett Thomas 15 pass from Baker (Hawley kick failed)
Green Bay Harris 20 pass from MacPherson (Pelz kick)41-32 1:03
Fourth Quarter
Everett Thomas 20 pass from Baker (Beschorner run failed) 14:3041-38
Green Bay MacPherson 1 run (Pelz kick) 48-38 7:00 Everett Johnson 12 pass from Baker (Hawley kick) 48-45 2:45 Everett Thomas 19 pass from Baker (Hawley kick) Everett 52-48 :50.5
Green Bay Leverson 39 pass from MacPherson (Pelz kick) 55-52:35
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