Blog: Strong Side
Grizzlies vs. Wild running blog — June 29
Published Saturday, June 28, 2008
12:45 a.m. (obviously End 4th) -- The Grizzlies won 68-66, if you ain't heard yet. You'll find a passable rundown of it in today's paper, and hopefully we'll be unraveling more plot lines from the end of the Grizzlies' season in the coming week.
What can I say? It was a great game that had everything: huge guys getting touchdowns and an unlikely quarteback duel between a runner and a passer.
Though he put up some impressive numbers at the end, Bartik looked inaccurate all night. But hey, he hit his targets when it mattered.
It's one of those games I wish I had more than an hour to write about because there were a lot of stories on that field.
Too bad the bad blood between the teams had to spoil it near the end. There was an electric moment in the crowd when the clock hit 0:00 that fizzled when Kenny Watson was given a bloody nose by what he and John Fourcade said was a punch from a Wild player.
End 3rd -- Another quarter, and another big lineman scores a TD to keep Fairbanks in the game.
Defensive lineman Jay Fulk stripped the ball from Louvett and ran it back to the end zone unchallenged by any Wild players.
Alaska responded with another long running touchdown from Louvett, but Bartik showed he can be mobile and got a rushing TD of his own. The Grizzlies have the lead 48-44.
Halftime -- The Wild's running game has become more potent. QB Darnell Louvett has been enering the nd zone easily, and Thomas Ford was able to speed 28 yards down the sideline untouched for one of his two rushing TDs in the second quarter.
It looked like Fairbanks was getting into an offensive rhythm with another first-play touchdown pass from Bartik to Parks, but Bartik threw two interceptions on two straight series. One was returned by Alaska DB James Griffin, who has been swarming all over the field tonight knocking down passes.
The Grizzlies were down 36-20 until Bartik tossed a 20 yard touchdown pass to 280-pound Shane Tufford
The big man had to follow a block and rumble 15 yards after the catch to find the end zone. It was very athletic for someone his size.
Alaska 36-27.
End 1st -- Grizzlies are up 10-6, and both secondaries are dominating the recievers.
Alaska scored with a 4-yard running play. Its ground game has been effective, though penalties have been keeping the Wild from more appearances in the end zone.
Sorry folks, my computer's not up to the task tonight.
I'll only post cursory updates at the end of quarters from here on out.
14:01, 1st --Grizzlies QB Bo Bartik hit his favorite target, Anthony Parks, for a 25-yard touchdown on the first play.
Grizzlies, 7-0
1 minute unti kickoff -- The new UAF hockey coach, Dallas Ferguson, did the honors in the coin toss. The Wild won and are kicking off to begin the game.
Frisco is about to lose to San Angelo, and Alaska finds itself in an opportune position. So how do they pump themselves up? With thundersticks. You know, those long plastic noisemaking sticks, yeah, they had them in the huddle.
7 minutes until kickoff -- The Grizzlies dancers just disembarked from their chariots, a flying V formation of choppers that left in a deafening low rumble.
Just beforehand, the crazy Teddy Ruxpin impersonator that is the Grizzlies mascot hopped around giddily and shot T-shirts into the stand with Godsmack playing in the background. That will be in my nightmares for a week.
The clouds parted long enough for a few good tailgating hours and the crowd's just starting to get inside. The thousand or so that are in their seats booed the Wild with vigor. Ahh, nothin' like Anchorage vs. Fairbanks.
Well, Katy got mopped up by Odessa, which means the Wild are in the playoffs and are trying for a higher seed against the Grizzlies tonight. I'll be back with game updates in a bit.
It's the Fairbanks Grizzlies' swan song performance tonight, but they can still go out with a win over their in-state rival, the Alaska Wild.
The Wild are still in the playoff hunt and, for the most part, control their own destiny.
Since the Wild-Grizzlies game is the only matchup that's a stone's throw from the International Date Line, it's likely Alaska will know before kickoff if it will continue in the postseason.
A loss by the Katy Ruff Riders will send the Wild to the playoffs, and the Ruff Riders are down 40-17 against the Odessa Roughnecks just before halftime.
Scores are continually refreshed on the Intense Football League's Web site and you can find possible playoff scenarios there and in today's News-Miner article by Danny Martin.
I'll be back, posting live from the Carlson Center in about an hour.

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