BROOKLYN, NY — The S Central Louisiana Mud Dogs held off the Philadelphia Firebirds to win 12-6 in a closely contested Week 13 matchup at home on November 26.

With the victory, the Mud Dogs improve to 11-2 on the season, extending their winning streak to eight and maintaining their lead atop the division. The Firebirds fall to 3-9-1 and have now lost three consecutive games.

The game featured a defensive struggle as both offenses found it difficult to reach the end zone. Neither team scored a touchdown. The Mud Dogs' points came entirely from the boot of kicker Orville Nardi, who was perfect on four field goal attempts. Nardi converted from 48, 40, and 19 yards among his attempts. Philadelphia’s David Webber made both of his field goals, from 50 and 26 yards, but that was not enough to overtake S Central Louisiana.

Quarterback David Waltz of the Mud Dogs threw for 256 yards, completing 26 of 40 passes without scoring a touchdown. However, he also threw four interceptions, which included a costly turnover in the third quarter. Wide receiver Shayne Sitton led the receiving corps with 156 yards.

Philadelphia quarterback Quanah Parker had a less productive day, completing 12 of 29 passes for 109 yards with one interception. The Firebirds’ ground game gained 63 rushing yards.

Defensively, the home team made key plays with four interceptions and three sacks. Defensive end Gregory Hedden accounted for two of those sacks. The defensive effort limited the Firebirds to six points and prevented them from reaching the red zone. The Mud Dogs did not record any red zone trips either but were able to secure points thanks to Nardi’s efficiency on special teams.

The game’s scoring began late in the second quarter when Nardi kicked a 48-yard field goal to give the Mud Dogs a 3-0 lead. Philadelphia responded with a Webber 50-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3. Shortly before halftime, Nardi added a 40-yard field goal to make it 6-3 at the break.

In the third quarter, the Firebirds tied the game with a 26-yard field goal by Webber. Shortly after, the Mud Dogs regained the lead when Nardi converted a 19-yard kick, making the score 9-6. The Mud Dogs added a fourth field goal late in the game to secure a 12-6 final.

Key moments included multiple punts and fair catches early on, a first-quarter interception by Denver Smith of Philadelphia, and a late third-quarter fumble recovery by Philadelphia’s Robert Zamora following a forced fumble by Mike Babich. Despite these turnovers, both teams were unable to capitalize with touchdowns.

Coach Marshall Turner’s Mud Dogs continue their strong campaign with this win, having already clinched the division. The victory solidifies their position as one of the top teams heading towards the postseason.

The Firebirds coached by Olin Wirth, now eliminated from playoff contention, will look to regroup in upcoming weeks.

The Mud Dogs will try to maintain their momentum and focus on postseason preparation as the regular season winds down.