Indoor Football League: Four Paxton DeLaurent-to-Thomas Owens TDs lift the Orlando Pirates to wild OT comeback win over the Tulsa Oilers
Orlando Pirates wide receiver Thomas Owens caught a 20-yard dart from Paxton DeLaurent for the winning score in overtime to complete a wild 61-55 comeback win over the Tulsa Oilers at the Kia Center on Sunday night. The Pirates (3-0, 3-0 Eastern Conference) remained undefeated and handed the Oilers (1-1, 0-1 Eastern Conference) their first loss in a game that featured multiple comebacks and a pair of 40-plus-yard field goals to end each half. The 116 were the most of any in the still-young IFL season.
1 2 3 4 OT Final Tulsa Oilers 7 28 7 13 0 55 Orlando Pirates 14 19 17 15 6 61 DeLaurent went 15-for-24 throwing the ball with five passing touchdowns, four of them to Owens. DeLaurent was also the game’s leading rusher, adding 32 yards on six carries and a score. Tulsa quarterback TJ Edwards II was more prolific through the air, going 20-for-35 passing with seven touchdowns, including four to Jerminic Smith Jr.
and three to Spencer Tears. After Orlando opened the scoring with a 14-yard touchdown toss to Owens, Tulsa answered with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Edwards to Tears. The visiting Oilers actually trailed 30-21 with a minute remaining in the second quarter before things got interesting.
Tulsa scored twice in the next 59 seconds of game time. First, Edwards II found Tears for a 40-yard bomb to pull to within two after the extra point. Then, after a Pirates turnover on downs deep in Tulsa territory, the Oilers took over with 35 seconds left in the half.
The result was a five-play, 43-yard drive capped by a Smith touchdown reception with one second left on the clock. Following the kickoff Orlando got a 37-yard field goal attempt off and good as time expired to cap a wild final minute of the quarter. The teams traded scores in the third quarter before a wild fourth frame.