The Vegas Knight Hawks shook off an ugly first quarter and turned the inaugural IFL Cup opener into a blowout, rolling the Orlando Pirates 73-33 on May 18 at American Dream. Vegas piled up 294 yards of offense, converted 13 of 14 third downs and scored in every quarter after falling behind early.
Orlando jumped out 20-0 behind two quick touchdown passes from Paxton DeLaurent and a short rushing score. Vegas answered with Josh Tomas’ 11-yard touchdown run and Jayden DeLaura’s 35-yard rushing touchdown, trimming the deficit to 20-14 after one.
Orlando hit first, Vegas hit back harder
The Pirates opened with touchdown passes to Thomas Owens and Nyqwan Murray, and they got another spark when DJ Daniel intercepted DeLaura to set up the second score. Orlando’s early pace had Vegas on its heels, but not for long.
Tomas steadied the Knight Hawks with a rushing touchdown, then DeLaura broke loose for a 35-yard score to keep Vegas within one possession. Those two plays kept the game from turning into a runaway before it became Vegas’ show.
Duck flipped the script at the goal line
Orlando threatened again early in the second quarter until Clifton Duck picked off DeLaurent at the Vegas goal line and returned it 15 yards. That takeaway was the hinge, turning a chance for Orlando points into a short field and a reset for Vegas.
Vegas cashed it in with a drive that ended in a DeLaura touchdown pass to John Erby, and the Knight Hawks finally moved in front. The second quarter turned into a swing set after that, but Vegas was the side gaining altitude.
A wild second quarter, then Roberts ended it
Orlando hit a kickoff return touchdown to jolt the game again. Vegas answered with another Tomas plunge, then took a two-score edge into halftime after Terry Roberts intercepted DeLaurent at the goal line as the half expired.
That pick mattered because it erased Orlando’s last chance to claw back before the break. It also set the tone for the clampdown that followed.
Third quarter: rouge, runs, and Orlando ran out of answers
Vegas came out of halftime and immediately put its foot on the gas, starting with a quick-strike touchdown. Gabe Rui added a rouge, and DeLaura punched in two more short rushing touchdowns as the Knight Hawks stacked points and field position.
Orlando did not score in the third, while Vegas poured in 22 points to stretch the lead to 50-26. From there, it was about how loud the final margin would get.
Fourth quarter: the safety made it cruel, Tillman made it official
Orlando finally found the end zone again early in the fourth, but Vegas answered right back with another Tomas touchdown. Then Billy Martin III sacked DeLaurent for a safety, the kind of play that turns a blowout into a warning label.
Tomas later tacked on a 10-yard touchdown run, and Avaun Rucker capped the night with a touchdown pass to Jaylon Tillman, Tillman’s first score as a Knight Hawk.
The numbers that buried Orlando
Tomas finished with 100 rushing yards on 23 carries and scored four rushing touchdowns. DeLaura went 12 of 14 for 107 yards with two passing touchdowns and one interception, and he ran for 56 yards with three rushing scores.
Vegas forced five turnovers, including three interceptions by Duck, Roberts and Ian McBorrough, plus two lost fumbles. Orlando threw three interceptions and lost two of four fumbles, and Vegas’ efficiency kept those mistakes expensive.
Up next
The Knight Hawks have punched their ticket to the IFL Cup Championship and will face the Arizona Rattlers at American Dream on Sunday, May 24. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. PT and the game will stream on Yahoo Sports.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
