Silverbacks lose, but clinch IFL’s last playoff spot

The Mazkeret Batya Silverbacks lost to the Beersheba Black Swarm 14-6 over the weekend, but clinched the first postseason berth in franchise history anyway, advancing on head-tohead point differential vs the Swarm after splitting the two meetings with them.

The Black Swarm needed a win by 35 points or more in order to make the playoffs, but from the get-go it didn’t look like they were playing with a sense of urgency. One would expect them to flood the game with onside kicks, exotic blitzes, fake punts and gadget plays, but we didn’t see any of that from the Swarm.

The Silverbacks started off with a punt and the Swarm marched down the field and Ronnie Hayes ran in a score for an 8-0 lead. Ido Eisikovits threw a TD pass to Rotem Oz, but Seena Abass blocked the extra point attempt to keep it 8-6 going into the break.

Hayes ran in his second of the night to put Beersheba up 14-6. Mazkeret punted, but Elad Iluz intercepted a Hayes pass in the end-zone. Ben Rahamim broke up a fourth-down Eisikovits pass in the end-zone and the Black Swarm ran out the clock to preserve the win, while falling short of the postseason.

Hayes three for 80 yards and a pick, adding 71 yards and the two scores on the ground. Eisikovits completed 7-of-20 passes for 58 yards and a score for the Silverbacks, while Ohad Samuely rushed 20 times for 83 yards.

IFL wild-card playoff action kicks off this week. On Thursday night in Petah Tikva the Troopers host the Silverbacks, and on Friday morning in Abu Snan the Haifa Underdogs entertain the 5FM "WJW 1JPOFFST r +FSVTBMFN 1PTU 4QPSUT 4UBGG