Photos by Dominic Ceraldi
With 1:25 remaining, Sam Castronova’s seven-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to NyQuan Murray gave the San Antonio Gunslingers an upset road win over the Fighters on Friday night.
The defeat was Frisco’s first at home in the regular season since April 30, 2022.
Aided by an offensive holding penalty and a missed field goal, the Fighters (4-1) stopped the visitors with 5:54 to play, but turned it over on downs and gave San Antonio (2-3) great field position for its game-winning strike.
RJ Rountree picked off a TJ Edwards deep pass intended for Cole Blackman to seal matters.
Frisco started the contest with yet another quick-strike opening drive, as Jimmy Smith followed Blackman’s exciting 28-yard grab with a short-yardage plunge. The Gunslingers replied with a four-play march capped by Castronova’s 10-yard connection with Murray.
Edwards — by far the Indoor Football League’s leading ground scorer — had four total rushing touchdowns, including three in the first half hour. Castronova hit DJ Myers twice for scores — one from 10 yards out and another on 4th-and-11 from the 15 — answering the first two.
Kali Rashaad’s six-yard dump-off from Castronova kept San Antonio perfect on offense, then Royce See returned the Fighters’ second blocked PAT to make it 30-26 at the midway point. Castronova and Rashaad linked up for two third-quarter air scores — from 16 and 19 yards — to take leads.
Edwards and Devon McCoy collaborated for a pair of deep air scores to twice give Frisco an edge. Castronova zipped a crafty short pass to Austin Upshaw to vault his side back ahead the first time.
Courtesy Frisco Fighters
