Stars Edge Maulers in Overtime Thriller, 27-24

The Philadelphia Stars secured a dramatic overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Maulers, prevailing 27-24 at Veterans Stadium. Kelvin Bryant’s all-around performance and Chuck Fusina’s clutch passing propelled the Stars to their fourth win of the season. A game-winning 31-yard field goal by David Trout sealed the deal in a hard-fought contest.

Philadelphia dominated early, with Fusina finding Thorton for an 11-yard touchdown and Thorton adding a 7-yard rushing score to build a 14-0 first-quarter lead. Pittsburgh responded late in the first half with Brian Sipe orchestrating a 13-play, 91-yard drive capped by a 6-yard touchdown to Jackie Flowers. In the second half, Sipe connected with Kirk Pendleton on a 23-yard strike to tie the game. Both teams traded blows in a tense fourth quarter, with Rozier’s 7-yard run giving the Maulers a brief lead before Fusina’s 13-yard touchdown to Timmie Ware put the Stars ahead.

Pittsburgh forced overtime with a last-second field goal but couldn’t muster another scoring drive in the extra period. The Stars capitalized with a methodical 12-play drive, setting up Trout’s decisive kick. Bryant was unstoppable on the ground with 113 rushing yards, while Rozier led Pittsburgh with 126 yards and a touchdown. Both quarterbacks delivered under pressure, with Sipe’s 247 passing yards narrowly outpacing Fusina’s 213. The win marked a bright spot in a challenging season for Philadelphia, while the Maulers saw their playoff hopes further dimmed.