Box Score Despite a 45-38 loss at Frisco, the Bay Area Panthers qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

The postseason bid was secured later in the evening when San Diego lost at Arizona, 

Rookie Felix Harper filled in admirably for Dalton Sneed at quarterback, taking his first snaps in the Indoor Football League.  Sneed was under the weather and spent the game wearing a headset on the Bay Area bench. 

"This morning, Dalton was feeling sick.  But in the preparation during the week, coaches always have us prepared," said Harper.  "It's next man up because you never know what could happen.  So I was prepared, watching film and making sure my head was in the game."

The first-year IFL player from Alcorn State ended the night 10-19 for 96 yards with four touchdown passes and his one interception on 4th and 32 in the fourth gave the Panthers a chance to take the lead.  Kordell Jackson had inside position on Nih Jackson and made the pick at the Frisco 1-yard line. 

After three straight incompletions,  Frisco's TJ Edwards connected with Jerminic Smith on 4th and 10 from the 1 to keep the ball and away from the Panthers' almost certain go-ahead score.  Martez Carter capped the 49-yard drive with a 22-yard scoring run for a 45-38 lead with 4:17 left in the fourth. 

The Panthers final drive took them down to the the Frisco 18 but were pushed back because of a holding penalty.  Under duress, Harper threw two incomplete passes to seal the victory for the Fighters. 

"We made the proper adjustments at half to limit them offensively," said Defensive Coordinator Rob Keefe. "I think what hurt us at the end was two 4th downs and not getting off the field.  We lost a couple challenges that were tough.  But the guys fought hard and played awesome.  We've just got to execute and get off the field when it's crunch time."

Harper threw three touchdown passes in the first half and his 2-yard run gave Bay Area a 31-30 lead at the half. 

"I thought Felix being thrown in there at crunch time was excellent for us ," said Keefe.  "He's an unbelievable athlete.  To find out about an hour before the game that you're starting says a lot about him and says a lot about our team.  We were able to believe in each other and rally around him to play as hard as we possibly can."

But the offense sputtered in the second half with only seven points after the break. 

Both Marquise Bridges and Antwon Kincade had nine tackles to share the club lead.  Linebacker Wes Bowers returned to the lineup with six tackles, a fumble returned six yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and later had an interception of Edwards.  

The playoff-bound Panthers are 8-5, one game behind Arizona for first in the West and host San Diego after the bye on July 10.  The Fighters are 11-2 with a one-game lead over  Massachusetts in the East heading into next Saturday's home game against Sioux Falls.