Stockton Lightning At Tri-Cities Fever- Week One
Published on March 28, 2008 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Staten Island Yankees News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Stockton Lightning (0-0)
at Tri-Cities Fever (0-0)
Date: March 28, 2008
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. PT
Site: Gesa Field at Toyota Center (5,700)
Radio: 1420-AM KSTN (Steve McElroy)
Internet: www.NiFTyTV.com/af2
Referee: Steve Kovac; Umpire: Jeff Mattson; Head Linesman: Mark Deichman; Line Judge: Matt Dornan; Back Judge: Rob Fuller
Series Record: Tied, 1-1
Coaches: Doug Murray (Stockton - 6-10, 2nd season); Cedric Walker (12-14, 1st season)
THE STAKES: Head Coach Doug Murray starts the 2008 season with a fresh slate, looking to kick-start the first playoff contending team in Lightning history and begin the year on a winning note - should the Lightning win, it would be the first season-opening win in franchise history. The Lightning are 0-2 in season-opening games - both taking place in the state of Washington (Spokane in 2006 and 2007). It will also be the start of the second af2 season for the Tri-Cities Fever, who clinched an ArenaCup Playoff berth at 8-8 and nearly knocked off the ArenaCup finalist Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers in the opening round.
THE IFs:
If Stockton defeats Tri-Cities it would ...
● Give the Lightning their first all-time season-opening win
● Give the Lightning their first all-time win at Tri-Cities
● Give the Lightning a 1-0 record for the 2008 season
● Give the Lightning a 2-1 lifetime record vs. Tri-Cities
HEAD COACH PROFILES: Doug Murray - Stockton: Doug Murray enters his second season at the helm of the Lightning, introduced to the media as the second coach in Lightning history at a September 15, 2006 news conference at Stockton Arena. Guiding the team to a one-win improvement last year which included playoff contention into the final month of July, Murray oversees all on and off-field matters related to football operations.
Promoted from his position as Defensive Backs Coach in 2006, Murray's hand in the Lightning offense spearheaded their way to the eighth-best output with 4,527 yards in 2007, while the Lightning pass rating placed sixth in the league at 265.9.
A longtime resident of the Northern California area, Murray's defensive knowledge has been instrumental to the collegiate successes of Chabot College, Menlo College and the University of California at Davis, having then moved to the pro ranks with the Spring Football League (a precursor to the XFL), the Central Valley Coyotes of the af2 and then the Lightning.
Currently in his second tour of duty within the af2, Murray served on coaching staff with the Central Valley Coyotes in 2004 as defensive coordinator. Murray guided the Coyotes defense to finish third in the af2 with a 33.3 percent opponent fourth-down conversion rate, seventh in the af2 with 56 fumble return yards, 10th in the af2 with 226 first downs allowed, 11th in the af2 with 3,584 passing yards allowed and 12th in the af2 with 3,939 total defensive yards allowed.
Previously, Murray spent two years in the college football ranks as the defensive backs coach at the University of California-Davis, helping guide the Aggies to the NCAA Division-II quarterfinal playoff game in 2002 and helping the program earn their 34th consecutive winning season in UC Davis' first year of NCAA Division-I status in 2003.
Murray's ties to the Northern California-area are also linked to his college football playing career, where he earned two letters (1978-79) as a receiver at Cal State Hayward (NCAA).
Murray received his B.A. degree in Sociology from Hayward in 1986, followed by earning his master's in public administration in 1990. Murray currently resides in Stockton with his wife Natalia, daughter Naje, and son Nicolas.
Cedric Walker - Tri-Cities: Cedric Walker joins the Tri-Cities Fever with an impressive resume. Walker Played college football with the Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjacks and earned a spot as one of the only two other guys to be named All-American for 4 consecutive years, and he is currently 4th in NCAA career interceptions all-time.
In Arena Football, Walker became the 5th all-time in career tackles and assists, 15th all-time in career forced fumbles and fumble returns, 19th all-time in career pass break-ups, and 29th all time in career interceptions. He also recorded 11 tackles and 1 interception in an Arena Bowl Championship win with the Arizona Rattlers.
Walker also has coaching experience with multiple af2 teams, including the Bakersfield Blitz in which he finished the year with the No. 1 ranked defense in the league. He was also the Head Coach of the Everett Hawks during the '06-'07 season and led the Hawks to a No. 3 ranked defense which led the league in several defensive statistical categories.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING (courtesy of The Record)
"Having a veteran quarterback talking to the receivers is very helpful. He's an expert in arena football."
- Doug Murray on QB Chad Elliott
"The guys are hungry, really athletic and all looking to make a name for themselves. It helps because I can give them my knowledge. Arena football is such a different game than the outdoor game."
- QB Chad Elliott
"We were very fortunate to have Atnas available after his season in the Canadian Football League. He's familiar with the area and our coaching staff, and we're very blessed to have him come back and play for us."
- Doug Murray on the return of WR Atnas Maeko
FOR THE LOVE OF FOOTBALL: The Stockton Lightning of the arenafootball2 league unveiled their 2008 marketing campaign earlier this week, officially deemed "For The Love Of Football," selecting the slogan with an emotional theme to celebrate the unique football experience for fans of all ages as the centerpiece in game night promotions, special events, community activities, charitable efforts, publications and the Lightning's official website, www.stocktonlightning.com.
The logo and graphics, developed by the Lightning marketing department, will interchange with different themed nights and community events this year to celebrate arena football, its rabid fan base, and the game-night experience to compliment specific themed nights hosted by the Lightning.
The year's festivities will start in grand style with the third annual Lightning "FanFest" on Sunday, March 30 (presented by 104.1 The Hawk, St. Joseph's Medical Center, The Record, Valley Brew Family Restaurant, Comcast & Port of Stockton California) from Noon to 2:00 p.m. at Stockton Arena. All fans in attendance will receive free admission while Lightning players and Shockwave Dance Team members will be on-hand for free autograph opportunities.
LIGHTNING HIT THE AIRWAVES: The Stockton Lightning return to radio for the second straight on 1420 KSTN AM, airing Lightning home, away and ArenaCup Playoff games.
Beginning this season, all Lightning games will be available for viewing at www.stocktonlightning.com through an online stream via NifTy Online Television, free-of-charge. NFT's innovative video broadcasting solution incorporates a downloadable player that streams content directly to the viewer's computer desktop.
Mike Benton, who is also the radio play-by-play announcer for the ECHL's Stockton Thunder, will handle radio play-by-play duties for the third consecutive season with the Lightning and will be joined in the booth by color commentator Steve McElroy, who also serves Sacramento State University's athletic department with various broadcast roles. Returning to the broadcast team for his second straight year is local Northern California fan-favorite and former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver J.J. Stokes, who will contribute with additional color commentary on select Lightning broadcasts.
DROPBACK:
Below is a look at the milestones attained by the Lightning in 2007:
- Evan Gray - 50+ touchdown passes (2nd Lightning player to accomplish the feat - Josh Blankenship, 2006)
- Jason Hunt - 11.5 sacks (single-season record - 8.0, Aubrey Dorisme - 2006)
- Jason Hunt - 3.0 sacks (single-game record - tied - Lyndell Hawkins - 2006)
- Ty Johnson - 4 interceptions (single-season record - 3, Clyde Surrell - 2006)
- Sale' Key
* 1,000+ receiving yards (3rd Lightning player to accomplish the feat - Atnas Maeko, Phil Goodman, 2006)
* New Lightning record - 129 catches, 37 TD catches)
* New Lightning record - 1,584 receiving yards
* New Lightning record - 222 points (single-season - 182, Phil Goodman - 2006)
- Kenyatte Morgan - 5,000+ career return yards (only player in af2 history to accomplish the feat)
- Travis Seaton -76.0 tackles (single-season record - 55.0, Jamal Wallace - 2006)
- Travis Seaton - 10.5 tackles (single-game record - tied - Jerome Dennis and Jamal Wallace - 2006)
- Alex Walls - 100+ points (career-high - accomplished 6/30/07 vs. Everett)
- Alex Walls - 17 field goals (single-season record - 7, Marc Hickok - 2006)
A BROKEN RECORD:
Below is a look at the records broken (or tied) by the Lightning in the final weeks of the 2007 season:
STOCKTON 82 - BAKERSFIELD 24 (week 13)
- Most points (68, at Green Bay - 6/10/06)
- Fewest points allowed (33, at Boise - 5/26/07)
- Largest margin of victory (24, at Boise - 5/26/07)
- Most touchdown passes, one game (tied - Evan Gray) (8 -Josh Blankenship, twice, at Green Bay - 6/10/06 and vs. Central Valley - 5/13/06)
CENTRAL VALLEY 82 - STOCKTON 63 (week 15)
- Most points combined (131, vs. Central Valley - 5/19/07)
- Touchdown passes, one game - 8, Evan Gray (tied - see above)
- Most passing yards, one game - 393, Evan Gray (386, Josh Blankenship, 2006)
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
CHAD ELLIOTT (QB): One of the all-time passing greats in arenafootball2 history, local Northern California-product Chad Elliott joins the Lightning offense as a key piece to Doug Murray's attack for 2008. The local Grass Valley, Calif. native will enters his seventh season of professional football after a heralded career at local-area Sacramento Grant (Calif.) High, where he threw 48 touchdown passes and just two interceptions as a 1996 senior before launching his pro career with the Bakersfield Blitz and the Macon Knights.
The 6-foot-2, 208-pound signal-caller entered the 2008 season with 76 career professional games played, completing 1,491 pass attempts for 17,066 career yards, ranking second best in af2 history for both categories. His 315 touchdown passes were fourth best on the af2 career charts - while only throwing 72 interceptions.
MOST PASSING YARDS, ALL-TIME (af2)
PLAYER TEAM YARDS
1. Craig Strickland TUL, OKC 22,688
2. Chad Elliott* STK, BAK, MAC 17,066
3. Ryan Vena ALB, WBS 16,264
4. Chris Wallace* NOR, FLA 16,176
5. Matt Sauk TENN, LOU 14,142
* active
ALEX WALLS (K) - No one was more accurate when it came to splitting the three-point uprights last year than all-af2 kickerAlex Walls, who returns with the Lightning after leading the league with a 71.4 field goal percentage in 2007. Additionally, Walls surpassed the 100-point mark for the first time in his career last year, breaking his single-season record of 99 points (Birmingham, 2006).
Walls also hit two game-winning "walk-off" field goals last year - both from 39 yards - at home against Central Valley and on the road against Everett.
MOST FIELD GOALS MADE, ALL-TIME (af2)
PLAYER TEAM FG
1. Brian Hazelwood* BOS 51
2. Brandon KornblueMAC, FLA 42
3. Alex Walls* STK, BIR, TEN 41
4. James Thomas GRN 38
Kimo Naehu* HAW, SD, QC 38
* active
DIAMOND FRANCIES (DB) - Former Sacramento State Hornet and Humboldt State Lumberjack was second on the Lightning last season as a rookie with 60 total tackles, 49 solo, one tackle for loss and was second on the team with 11 pass breakups. Francies had a season-high 10.5 tackles on 5/5/07 at Tri-Cities in 57-44 defeat
JASON HUNT (FB/LB) - Taking an all-af2 season by storm after a previous training camp stint with the Lightning in 2006, Jason Hunt was one of six (af2 league-high tying) Lightning players named to the All-af2 team last year after leading the Lightning with 11.5 sacks, breaking the single-season team record previously set by Aubrey Dorisme (8.0 sacks, set in 2006). The Modesto, Calif. native led the Lightning with 13.5 tackles for loss, ranking eighth in the af2 and registered 52.5 tackles, placing fourth on the team.
CARL WALKER (LB) - The former Miami Hurricane returns for his second season with the Lightning after garnering an All-af2 selection as a rookie. Walker ranked third on the Lightning with 55 tackles and tied for third on the team with eight pass breakups, primarily serving the team in the "jack" linebacker position. Walker's best output came against Spokane on April 28 as the Florida native tallied a team-high tying seven take-downs.
New York-Penn League Stories from March 28, 2008
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- Stockton Lightning At Tri-Cities Fever- Week One - Staten Island Yankees
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- Get Discounted Ticket to the Vermont Home and Garden Show - Vermont Lake Monsters
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