EVERETT – My, don’t these Everett Hawks look good in red.
Everett made four defensive stops inside its own 10-yard line – the indoor football version of the red zone – and quarterback Albert Higgs converted each of the ensuing possessions into a touchdown as the Hawks rolled to a 58-19 triumph in a National Indoor Football League game Friday night at the Everett Events Center.
“Our defense played well tonight,” Everett coach Dan Maciejczak said. “The biggest thing we preached this week was laying out for each other and finishing the plays.”
The 4,837 fans who filled the Events Center bore witness to Everett’s 13th consecutive victory without a loss. Miami fell to 7-6 with its fourth straight defeat, but remains very much in contention for a berth in the Atlantic Conference playoffs.
The Hawks will close out the regular season with a home game against Billings on Friday and host a Pacific Conference playoff game on July 8.
Everett’s defense set the tone on Miami’s opening possession. Starting from his own 18-yard line, Miami quarterback Travis Wilson drove the Morays 31 yards on nine consecutive running plays. But on fourth and goal at the Everett 1-yard line, Wilson was stopped for no gain by a host of defenders.
On its ensuing possession Everett needed nine plays to go 49 yards for a touchdown. On fourth down at the Miami 5-yard line Higgs scrambled to buy time before finding AJ Street – leaning against the end zone wall – with a touchdown pass and an 8-0 lead with 3:44 remaining in the first quarter.
Miami answered quickly with a short drive capped by Wilson’s 4-yard TD run to get within 8-7.
Early in the second quarter Grow’s acrobatic 15-yard pass reception set-up a three-yard TD run by Verna Owens to give Everett a 14-7 lead.
Following Everett’s kickoff, Miami started from its 11 and drove 38 yards in five plays to the Hawks’ 1-yard line. On second and goal Hawks linebacker Travis Salter dropped Wilson for a 2-yard loss. On the next play Tupo Tuupo chased Wilson down for a 9-yard loss.
“They were using that two-back set, I guess they thought they could run on us,” Maciejczak said. “They had some success, but we adjusted to it.”
“We came in knowing they had their backs to the wall, but wouldn’t go down without a fight,” Tuupo said. “Once we recognized what they were trying to do we keyed on that.”
After Miami missed a field goal, the Hawks took possession and four plays later Higgs threw a 34-yard TD pass to rookie Hassan Brockman to provide 22-7 Everett advantage midway through the second quarter.
“Al threw a heck of a ball and Hassan made a great catch,” Maciejczak said.
Brockman, who was named offensive player of the game, added a 35-yard touchdown reception with 7:12 remaining in the game to close out the scoring.
“It felt good,” Brockman said. “I just waited my turn and let the coaches get some confidence in me.”
Later in the second quarter Miami again drove inside the Everett 10, but linebacker Jeremiah Pharms knocked the ball loose on a running play and defensive back Stacy Edwards pounced on it in the end zone for a touchback.
Two plays later Higgs, who shredded Miami in the first half, going 10-for-13 for 158 yards, threw a 32-yard TD pass to Jason Quinn with 1:52 remaining in the first half.
After Jamley Austin deflected away a potential Miami touchdown pass on the Moray’s next possession, Higgs built the lead to 38-7 by running seven yards for the first of his two rushing touchdowns in the game.
Wilson led Miami with his 75 yards rushing and threw a pair of touchdown passes to Ethenic Sands.
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