2016 United Bowl

2016 United Bowl
1234 Total
Spokane 76714 34
Sioux Falls 0201421 55
DateJuly 23, 2016
StadiumDenny Sanford Premier Center
LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S.
MVPSioux Falls QB Lorenzo Brown
Attendance9,000
United Bowl
 < 2015  2017

The 2016 United Bowl was the championship game of the 2016 Indoor Football League season. It was played between the Intense Conference Champion Spokane Empire and the United Conference Champion Sioux Falls Storm. The game was played at Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The Sioux Falls Storm beat the Spokane Empire, 55–34.[1] This was the Storm's sixth United Bowl championship and seventh overall United Bowl appearance. It was the Spokane Empire's first United Bowl appearance.

Venue

The game was played at Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as the Sioux Falls Storm had the home field advantage by cause of having a better regular season record.

Background

Spokane Empire

On September 1, 2015, the Spokane Shock left the Arena Football League for the IFL. They changed their names to the Empire, as the AFL owned the rights to the Shock name. The Empire finished the season with a conference best 12–4, earning the first seed in the Intense Conference and a first round bye. In the conference championship, they defeated the Nebraska Danger at home in a 55–44 contest.

2016 Intense Conference
W L T PCT PF PA GB STK
y-Spokane Empire 12 4 0 .750 815 709 -- L2
x-Billings Wolves 8 8 0 .500 643 647 4.0 W2
x-Nebraska Danger 6 10 0 .375 765 794 6.0 W1
Colorado Crush 4 12 0 .250 849 914 8.0 W2
Tri-Cities Fever 3 13 0 .188 577 758 9.0 L9

Sioux Falls Storm

In 2016, the Storm began the regular season with four straight wins before their first road-bump in a loss to the Cedar Rapids Titans. They rebounded from that loss with eleven consecutive victories to finish the season with a 15–1 record, and first place in the United Conference. Sioux Falls clinched home field advantage and a first round bye due to their conference finish. In the conference championship, they defeated the Cedar Rapids Titans at home by a score of 54–28.

2016 United Conference
W L T PCT PF PA GB STK
ySioux Falls Storm 15 1 0 .938 951 720 -- W11
xCedar Rapids Titans 12 4 0 .750 781 628 3.0 W7
xWichita Falls Nighthawks 11 5 0 .688 1001 861 4.0 W2
Green Bay Blizzard 5 11 0 .313 682 932 10.0 L1
Iowa Barnstormers 4 12 0 .250 737 838 11.0 L7

Box score

Quarter 1 2 34Total
Empire 7 6 71434
Storm 0 20 142155

at Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

  • Date: July 23, 2016
  • Game time: 8:05 p.m. EDT
  • Game attendance: 9,000
Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP SPO SFX
1 9:34 8 37 5:26 SPO Hayes 9-yard touchdown reception from Dowdell, Clarke kick good 7 0
2 11:55 6 30 3:05 SFX Brown 1-yard touchdown run, Syrovatka kick good 7 7
2 8:33 5 38 3:15 SPO Charles 24-yard touchdown reception from Dowdell, Clarke kick no good 13 7
2 7:57 1 23 0:29 SFX Tatum 23-yard touchdown reception from Brown, Syrovatka kick no good 13 13
2 0:03 8 45 2:44 SFX Williams 11-yard touchdown reception from Brown, Syrovatka kick good 13 20
3 14:30 1 49 0:29 SFX Tatum 49-yard touchdown reception from Brown, Syrovatka kick good 13 27
3 13:58 1 31 0:25 SPO Charles 31-yard touchdown reception from Dowdell, Clarke kick good 20 27
3 8:57 9 45 5:01 SFX Brown 1-yard touchdown run, Syrovatka kick good 20 34
4 9:02 5 35 3:06 SFX Brown 4-yard touchdown run, Syrovatka kick good 20 41
4 5:42 4 17 3:14 SPO Dowdell 1-yard touchdown run, Clarke kick no good 26 41
4 3:24 3 21 2:09 SFX Holley 20-yard touchdown reception from Brown, Syrovatka kick good 26 48
4 2:55 1 24 0:25 SPO Pierce 24-yard touchdown reception from Dowdell, 2-point pass good (Dowdell–Samuel pass) 34 48
4 1:22 4 17 1:43 SFX Williams 2-yard touchdown run, Syrovatka kick good 34 55
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 34 55

References

  1. ^ Garry, Mick (July 23, 2016). "Storm earn sixth IFL championship". Argus Leader. Retrieved February 13, 2024.