A blocked field goal in the closing seconds broke the hearts of Fishers Freight fans Saturday night, as the Jacksonville Sharks escaped with a 36-34 victory.

The Sunshine State has not been kind to the Freight this season. Just a few weeks ago, Orlando handed Fishers a loss on a last-second touchdown pass — and now Jacksonville has done the Freight in as well.

With three seconds left on the clock, kicker Calum Sutherland lined up for a 43-yard attempt that would have won the game. It never had a chance. The kick was blocked, and one has to wonder whether the absence of JT Stokes made the difference. Stokes, a wide receiver who doubles as the long snapper on field goal attempts, left the game injured.

There was plenty for Freight fans to be proud of. A rejuvenated defense held the Sharks’ high-powered offense to 36 points, but mistakes on offense — ill-timed penalties and costly interceptions — proved too much to overcome.

The injury to Stokes looms large. Freight Coach Dixie Wooten told Yahoo Sports during the game that it could be a torn ACL, which would cost Fishers a team leader at a critical point in the season.

The defeat is a major setback in the Freight’s quest for a playoff spot. The loss drops their record to 5-5 and marks their fourth straight defeat.

Controversy added to the heartbreak. As the Sharks marched downfield in the closing seconds, Coach Wooten appeared to argue that he had signaled for a timeout, but officials apparently never saw it, and valuable seconds ticked away. Fishers got the ball back with just nine seconds left. A quick pass along the boards stopped the clock at three seconds, setting up Sutherland’s ill-fated attempt.

The Freight will look to snap the skid when they return home to the Fishers Event Center on Saturday, June 6, for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Tulsa Oilers. It’s Youth Football Night, and tickets are available.