Missed chances hurt Outlaws

The Mid-Missouri Outlaws had their chances Saturday night in the APFL championship game in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The Iowa  Blackhawks won 31-28 in overtime for their second straight league championship.

“It was two evenly matched teams,” Outlaws coach Travis Jobe said. “Our strengths and weaknesses are exact opposites. They like to use their size and strength, and we have a little more athletic ability, I think.”

The Outlaws scored first on a 3-yard run by Marcus James. Adrian Trevino, who missed four field-goal attempts, booted the extra point.

Mid-Missouri had a shot at taking a 14-0 lead. Kenny Ampande returned an interception for a touchdown, but it was called back because of a penalty.

“It was (a game of) missed opportunities on our part,” Jobe said. “... That   (TD return) would’ve put us up 14-0. You have to take your hats off to Iowa.”

Chris Bradford’s 3-yard TD run tied the score at 7.

In the second quarter, Iowa scored consecutive touchdowns: one on a 4-yard pass from

Chuck Wright to Steve Rush and another on a 17-yard pass from Wright to Andrew Seymour.

The Blackhawks led 21-7 at halftime.

James scored his second TD on a 6-yard run in the third quarter to slice the Outlaws’ deficit in half.

However, Wright and Seymour hooked up again on a 5-yard pass play for a touchdown.

Kyle Middleton hit Allen Williams with an 11-yard TD pass, and the Outlaws trailed 28-21 after three quarters.

The Outlaws tied the score on a 30-yard pass from Middleton to James with 1:32 to play, and the game went into overtime after Iowa’s Jerry Lakin missed a 30-yard field-goal try as time expired in the fourth quarter.

Mid-Missouri (9-3) had a chance to win in overtime, but Nick Freet  blocked Trevino’s attempt.