[ ARENA FOOTBALL ]
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Josh White of the Hawaiian Islanders tried to shake Quad City's Leo FenceRoy last night. White later fumbled within the 10-yard line on the play, and the Steamwheelers recovered.
Islanders dealt
home loss
The Hawaiian Islanders' postseason plans were put on hold last night after the Quad City Steamwheelers claimed a 54-36 victory in an arenafootball2 game at Blaisdell Arena.
A crowd of 4,596, the largest of the season, watched Quad City score 27 unanswered points in the second half to erase a nine-point deficit and rally past the Islanders and clinch the National Conference Midwest Division title.
"This was so big," Quad City coach Rich Ingold said. "We want to get into playoff mentality and this was a playoff type game here tonight. Two teams battling to the end."
The Steamwheelers (10-2) posted heir 10th consecutive win and moved into the lead in the race for home-field advantage in the playoffs thanks to Arkansas' 45-29 upset of Tulsa (10-3). Quad City leads Tulsa by a half-game for the top seed in the National Conference.
The Islanders (9-4) lost for the first time at home this season, ending a nine-game winning streak dating back to last summer. Hawaii could have clinched a playoff berth with a win.
Hawaii maintained a one-game lead in the National West Division as second-place Wichita lost to San Diego 60-53.
Quad City quarterback Tony Zimmerman, the league's leader in total offense, completed 19 of 43 passes for 237 yards and five touchdowns. Tim Dodge made 10 catches for 118 yards and three scores.
But Ingold credited the Steamwheelers defense for the comeback.
Asa Francis, the defensive player of the game, registered four sacks for 40 yards in losses as Quad City took the Islanders out of their rhythm on offense with pressure on quarterback Mike Tillis.
Francis finished with seven solo tackles, five for losses, forced two fumbles and recorded a safety.
"Our defense really put us in position to do that," Ingold said. "Asa Francis, there ain't a guy like him in the league. ... It's hard to throw the football with five-step drops with our pass rushing coming like it was."
Tillis completed nine of 20 throws for 170 yards and four touchdowns. Isaac White scored three touchdowns, two on pass receptions and another on an interception return.
But the Islanders were shut out in the fourth period, marking only the second time this season they were held scoreless in a quarter.
"They did a great job, but we just didn't make the plays down the stretch when we needed to," Islanders fullback/linebacker Josh White said. "We had so many chances."
The Islanders struck on the game's first play from scrimmage as Isaac White intercepted a Zimmerman pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown. Kimo Naehu's extra-point attempt went wide left.
Taylor, Hawaii's leading receiver and scorer, left the game early in the first quarter with a pulled left hamstring and did not return.
"Nian is a big loss," Islanders coach Cal Lee said. "He's a go-to guy ... and when you lose him after the start of the game, that's going to hurt you."
Quad City answered with a 5-yard scoring pass from Zimmerman to Dodge and took a 7-6 lead.
Quad City scored on each of its next three possessions and claimed a 27-13 lead midway through the second quarter.
Hawaii then reeled off 23 unanswered points to reclaim the lead.
The Islanders went in front on the opening series of the second half when Tillis found White on third-and-16 for a 39-yard touchdown pass.
Hawaii got the ball back when Dodge was stripped of the ball and Eddie Klaneski returned it deep into Quad City territory. Tillis then hit Morrie Roe for an 11-yard scoring pass to push the Islanders' lead to 36-27.
Quad City fought back with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Zimmerman to Jeff Hewitt and tied the game on Paul Savich's 36-yard field goal with 11.1 seconds left in the third quarter.
A 23-yard scoring pass to Hewitt gave Quad City the lead back with 10:35 left in the game.
The Steamwheelers then stopped the Islanders on downs and extended the lead on Dodge's third touchdown reception. Quad City padded the lead when Francis sacked Tillis in the end zone for a safety with 2:51 left.
Savich tacked on a 20-yard field goal with six seconds left to cap the scoring.
The Islanders have a week off before playing at Tulsa on July 12.
"This game is forgotten, you can't dwell on this," Lee said. "You make the corrections and go on from there."
arenafootball2 standings
National Conference
x-Clinched playoff berth
Central Division W L Pct. Str x-Tulsa 10 3 .769 L1 Arkansas 7 5 .583 W1 Memphis 5 7 .417 W2 Bossier City 3 10 .231 L5 Midwest Division W L Pct. Str x-Quad City 10 2 .833 W9 Peoria 4 8 .333 L1 Cincinnati 4 8 .333 L1 Louisville 3 10 .231 L7 Green Bay 2 10 .167 W1 West Division W L Pct. Str Hawaii 9 4 .692 W2 Wichita 8 5 .615 L1 Bakersfield 6 7 .462 W1 San Diego 5 8 .385 W1 Playoff seeding
x-Clinched playoff berth
1. x-Tulsa 10-3 2. x-Quad City 10-2 3. Hawaii 9-4 4. Wichita 8-5 5. Arkansas 7-5 6. Bakersfield 6-7 Memphis 5-7 San Diego 5-8 Peoria 4-8
Steamwheelers 54, Islanders 36
Scoring summary
Q.C. Steamwheelers (10-2) 14 13 9 18 -- 54 Hawaiian Islanders (9-4) 6 17 13 0 -- 36
First quarter
HI -- Isaac White 20 interception return (kick failed)
QC -- Tim Dodge 5 pass from Tony Zimmerman (Paul Savich kick)
QC -- Dodge 24 pass from Zimmerman (Savich kick)
Second quarter
QC -- Josh Fourdyce 3 run (kick failed)
HI -- Taulia Lave 9 pass from Mike Tillis (Kimo Naehu kick)
QC -- Zimmerman 1 run (Savich kick)
HI -- Naehu FG 49
HI -- White 23 pass from Tillis (Naehu kick)
Third quarter
HI -- White 39 pass from Tillis (Naehu kick)
HI -- Morrie Roe 11 pass from Tillis (kick failed)
QC -- Jeff Hewitt 6 pass from Zimmerman (kick blockd)
QC -- Savich FG 36
Fourth quarter
QC -- Hewitt 23 pass from Zimmerman (kick failed)
QC -- Dodge 8 pass from Zimmerman (Savich kick)
QC -- Asa Francis safety
QC -- Savich FG 20Individual statistics
RUSHING -- Steamwheelers: Brian Berg 7-19; Zimmerman 2-3; Josh Fourdyce 1-3. Islanders: White 4-44; Tillis 4-11; Chris Paogofie 1-6.
PASSING -- Steamwheelers: Zimmerman 19-43-1-237. Islanders: Tillis 9-20-1-170; Team 0-0-0-minus 40.
RECEIVING -- Steamwheelers: Dodge 10-118; Hewitt 7-78; Danny Thomas 1-21; Ira Gooch 1-20. Islanders: Anthony Arceneaux 3-62; White 2-62; Darrell Jones 2-26; Roe 1-11; Taulia Lave 1-9.Awards
MVP -- Dodge (Steamwheelers)
Ironman Player of the Game -- White (Islanders)
ADT Defensive Player of the Game -- Asa Francis (Steamwheelers)
