BILLINGS — Bailey Giffen buried a 39-yard field goal as time expired to give the Billings Outlaws a thrilling 35-32 win over the Nashville Kats in the semifinals of the Arena Football LEague playoffs on Saturday in Billings.
Billings led 32-25 late before Nashville's Randy Hippeard plunged in from a yard out with just 47 seconds remaining. The Outlaws picked up about five yards on first down before a defensive holding penalty put them near midfield with just three ticks left on the clock.
In stepped Giffen to hammer home the field goal to send First Interstate Arena into a frenzy and the Outlaws to next Friday's ArenaBowl XXXIII in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
After a scoreless first quarter, Nashville struck on a Hippeard pass to Braxton Haley from four yards out to go up 7-0. Isaac Harker answered with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Dixon to tie it once again. Billings then attempted and recovered an onside kick, leading to a 10-yard scoring toss from Harker to Arthur Anderson. A Hippeard 11-yard scoring toss to Marquise Irvin knotted it up at 14 at the break.
Billings built a 26-16 lead with 1:18 to play in the third quarter when Harker and Dixon hooked up for the second time. Nashville would get another touchdown pass from Hippeard to pull within three, 26-23, then kicker Pat Clarke scored two points with a kickoff through the uprights to make it a one-score game.
After big Blake Mitchell rumbled around the right end for a 9-yard score with 6:28 to play, the Outlaws went for the throat with a fake point-after try. A botched snap, however, stymied the play, giving Nashville the opportunity to tie it late before Giffen's heroics.
Billings will face Albany in East Rutherford, New Jersey, next Friday at 3:30 p.m. Mountain Time in ArenaBowl XXXIII.
