The Maryland Maniacs extended their indoor football winning streak to ten games, defeating the hapless Muskegon Thunder one final time by a 40-23 mark. Just as in the matchup between the teams two weeks earlier, Maryland struggled to establish an advantage in the first half before putting the game away in the second half.
A last minute touchdown pass before halftime narrowed Maryland's advantage in its home regular season finale to 20-17, reported The Gazette. However, the Maniacs gave up no further touchdowns for the game while scoring on third quarter touchdown passes from qb Bryson Spinner to Raymond McCarter for 40 yards and to Roderick Bryant on a 10-yarder.
Maryland's win combined with a loss by the RiverCity Rage extended the Maniacs' division lead to two games. With two games on the season remaining for each team, a Maniacs win or Rage loss would give the Maniacs the undisputed division title and first round playoff bye. A two-way tie between the teams would be broken in favor of RiverCity based on head-to-head criteria.
The Maniacs will complete their regular season with two road games, the first of which at the Bloomington Extreme will provide the toughest challenge to Maryland's winning streak. With the likes of the weaker Muskegon and Saginaw squads now behind it, Maryland can't afford another bout of first half doldrums should it harbor serious hopes of maintaining the streak.
______________________Labels: indoor football, maryland maniacs, sports
