The San Diego Strike Force were 67-49 losers to the Quad City Steamwheelers in their debut Friday evening despite Derrick Bernard throwing six touchdown passes and running for a seventh score in an Indoor Football League game in Moline, Illinois.
The Strike Force never led, trailing 43-28 at halftime and 50-28 entering the fourth quarter.
The Quad City offense scored touchdowns each of the first seven times it had the ball.
Bernard completed 17 of 25 passes for 245 yards and had three passes intercepted.
E.J. Hilliard threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores for the Steamwheelers, who were making their debut in the Indoor Football League after playing in Champions Indoor Football last season.
Isiah Neely ran for two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass and Darius Hicks ran for two touchdowns for Quad City before a crowd at Taxslayer Center announced at 4,782.
Carlos Wiggins ran for a touchdown for the Steamwheelers, who also got a 41-yard field goal from Jacob Stytz in the third quarter and a rouge point when a second-quarter kickoff by Stytz was not returned out of the end zone.
Local
Hilliard completed 10 of 16 passes for 132 yards and ran for 61 yards on nine carries.
The Strike Force was outgained 270 yards to 241, trailed 26-17 in first downs and 41:50-18:10 in time of possession.
The Strike Force will make its debut at Pechanga Arena San Diego March 3 against the Tucson Sugar Skulls.
