BISMARCK, N. D. - The Bucks hosted the Fighters for their first home game in over a month in an IFL thriller. Frisco received to start the game, but their opening drive was short lived after Bucks linebacker Darreon Jackson forced a fumble and Malik Duncan took it to inside the Bucks 15 yard-line. Jackson had a huge impact on this game with a forced fumble, a sack, and an interception. JT Stokes took Bismarck's first play from scrimmage to the house on a 15-yard sweep to put the Bucks up 7 early.
Frisco responded with a 30-yard passing touchdown from Jon Bane to Mark Munson. The Bane-Munson connection was a reoccurring theme in tonight's game. Munson had two receiving touchdowns and had big catches down the stretch to put Frisco in scoring position. The next Bucks score was on a 31-yard pass from Kelly Bryant to JT Stokes. Frisco responded with a solid drive and rushing score from DeMarcus Felton, and a Bane QB keeper score from 1 yard out to put them up 22-13 in the second quarter. Bismarck then scored on 20-yard pass from Caleb Lewis to Andre Williams. Williams had himself a game with big catches down the stretch. Newly added Bucks Kicker Naehu Kimo nailed the kick on the Deuce Rule to tie the game at 22-22 with under a minute to play in the half. Frisco marched inside the Bucks 10, but the drive ended on a Bucks interception by Zuril Hendrick. Tied at 22 going into half.
The Fighters lead off scoring in the 2nd half of play with a 6-yard rushing score from Felton. The Bucks matched the Fighters with a 2-yard rushing touchdown from Justin Rankin after a 45-yard kick return by Mike Carrigan to start the drive. Rankin followed it up with another rushing touchdown from 19-yards out to put the Bucks up 35-29 in the third.
The Bucks started the 4th Quarter with a passing score from Lewis to Rankin from 8 yards. Frisco failed to return the ball out of the endzone rewarding the Bucks one point to put them up 43-36 with under 5 minutes to go. Frisco turned it over on the following drive, but the Bucks failed to make it count and missed a field goal to put them up 10 with under a minute to play. Frisco moved the ball quickly and scored on a Bane to Heard connection from 10 yards to put them down 1. Bismarck's defense came up big and the two-point attempt to win was stopped short. The Bismarck Bucks win a big one at home 43-42.
Bucks WIN 43-42.
