Albany Firebirds bested by Billings in ArenaBowl XXXIII

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ( NEWS10 ) — While it wasn’t the finish many had envisioned for the team, the Albany Firebirds’ return season to the relaunched Arena Football League was a success in so many ways.

Albany came up just short of its bid for an AFL championship Friday night, losing 46-41 to the Billings Outlaws in ArenaBowl XXXIII at American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Billings, the top overall seed in the playoffs, defeated Albany 36-35 in week nine of the regular season in remarkable (and controversial), comeback fashion. The Firebirds were far from 100% health-wise in that game, which was played in Montana, and felt they were still the better team heading into Friday’s championship rematch.

But Albany was just unable to get out of its own way in the defeat.

“We just made too many mistakes,” said Firebirds head coach Damon Ware. “We had a lot of drops. Tough night. You know, these are the big moments, and some of your guys are gonna show up; some of ’em aren’t. Unfortunately, our guys didn’t show up like [Billings] did.”

One player who clearly showed up was Billings wide receiver Duane Brown. He hauled in five touchdown catches, and his 125 receiving yards accounted for 63% of the team’s total offensive yards.

The Firebirds offense, which erupted for a season-high 80 points in the semifinal round of the playoffs against Salina, didn’t showcase nearly the same firepower as it did the week prior. Quarterback Jake Medlock battled through a right knee injury suffered early in the fourth quarter. He managed to put up 213 yards through the air, but only mustered two touchdown passes, and was picked off for the only turnover of the game.

“They’re [Billings] a great defense; they’ve been like that all year,” said Medlock. “We just made mistakes, and it is what it is. It happens. They deserve it. Great team win for them. We fought our butts off, which I’m proud of.”

It took until the second quarter for the Firebirds to get on the scoreboard – a one-yard Trevon Shorts touchdown run put them up 7-3 at the 10:19 mark. But Billings countered with an over six-minute scoring drive that culminated in a nine-yard TD strike from Isaac Harker to Brown.

Medlock was picked off on the first play of Albany’s next drive, and the Outlaws cashed that in for six more points with another Harker-to-Brown connection, growing their lead to 17-7.

The Firebirds stole some momentum back before the conclusion of the first half, as Medlock linked up with Darien Townsend in the end zone with just three seconds on the clock. Albany headed for the locker room trailing 17-13.

But Billings landed a big blow out of the break – a 36-yard pitch-and-catch between Harker and Brown that grew the margin back to double digits. Touchdowns were scored on all four possessions of the third quarter, and the two sides headed for the final stanza with the Outlaws maintaining a 33-29 advantage, and driving down the field.

Brown reached paydirt for a fourth time on the opening play of the fourth quarter, giving Billings a 39-29 edge.

The first defensive stop of the second half came on Albany’s next series. Medlock was sacked on fourth down, where he injured his knee. But his defense stepped up, forcing the Outlaws into a 29-yard field goal attempt that was missed by Bailey Giffen, giving the Firebirds life.

Donning a right knee brace and clearly in a lot of pain, Medlock guided his team down the field with a 12-yard strike to Darius Prince and 25-yard bomb to Townsend. Two plays later, Jake Molonich crossed the goal line from a yard out, bringing the ‘Birds within four points. Albany went for the potential game-tying, four-point conversion, but a pass from Medlock slipped through the hands of Prince, keeping the score at 39-35.

Billings quickly responded. Brown’s fifth touchdown of the night – a 37-yard catch-and-run – put the Firebirds in a hole they just could not come back from.

Albany managed to find the end zone once more with nine seconds to go in the game. But the Outlaws recovered the ensuing onside kick, denying the ‘Birds a dream finish inside of American Dream Mall.

The loss, while no doubt disappointing, should not cast a shadow, though, on what the Firebirds managed to accomplish this season. While a number of teams in the AFL folded, Albany made it the distance, while playing one of the toughest schedules in the league.

And considering Albany didn’t even have a professional football team at this time a year ago after the collapse of the Empire, the sheer fact that the city had a team to root for in a championship game was a victory in itself.

“This’ll be one of my favorite seasons; just kind of rising from the ashes,” said Firebirds head coach Damon Ware. “We’re gonna be back. We’re here to stay. Hopefully I’m here for another 10 years, but we’ll be back competing for a championship again next year.”

“One of the reasons I came back – I wanted to be a part of a championship city; that’s what Albany is, and that’s what it deserves,” added Medlock. “We’ll be back. And we’re gonna keep fighting.”

Albany wraps up its season with an overall record of 8-3, including the playoffs.

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