Sioux City Bandits hold on for victory over Colorado

Journal staff

SIOUX CITY — The Sioux City Bandits defense stuffed a two-point conversion attempt by the Colorado Spartans with 18 seconds left in the game to preserve a 62-61 win Friday night at Tyson Events Center.

In a high-scoring, back-and-forth game, the Spartans pulled ahead 55-54 on a Jason Whittaker 17-year touchdown pass to Khalil Hayes with 03:48 remaining. The Bandits blocked the point after.

The ensuing kickoff traveled 13 yards, with Sherman Gilbert returning it three yards to the Colorado 10-yard line. An offside penalty by the Spartans on first down moved the ball to the five. On the next play, Fred Bruno scored the go-ahead touchdown on a five-yard run. Quarterback Joshua Hollins’ run on the two-point conversion put the Bandits ahead 62-55 with 3:10 left.

Colorado then moved down the field 36 yards on four plays, culminating with Whittaker’s six-yard TD pass to Hayes with 18 seconds left. The Spartans elected to go for the win with a two-point conversion attempt. But defensive back Carlton Watkins stopped Spartans running back Jeff Luc short of the goal line.

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After recovering an onside kick attempt, the Bandits then ran out the clock.

Hollins rushed for four touchdowns and passed for another to lead the Bandits. The dual-threat quarterback was 9-of-11 through the air for 44 yards and also carried the ball seven times for 55 yards. Andrew Prohaska ran for 40 yards and two scores.

Sioux City scored two touchdowns on kickoff returns, with Bruno returning a kickoff 50 yards for the Bandits’ first score of the game, and Landon Freeman taking a kickoff 56 yards to the house with just 41 seconds left in the second quarter.

Whittaker was 22-of-30 for 305 yards and seven touchdowns, with one interception for the Spartans.

Sherman Gilbert led the Bandits defense with eight tackles and Braden Meints added seven stops, which included a sack that resulted in a safety. Xavier Spann picked off an errant Whittaker pass.

The Bandits improved to 3-0 with all the wins coming at home. Sioux City has sole possession of first place in the National Arena League, a half game ahead of the idle Omaha Beef (2-0).

Sioux City, which has a bye this week, next plays the Carolina Cobras on Sunday, April 28 at the Greensboro (NC) Coliseum.

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