Boise Burn sack Stockton for sixth straight win

The firsts just keep coming for the Boise Burn.

Friday, the team clinched its first af2 playoff berth thanks to the league's ruling to keep a 16-team playoff format.

Saturday, Boise notched its first six-game winning streak with a dramatic 57-54 victory over the Stockton Lightning at Qwest Arena.

With two more wins, the Burn (10-2) can lock up their first playoff home game - and they're still in the hunt for their first West Division title, too.

"Our ultimate goal is the championship," said fullback Damian Walker, who scored the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard run with 54 seconds remaining Saturday. "We're not satisfied with just being in the dance, we want to put ourselves in the best possible position in the dance."

The Burn are in great position now, thanks largely to defensive lineman Alex Guerrero. The Boise State product scored his first af2 touchdown and had two sacks, the second of which forced Stockton (4-8) to try a game-tying 40-yard field goal as time expired.

Stephen Irvine's kick was wide right, and Boise celebrated the victory with 4,297 relieved fans.

"I told myself that if (Stockton) got the ball back, I was going to get the game-winning sack," Guerrero said. "Thank God I got it."

Guerrero gave the Burn a 50-35 lead with a 1-yard TD plunge early in the fourth quarter, but Boise turned the ball over on its next three offensive plays. Stockton capitalized, scoring 19 unanswered points to take a 54-50 lead.

The Lightning had a chance to make it a two-possession game, but the Burn defense held. Then, with the game in the balance, quarterback Taylor Tharp shook off his two fourth-quarter interceptions and led Boise the length of the field for Walker's winning score.

"We never had any doubt," Walker said. "We were in a sticky situation, but it was sticky because we made mistakes. We had confidence when we got the ball back that we could handle our business and get the ball in the end zone."

Stockton moved the ball into Boise territory with less than 30 seconds remaining, but Guerrero sacked Lightning quarterback Chad Cavender for a 7-yard loss on third down.

"Alex only has one speed, and it's a high speed," Burn coach Brent Winter said. "He made a phenomenal play.

"Tonight, we actually proved we could beat adversity and in my opinion, only championship teams can do that."