Outlaws Steal Win, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

by Cody Zeeb

Outlaws Quarterback Malik Henry drops back to pass

Both teams had their season on the line as the Billings Outlaws came into The First Interstate Bank Center in Redmond, Oregon, to face the Oregon Lightning on Saturday night. For both teams, a win would keep their playoff hopes alive; a loss would bring their season to an end. 


It was a back-and-forth thriller that included everything you could want in an AF1 game. Ultimately, it came down to the leg of Billings kicker Dean Faithful, and it was faith well placed. He nailed the 21-yard field goal with four seconds left on the clock to seal the win for the Outlaws. Now, they root for a Salina Liberty loss Sunday night on VICETV. If Salina loses, the Outlaws snag the final playoff spot and head to Albany next week with revenge on their mind.

 


As it Happened


The Oregon Lightning won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball to start the game. They started the game going three and out and gifted the Billings Outlaws the ball on the Lightning's six-yard line for their first drive. The Lightning defense showed up early and quickly stifled the Outlaws' offense, stopping them on downs and returning the ball to Dalton Cole and company. Two plays later, Cole tossed a 42-yard bomb to Kris Lewis to put the Lightning on the board first. The Lightning would miss the extra point and go up 6-0. 


The Lightning defense once again stepped up in a big way in the first quarter, getting pressure on Malik Henry and knocking the ball out of the quarterback's hands. Jeremiah Spicer jumped on it, and once again, Oregon took over on offense. Dalton Cole broke out a big run to set the Lightning up in scoring position, and they completed a pass down to the one-yard line on fourth down. It would have been a turnover on downs, but an illegal defense call on the Outlaws gave the Lightning a fresh set of downs. Two plays later, Dalton Cole once again found Kris Lewis for a touchdown connection. This time, the Lightning went for two, and Cole ran it in to open a 14-0 lead, which they’d take to the end of the quarter. 


Billings would finally get on the board in the second quarter as Kevin Voyles Jr bullied his way into the end zone to cut the lead to 14-6. The Lightning went three and out on the next possession and gave the Outlaws the ball inside the 10 for a second time. This time, Billings wasted no time taking advantage, and Voyles Jr punched it in for a second time. Billings once again missed the extra point and trailed 14-12. 


For the third time in the first half, the Oregon Lightning went three and out and turned the ball over inside the 10-yard line. Billings would hand the ball off to Kenneth Brewer III, who snagged his first touchdown of the game. Billings would go for two and fail, making it 18-14. The Lightning answered on their next possession, Kris Lewis making it a hat-trick with his third touchdown catch of the first half. On the Outlaws' next possession, Aurther Anderson IV was the recipient of Malik Henry’s first passing touchdown of the evening. After a failed 2PT attempt, it would give the Outlaws the 24-20 lead at halftime. 

The Outlaws started the second half with the ball and went to some throwback football. They ran it down the throats of the Lightning defense, and once again, it was Kevin Voyles Jr punching it into the end zone, his own hat-trick on the ground. They’d finally hit an extra point, taking the 31-20 lead. The biggest Outlaws lead of the game. Maurice Ashley had a great return to the Outlaws' 17-yard line, and an unsportsmanlike penalty set the Lightning up on the 8-yard line. On fourth down, the Outlaws committed pass interference in the end zone, giving the Lightning a fresh set of downs. Dalton Cole took it into the end zone, but this time it was Oregon’s turn for the penalty. An illegal block moved them back to the 11-yard line. Dalton Cole once again found Kris Lewis for their fourth touchdown connection. After missing the two-point try, the Billings' lead was cut to 31-26. 


On the Outlaws' next drive, they once again bullied their way down the field. After being stuffed on the 1-yard line on first down, the Outlaws ran it again and this time fumbled the ball. It was once again Jeremiah Spicer who jumped on it, a massive game-changing play for the Lightning, who would take over on the 1-yard line. The third quarter would come to a close with Oregon down 31-26 and looking to drive 49 yards. Dalton Cole found his favorite target in Kris Lewis, who came up just inches short of a fifth touchdown reception. Cole would try to sneak it in, but he fumbled the ball. Big man Julio Romo was quick to jump on top of it in the end zone and give the Lightning the 32-31 lead after a failed two-point attempt. 


As they’d done all night, the Billings Outlaws methodically worked their way down the field. Malik Henry found Kenneth Brewer III for a touchdown to retake the lead. The Outlaws got two shots at a two-point conversion after a pass interference call against Oregon, but couldn’t convert. They re-took the lead 37-32 with just under six minutes left in the game. Donavan Ollie became Dalton Cole’s favorite target on the Lightning’s next drive, catching multiple passes and drawing a pass interference call. He’d catch the touchdown pass from Dalton Cole, Cole’s fifth of the day. Another failed two-point attempt gave the Lightning the 38-37 lead with just under two minutes left in the game. 

After almost throwing an interception, Henry completed a pass to Kenneth Brewer III down to the five-yard line with 36 seconds left in the game. After two unsuccessful runs, Henry fired an incomplete pass into the end zone. With just six seconds on the clock, Dean Faithful stepped up on fourth down to attempt a short field goal and sent it right down the middle to give the Outlaws the 40-38 lead with just four seconds remaining on the clock. Dalton Cole would try to recreate his Hail Mary pass from the Southwest Kansas game, but it fell short, and Billings holds on to their playoff hopes! 


Impact Players


Kevin Voyles Jr shined bright for the Billings Outlaws, getting into the end zone on the ground three times and racking up 47 rushing yards. Kenneth Brewer III caught five passes for 43 yards, scoring both a rushing and receiving touchdown. Darius Prince quietly led the team in receiving with 63 yards, and Aurther Anderson added 41 yards and a touchdown catch. 


For the home team, Kris Lewis caught eight passes for 137 yards and four touchdowns; he was just inches away from adding a fifth one late in the game. Dalton Cole tossed 182 yards and five touchdown passes, while adding another on the ground. On the defensive side of the ball, Jeremiah Spicer grabbed three tackles and recovered two fumbles.