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Arena Football League (1987-2008)

AFL divisional round must-see matchups

May 25, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


ARIZONA QB SHERDRICK BONNER VS. SAN JOSE QB MARK GRIEB

Two of the AFL's all-time most productive playoff quarterbacks will face off this week, when QB SHERDRICK BONNER (6-4, 240, Cal-State Northridge) leads the Arizona Rattlers (8-8, 1-0) against QB MARK GRIEB (6-3, 219, UC Davis) and the San Jose SaberCats (10-6, 0-0) Saturday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Bonner dazzled last week in a Wild Card Round win over the Utah Blaze, passing for 238 yards and five touchdowns. He will look to find WR/DB RANDY GATEWOOD (6-0, 185, UNLV), OS DAMIEN GROCE (5-10, 180, Iowa State), and WR/LB COSMO DEMATTEO (6-1, 205, Tennessee - Chattanooga) for long plays against San Jose. Defensively, DS JOE TODD (5-10, 180, Mississippi Valley State) will patrol the field looking to make stops for Arizona.

Grieb looks to improve to 3-0 against Arizona this season. In two previous victories, he has averaged 322 yards and six touchdowns, and has not thrown an interception. 2006 Rookie of the Year OS BEN NELSON (6-3, 188, St. Cloud State) and WR/LB JAMES ROE (6-1, 198, Norfolk State) will act as offensive catalysts for Grieb, while DS CLEVAN THOMAS (5-10, 199, Florida State) and DS OMARR SMITH (5-9, 186, San Jose State) will look to shut down the Arizona attack.

GEORGIA WR/LB DEREK LEE & OS CHRIS JACKSON VS. DALLAS WR/DB WILL PETTIS & OS TERRILL SHAW

WR/LB DEREK LEE (6-5, 225, Tennessee Tech) and OS CHRIS JACKSON (6-2, 220, Washington State) of the Georgia Force (8-8, 1-0) take on WR/DB WILL PETTIS (6-0, 195, Midwestern State) and OS TERRILL SHAW (6-0, 190, Southern Mississippi) and the Dallas Desperados (13-3, 0-0) on Saturday at American Airlines Center at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Lee and Jackson have both been dangerous this season, with each surpassing 115 receptions, 1,400 yards, and 25 touchdowns. QB MATT NAGY (6-2, 220, Delaware) will make sure these two get the ball, while Lee teams up with DS CHRIS BROWN (6-3, 195, Alabama-Birmingham) and DS NATE COGGINS (6-1, 215, West Georgia) on defense to keep the Dallas duo under control.

Pettis acted as a yardage machine this season for the Desperados, ending the year ranked fifth in the AFL in all-purpose yards (2,480), 1,256 of which were receiving. Shaw shined grabbing 111 balls for 1,498 yards and 37 touchdowns. QB CLINT DOLEZEL (6-5, 205, East Texas State) will be targeting Pettis, Shaw, and WR/LB DIALLEO BURKS (6-3, 195, East Kentucky) who contributed 92 receptions for 1,130 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns to the offense.

CHICAGO OS BOBBY SIPPIO VS. COLORADO OS DAMIAN HARRELL

In a rematch of last year's American Conference Championship "Confetti Game," OS BOBBY SIPPIO (6-3, 215, Western Kentucky) leads the Chicago Rush (7-9, 1-0) against OS DAMIAN HARRELL (6-3, 200, Florida State) and the defending ArenaBowl Champion Colorado Crush (11-5, 0-0) Sunday at Pepsi Center in Denver at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Since being claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay, Sippio has 44 receptions for 754 yards and 18 touchdowns in his last six games, including six catches for 100 yards and one touchdown in last week's 55-47 Wild Card Round win at Nashville. Sippio has been the recepient of QB MATT D'ORAZIO (6-4, 215, Otterbein), who excelled during the regular season, passing for 3,546 yards, 63 touchdowns and only five interceptions. DS JEREMY UNERTL (6-1, 210, Wisconsin - La Crosse) was traded to Chicago in Week 3 from Columbus and led the Rush in tackles (77.0) and interceptions (nine) this season. He had 6.0 tackles and one interception in last week's win against the Kats.

Harrell was sensational during the regular season and served as the primary target of QB JOHN DUTTON (6-4, 225 Nevada - Reno). Harrell set the AFL record for most receiving touchdowns in a season (60), most total touchdowns in a season (61), and tied the record for most consecutive games with at least one touchdown (65). Dutton, who threw for 591 yards and 14 touchdowns in the Crush's two-regular season wins over the Rush, can give Head Coach MIKE DAILEY the 100th win (combined regular season and postseason) of his career this weekend. DS RASHAD FLOYD (6-0, 200, Portland State) set a new single-season record for tackles (136.5) and looks to anchor a Crush defense ranked fourth in the League (270.9 YPG).

PHILADELPHIA QB TONY GRAZIANI VS. ORLANDO QB JOE HAMILTON

QB TONY GRAZIANI (6-3, 210, Oregon) of the Philadelphia Soul (9-7, 1-0) leads his team against QB JOE HAMILTON (5-10, 190, Georgia Tech) of the Orlando Predators (10-6, 0-0) Sunday at HummerField at the TD Waterhouse Centre at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Graziani will lead a multifaceted Soul attack featuring a dangerous passing game and a running barrage, which features four different players who accumulated over 100 rushing yards apiece this season. DS EDDIE MOTEN (5-10, 185, Texas A&M - Kingsville) led the AFL in interceptions (13) in the regular season and ranked third in tackles (104.0).

Hamilton is having one of his finest seasons earning All-Arena Second Team honors and setting a new Predators' single-season passing yardage record (3,677). DS KENNY MCENTYRE (5-11, 186, Kansas State) provides veteran savvy and teams with DS JEROID JOHNSON (5-9, 186, Oklahoma State) and OL/DL HENRY TAYLOR (6-2, 300, South Carolina), who led the AFL in sacks this season (8.5), to create a hostile environment for opposing offensive players.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 25, 2006


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