After the Birmingham Stallions tied the game on a late touchdown, the visiting Memphis Showboats picked up their first win of the season, 24-20, in overtime on Friday night.
The Showboats (1-4) had a chance to win in regulation, but Matt Coghlin was wide right on a 57-yard field-goal attempt. In the best-of-three overtime format, the Showboats completed a pair of two-point conversions, while the Stallions (3-2) came up empty.
Stallions quarterback Case Cookus, who was 15-for-33 for 145 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, found Marlon Williams on a 6-yard touchdown pass with 25 seconds left. Cookus then hit Jace Sternberger for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 20-all.
The Showboats jumped out to an 11-0 lead, highlighted by a 78-yard touchdown pass from Dresser Winn (17 of 29 for 235 yards) to Dee Anderson late in the first quarter. Memphis led 17-3 at the half after Isiah Hennie took the ball 108 yards for a score following a missed field goal late in the second quarter.
Cookus connected with Jordan Thomas on a 33-yard score in the third for the Stallions’ first TD, then the teams traded field goals in the fourth before Cookus’ late heroics forced overtime.
–Field Level Media
