For the second straight season, the Quad City Steamwheelers lost in their first playoff game of the post-season in front of 5,952 fans at The MARK of the Quad Cities, this time on one of the craziest plays in football.

With the Steamwheelers leading 48-47 with less than a minute to play and with the ball, they tried to run out the clock. On fourth down from the Louisville 11-yard line, Steamwheelers quarterback Ronnie Gordon attempted to run out the last seven seconds remaining on the clock. He was stopped of his forward progress before he got to the line of scrimmage by Louisville defender Jason Fergusson, which under the one-minute timing rule, the clock stopped with three seconds remaining.

Fire coach Tommy Johnson sent out his kicker Danny Kight to attempt a 53-yard field goal. The kick was online, but hit just left of the uprights. The ball took a big bounce over Steamwheelers offensive specialist Jeff Hewitt’s head and right into the hands of Fire offensive lineman/defensive lineman Derrick Shepard at the 10-yard line. Shepard then rushed into the endzone untouched for the game-winning touchdown.

Final score: Louisville 53, Quad City 48.

With the win, the Fire move onto the National Conference semifinals against the Tulsa Talons, which will take place next Saturday night in Tulsa.

The Fire got a strong performance from wide receiver/defensive backs Tony Stallings, who had five receptions for 41 yards and two scores to go along with nine kick returns for 192 yards totaling 233 all-purpose yards on offense. Stallings was named U.S. Army Ironman of the Game.

The Steamwheelers, who led most of the game, had big nights from Hewitt and defensive specialist Matt Forbes. Hewitt had three receptions for 46 yards, all for touchdowns, as well as 68 kick return yards. Hewitt was named Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game.

Forbes had 6.5 tackles and five pass deflections to earn ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors.

The Steamwheelers end the 2004 season at 10-7.