Wolfpack Pull out Last Second, 26-23 Victory over the Lightning

When the Oregon Lightning and Washington Wolfpack face off in Arena Football, it is never a dull matchup. The Cascade Clash rivalry is quickly becoming must-watch arena football, with something chaotic regularly happening. This week, Washington needed a last-second rushing touchdown from Deshon Williams and a missed field goal as time expired to win 26-23 on the road.

Washington was coming into this matchup looking to rebound after dropping a last-second heartbreaker to Beaumont last week, and the Pack stepped up tonight in a big way to win an ugly rivalry game against Oregon.

Head Coach JR Wells said, “It was an exciting game, it came down to the wire, and it wouldn’t be AF1 without that.” He talked at length about how Oregon played tough and will always come to play week in and week out.

BIG TIME PLAYERS MAKE BIG TIME PLAYS

Staring at a second consecutive loss after Oregon scored the go-ahead touchdown to make it 23-18 with a little more than a minute remaining, Washington turned to its crafty veteran, Byron Edwards, to return the kickoff. Edwards played it masterfully off the net and returned it to midfield with one minute remaining in the game.

From there, rookie quarterback Eric Phoenix delivered a strike to fellow rookie Brandon Lombana that set Washington up inside the five-yard line, where the veterans could go to work. Fullback Undra Hendrix gained a few yards to put the Pack on the goalline with seconds left before receiver Deshon Williams took a high motion handoff off-tackle for the winning touchdown. Williams then converted the two-point conversion on a similar play to extend Washington’s lead.

Washington squibbed the ensuing kickoff to burn time off the clock and then held their breath as they watched Oregon’s game-tying field goal attempt clank off the right upright.

WOLFPACK OFFENSE STRUGGLES

After settling into a comfortable stride offensively over the past four weeks, Washington looked out of sorts during this one. Between the return of Jaiave Magalei, the short week of practice as a result, and the tenacity of an Oregon team rallying at home, it was a long day for the Wolfpack. 

Receiver Aakiel Greer continued his reliable 2026 campaign with another five catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns. This marks his fifth game of 50+ yards all season and is establishing a reputation for spectacular catches. Between a catch and run featuring a spin move and going up top to beat two defenders in the endzone, Aakiel is quickly establishing himself as a human highlight reel.

Outside of Greer, the pack struggled to move the ball, especially in the second half. Jaiave Magalei completed 8/17 passes for two touchdowns and an interception in the first half. He also added his fifth rushing touchdown of the season. However, this did not look like the Wolfpack team that scored 79 points two weeks ago against this same Lightning team.

In an effort to capture a spark, Magalei was pulled in favor of the rookie Phoenix. Last week, Phoenix was prolific and had Washington in a position to win late in the game. This week, he struggled in the second half. Only completing three of his nine passes, but the third completion may have been the most important one. 

In training camp, rookie Brandon Lombana flashed talent and skills that had the Pack excited about his potential. So far this season, he has not been able to find those sparks consistently in his first professional season. This game was different as Lombana made two catches for a total of 40 yards, and none was more clutch than his diving catch to put the Pack on the doorstep of winning late. 

Veteran Deshon Williams largely cooled down in this game, but his late touchdown and two-point conversion were the type of clutch plays Wolfpack and Arena Football fans have come to expect. Four of his eight touchdowns this season have come with less than a minute remaining in the game, and two proved to be game-winners.

WOLFPACK DEFENSE CONTINUES THE HUNT

It was another stellar defensive outing for the Wolfpack and their “Smack Squad.” All season, the Washington defense has kept offenses on the run, forced turnovers, and contained opposing teams throughout the game. This week was no exception. 

Oregon managed only 23 points in this one, and Washington’s defense routinely had Lightning quarterback Dalton Cole on the run, off balance, and on his back throughout the game. Cole was unable to get much going for the Oregon offense, and a large part of that was the pass rush for Washington.

Michael Badejo, Isaiah Pedack, Donte Reed, and newcomer Jarius Gordon were consistently in the backfield and forced multiple sacks and tackles for loss in this matchup. With the rivalry on the line, the defense stepped up and rose to the occasion. Gordon and Badejo each contributed a sack, and Badejo was in on several tackles for loss as well. This tenacity up front has helped Washington turn the corner defensively and set up their secondary to make big plays.

It was another week of turnovers as Washington forced three. And the interceptions were highlight-reel-worthy plays. Byron Edwards corralled a ball bar interception and deflected another interception to Eugene Ford. His leadership and tenacity in the secondary have been invaluable to the Washington defense. He has been greatly helped by the arrival of Eugene Ford and Donyai Dixon. This savvy secondary has been shutting down opposing offenses since the Albany game and generating multiple turnovers per game.

DIFFERENCE MAKERS

The veteran players for Washington stepped up in a big moment to propel Washington to the late win. Between Byron Edwards forcing turnovers and setting up the offense with a big-time return with less than a minute in the game, and Deshon Williams taking in a high-motion handoff to win, the Wolfpack relied on their veterans to win an ugly and sloppy game.

Both Williams and Edwards have big-time fifty-yard experience, and they both leaned heavily on their experience as professionals to keep the squad together late in game when they needed their leadership most. Both have turned into the emotional regulators for their side of the ball and will continue to play a major part in keeping the defense from going full tilt in critical moments.

WHAT IS NEXT

The Wolfpack return home and are rewarded with a bye week after a string of hard-fought, last-second games. Taking advantage of this break in the schedule will allow the Pack to get healthy and to regroup for the home stretch. With five games remaining, the Pack sits right in the thick of the AF1 Playoff Race. 

Currently, their record stands at 3-4, the most wins ever for a Wolfpack team in the regular season, and in possession of the #5 seed in the playoff race. They currently trail the Minnesota Monsters by 2.5 games for the #4 seed. If Washington can make up ground on Minnesota to close out the season, they have a chance to host a 2026 AF1 Playoff game. To not only have a shot to make the playoffs, but also to have a home game would be an amazing next step for the league and team.

Washington will be back in action on Sunday, June 14, as they head to Oceanside to take on the Oceanside Bombers.

Oregon falls to 1-6 and has five games remaining, including a home-and-home over the next two weeks against the Kentucky Barrels before returning to Everett to play the Wolfpack on Saturday, June 20.