Rage Head To Sioux City For Crucial Game
June 5, 2008 - United Indoor Football Association (UIF)
RiverCity Rage News Release
St. Charles, MO - The RiverCity Rage head to Sioux City, Iowa this weekend for a game with huge playoff implications for both teams. The Rage (5-7) go into the contest with a one game lead over the Bandits (4-8) for the number two seed in the Eastern Division and home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Because this is the only meeting between these two clubs in the regular season, the head-to-head tiebreaker will be the determining factor in the case of an end of the year tie.
The Rage have picked up their play at the right time, winning their previous two games. They are coming off a tremendous overtime victory, 32-29, over the division leading Bloomington Extreme. Rage head coach Ken Stills knows the importance of that win. "That was a huge win for our fans, our city and our entire organization," said Stills. "We weren't even thinking about the standings that night. We have been playing playoff games for about a month now. We have known that we need to win, and keep winning, to extend our season. Our defense played over their heads to keep the best player in the league [quarterback Dusty Burk] in check. Our offense played well, especially in overtime."
This week's challenge will be similar to last week. The Rage defense will face another potent offensive attack. The Bandits are led by their two All Star playmakers - quarterback Chad Kapanui and running back John Bentley. Kapanui ranks second in the UIF in passing yards (2,178) and third in touchdown passes (39). Bentley leads the league in rushing yards (584) and is second in touchdown runs (18). Their offense comes in scoring the third highest points per game in the league with 45.5. However, their defense is last in league, allowing 49 per contest.
"This will be another challenge for our guys on defense," added Stills. "They really stepped up last week and I know they have it in them to do it again. Our offense is going to have to continue to improve if we want to come away with a win. Their defense can give up some points and we will have to take advantage of that. This is a huge game for us that could determine home field advantage. Since this is the first time we've played Sioux City we won't be able to go back and look at plays and tendencies in previous games. We will have to read and react as they game goes on. This is as a business trip. We need to go on the road and take care of business."
The Rage will play their final 2008 regular season game at the Family Arena on Saturday, June 14th against the Billings Outlaws. The gates open at 6:00 with kickoff set for 7:00. Great tickets remain and start at just $5. For tickets call (636) 896.4285 or visit ragefootball.com.
United Indoor Football Association Stories from June 5, 2008
- Storm Add Depth to Offensive Line - Sioux Falls Storm
- Rage Head To Sioux City For Crucial Game - RiverCity Rage
- Hicks Named UIF Player of the Week - Sioux Falls Storm
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