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Wichita Stealth game notes

June 8, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Wichita Stealth News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (7-2)
At Wichita Stealth (6-3)
Date: Saturday, June 12, 2004
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. CST
Site: Kansas Coliseum (9,686)
National Anthem: Vernon Smith
Coin Toss: James Sido-KAKE-TV
Officials: Brian Chamberlin (Referee),
Mike Wilmoth (Umpire), Frank Whitmer (Head Linesman), Rick Smith (Line Judge), Craig Helser (Back Judge)
Radio: All Stealth games can be heard live on 96.3 KRZZ FM. Jay Sanderson and C.J. will be calling the action all season long for the Stealth.
Series Record: Oklahoma City Leads the series 1-0
Last Meeting: OKLAHOMA CITY 53, Wichita 25
Streaks: Wichita L-1, Oklahoma City W-3
Coaches: WIC: Sean Ponder (6-3 in 2004, 10-8-1 overall 2nd season); OKC: Gary Reasons (7-2 1st season)

TEAM WEBSITES: Stealth: www.wichitastealth.com
Yard Dawgz: www.okcyarddawgz.com

THE STAKES: Wichita is looking to win their fifth straight home game and pull into a tie with the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz for the Southwest Division lead.

THE SERIES: This will be the second of three times that these two teams face each other this season, they will face each other again on July 17th in Wichita. Oklahoma City leads the all-time series 1-0.

THE IFs:
If Wichita defeats Oklahoma City, it would ...
· Give Wichita a 1-1 series record with Oklahoma City
· Give Wichita a 5-0 home record in 2004
· Give Sean Ponder an 11-8-1 career record as head coach
· Give Wichita a one game win streak
· Give Wichita a share of the Southwest Division lead



WICHITA STEALTH (6-3, L-1)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/3 PEORIA W 33-13
4/10 LAREDO W 44-22
4/16 @ Peoria W 47-26
4/24 GREEN BAY W 68-53
5/8 @ Rio Grande W 35-28
5/15 @ Quad City L 39-73
5/22 @ Oklahoma City L 25-53
5/29 LAREDO W 64-34
6/5 @ Tulsa L 49-62
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
6/12 OKLAHOMA CITY 7:00 W-3 OKC 1-0
6/19 TULSA 7:00 W-3 TUL 6-1
7/3 @ Rio Grande Valley 7:30 L-4 WIC 1-0
7/10 @ Tulsa 7:30 -- --
7/17 OKLAHOMA CITY 7:00 -- --
7/24 @ Laredo 7:30 L-2 WIC 2-0
7/31 RIO GRANDE VALLEY 7:00 -- --

OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ (7-2, W-3)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/3 @ Tulsa W 70-63
4/10 RIO GRANDE VALLEY W 55-17
4/24 @ Rio Grande Valley L 41-44
5/1 TULSA W 62-60
5/8 LAREDO W 79-48
5/14 @ Green Bay L 53-71
5/22 WICHITA W 53-25
5/29 ARKANSAS W 75-54
6/5 @ Laredo W 66-41
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
6/12 @ Wichita 7:00 L-1 OKC 1-0
6/19 LAREDO 7:30 -- OKC 2-0
6/26 @ Columbus 7:30 W-3 First Meeting
7/3 CENTRAL VALLEY 7:30 L-3 First Meeting
7/10 @ Rio Grande Valley 7:30 L-4 Tied 1-1
7/17 @ Wichita 7:00 -- --
7/23 TULSA 7:30 W-3 OKC 2-0
(All times are Central)


STEALTH HEAD COACH AT A GLANCE: Sean Ponder begins his second season in arena football. He took over the Stealth last season after seven games. Ponder led the Stealth to their second consecutive playoff berth in af2. He brings over five years of college coaching experience to Wichita. He previously served as the offensive coordinator at Orange Coast Community College in California. At Orange Coast, he helped turn around a program that had not won over two games the past three seasons into a junior college powerhouse.

OKLAHOMA CITY HEAD COACH AT A GLANCE: Gary Reasons is in his first season in arena football and af2. He played in the National Football League for the New York Giants. During his stint with the Giants, Reasons was a part of one of the greatest linebacker corps in NFL history. He was known for his smart and hard-hitting style of play. Reasons was a fourth round pick by the New York Giants in 1984 and won a Super Bowl in 1987 and 1991. His last NFL season was in 1992 with the Cincinnati Bengals.

THE LAST TIME WE MET (A recap of the last meeting): The last time these two teams met, it was the Yard Dawgz defense that stepped up to the challenge and held the Stealth to their lowest offensive output of the season in the 53-25 Stealth loss. The Stealth offense on the night consisted of three rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown.

HEY, DON'T I KNOW YOU? (A look at some familiar faces)
Yard Dawgz players Drew Mitchell and Willie Grissom both spent time with the Wichita Stealth. Mitchell played during the 2003 season and Grissom was in Wichita in 2001 and 2002.

LEAGUE TOP 10s: Players from this week's matchup who ranked among af2's statistical leaders in 2004:
STEALTH
Player Rank Category Stat
David Hurst 2nd Fumbles Forced 4
Cliff Holloman T-6th Tackles For Loss 5.0
David Hurst T-7th Tackles For Loss 4.5
Ty Ardoin T-10th Tackles 38.0
David Hurst T-4th Sacks 5.5
Marc Bacote T-8th Sacks 3.0
Cliff Holloman T-8th Sacks 3.0
Markevius Woods T-8th Sacks 3.0
Jeff Macrea T-10th Sacks 2.0
YARD DAWGZ
Player Rank Category Stat
Timon Marshall T-4th Scoring 138 pts
Timon Marshall T-4th Scoring (TDs) 23
Peter Martinez 2nd Scoring (Kick) 78 pts
Craig Strickland 1st Pass Rating 121.2
Craig Strickland T-2nd Passing Yards 2374
Craig Strickland 5th Total Offense 2377
Peter Martinez 4th Field Goals 4-10
Peter Martinez 1st PAT Kicking 65-74
James Landers T-3rd Fumbles Forced 3
James Landers T-3rd Fumbles Recovered 3
Drew Mitchell T-4th Tackles For Loss 6.0
Ryan Bell T-5th Tackles For Loss 5.5
Daryl Richardson T-7th Tackles For Loss 4.5
Clifton Fields T-10th Tackles 38.0
James Landers 1st Sacks 8.0
Drew Mitchell T-4th Sacks 5.5
Daryl Richardson 5th Sacks 4.5
Johnell Jones T-6th Sacks 4.0
Ryan Bell T-6th Sacks 4.0
Chuck Little T-8th Sacks 3.0

LOOKING BACK: The Stealth traveled into unfriendly territory in Tulsa, Oklahoma where they have an all-time record of 0-3 and fell to the Talons by a score of 62-49 to fall to 0-4 all-time and 6-3 on the 2004 season. The Stealth were led by Damon Thompson who had seven catches for 116 yards and five touchdowns.

TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how WICHITA and Oklahoma City stack up:
Statistical STEALTH YARD DAWGZ
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 16th 44.9 1st 61.6
Scoring Defense 8th 40.4 11th 47.0
Total Offense 17th 244.7 3rd 278.8
Total Defense 5th 217.8 17th 263.9
Pass Offense 13th 230.9 4th 264.4
Pass Defense 4th 203.2 16th 240.8
Rushing Offense 19th 13.8 18th 14.2
Rushing Defense T-7th 14.6 16th 23.1
Scoring 14th 364 T-1st 468
Scoring (Kicking) 25th 40 2nd 78
Pass Rating 12th 108.5 1st 116.9
Pass Def. Rating 9th 101.2 24th 116.5
Kickoff Returns T-23rd 16.6 20th 17.5
MFG Returns 18th 12.9 9th 20.1
Turnover Margin 12th +1 6th +4
Field Goals % T-13th 28.6 T-4th 40.0
PAT Kicking % 24th 66.7 2nd 87.8
Sacks By T-2nd 23 1st 31
Sacks Against 22nd 20 T-3rd 5
First Downs 12th 138 4th 154
Opp. First Downs 17th 139 1st 113
Penalty Yards 3rd 429 14th 519
Opp. Penalty Yds 8th 495 13th 540
Red Zone Offense 8th 77.8% 1st 84.6%
Red Zone Defense 2nd 62.0% 18th 78.4%

WICHITA STEALTH INJURY REPORT:
Pos. Name Injury Status
OS Michael Dritlein Knee Long Term IR
OL/DL Tim Conley Wrist Long Term IR
OL/DL Dustin Fish Leg Long Term IR
OL/DL Ervin Holloman Knee Long Term IR
WR/LB Herman Gordon Leg Long Term IR

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: (Notable quotes):
SEAN PONDER, On the upcoming game with Oklahoma City: "They are a team full of veterans and they are playing really well right now. This game is big because it goes a long way in determining the division champion."



ADVANCE BOOKING: (A look at upcoming Stealth games):
The Stealth will return home next week June 19th to face the Tulsa Talons. The Stealth will then enjoy their last bye week of the regular season on the weekend of June 26th before returning to action on July 3rd at Rio Grande Valley.

FLY-BY's: (A look at team trends and tidbits):
STEALTH RETURNERS: The Stealth return eight members from a team that recorded the franchise record for wins last season. They return defensive specialist Ty Ardoin, offensive/defensive lineman Dustin Fish, offensive/defensive lineman Cliff Holloman, wide receiver/defensive back Brian Livingston, fullback/linebacker Jeff Macrea, fullback/linebacker Daren Williams, offensive/defensive lineman Markevius Woods, and offensive specialist Michael Dritlein.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: After finishing the 2003 season ranked near the middle of the af2 in almost every defensive category, the Stealth have started the 2004 season off with a bang on the defensive side of the ball. Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Troy Biladeau has his defense near the top of every defensive category. The Stealth rank 8th in scoring defense (only allowing 40.4 points per game), 5th in total defense (217.8 yards per game), 4th in pass defense (203.2 yards per game), and 9th in pass defense rating (101.2 rating).

HOME SWEET HOME: The Stealth return to the friendly confines of the Kansas Coliseum this week. The Stealth all-time home record is 19-8-1 and a perfect 4-0 this season. The Stealth have outscored their opponents 209 to 122 at home this season. That is an average score of 52.2 to 30.5 per home game.

INJURY BUG BITES: The Stealth have been bitten by the injury bug again this year and have lost several key players for long periods of time. During the loss at Quad City, the Stealth lost lineman Dustin Fish and lineman Ervin Holloman. Fish suffered a compound fracture of the left leg and Holloman suffered a knee injury that has sidelined him for three weeks now. This week the Stealth have placed on long term injured reserve lineman Tim Conley and offensive specialist Michael Dritlein. Conley is out with a wrist injury and Dritlein is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Last season, Dritlein was lost on May 31st when he sustained a season ending ACL tear versus the Green Bay Blizzard. Dritlein has only played in three games in 2004.

UNFRIENDLY TERRITORY: Oklahoma City's victory last week over the Laredo Law was their first win outside of the state of Oklahoma. The Yard Dawgz are 2-2 on the road this season, but one of those victories came against fellow Oklahoma tenant the Tulsa Talons.

SPECIAL TEAMS?: Fans looking for some exciting kickoff return plays this weekend may be disappointed. The Stealth and Yard Dawgz are near the bottom of the af2 in kickoff return yardage this season. The Yard Dawgz are ranked 20th with 17.5 yards per return and the Stealth are tied for 23rd with 16.6 yards per return. Although last week the Stealth came up big on kickoff returns as they amassed 191 yards on nine returns (21.2 yards per return). Damon Thompson led the Stealth with five returns for 124 yards and Brian Livingston returned a kick 49-yards for a touchdown.

TOP GUNS: (A look at players to watch):
NOW UNDER CENTER: Stealth quarterback Jonathan Beasley made his second af2 career start last week versus the Tulsa Talons. Beasley was 12-of-27 for 186 yards and six touchdowns on the night. So far in his two starts, he has thrown for 12 touchdowns. Beasley played college football at Kansas State University.

INSTANT OFFENSE: The Stealth offense was strengthened the week of the Green Bay game when they were assigned offensive specialist Damon Thompson. Thompson played last season with the Richmond Speed and finished the season fourth in the af2 in receiving yardage with 1,569 yards and 27 touchdowns. In six games with the Stealth, Thompson has caught 39 passes for 547 yards and 16 touchdowns. The last two weeks he has accounted for nine touchdowns.

RETURNING ON A MISSION: Stealth wide receiver/defensive back Brian Livingston returns to Wichita for his second straight year and in pursuit of an af2 championship. Last year, Livingston led the Stealth in tackles, interceptions, and forced fumbles. This season he is second on the team in tackles and is tied for the team lead in interceptions. Earlier this season versus Rio Grande Valley, he was named the Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game and last week versus Laredo, he was named the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game.

YARD DAWGZ QB CRAIG STRICKLAND: Strickland is coming off a banner year in 2003. He won the ArenaCup with the Tulsa Talons and was named All-af2 Second Team and also finished among the leaders in several passing categories.

YARD DAWGZ LINEMAN JAMES LANDERS: Landers currently leads the af2 in sacks with eight on the season. He also is near the top of the league standings in fumbles forced and fumbles recovered. He finished last season with the Arkansas Twisters with only 1.5 sacks and only one forced fumble.

MATCH-UPS TO WATCH:
STEALTH DEFENSIVE BACKS VERSUS TIMON MARSHALL: The Stealth defense will be tested by Yard Dawgz wide receiver/defensive back Timon Marshall. Marshall leads Oklahoma City in scoring and receiving yards. He has caught 49 passes for 691 yards and 19 touchdowns on the season. Last time the Stealth faced the Yard Dawgz, Marshall was held to 31 yards receiving on six catches and only one touchdown.

DEFENDING THE PASS: This week's match-up features the 4th ranked pass offense of Oklahoma City and the 4th ranked pass defense of Wichita. The Yard Dawgz are averaging 264.6 yards per game and the Stealth are only giving up 203.2 pass yards per game. The last time these two teams met, the Stealth held the Yard Dawgz to 240 yards in the air.



STEALTH FLIGHT PLAN: (A look at the Stealth schedule this week)
Wednesday: 6:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. PRACTICE (Sports Zone)
Thursday: 6:30 am – 8:30 am PRACTICE (Sports Zone)
Friday: 8:30 am PRACTICE (Sports Zone)
Saturday: 7:00 p.m. KICKOFF!!! (Kansas Coliseum)

RECENT STEALTH ROSTER MOVES (most recent first):
Date Action Player
6/8 PLACED ON LONG TERM IR Tim Conley
6/8 PLACED ON LONG TERM IR Michael Dritlein
5/27 PLACED ON SHORT TERM IR Michael Dritlein
5/27 ACTIVATED FROM REFUSED TO REPORT Anthony Knutson
5/27 ACTIVATED FROM REFUSED TO REPORT Norman Mason
5/27 ACTIVATED FROM SHORT TERM IR Ronald Pou
5/25 PLACED ON SHORT TERM IR Tim Conley

GAME AWARD WINNERS
BABY RUTH REAL DEAL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME (selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Peoria Aaron Sparrow-Wichita
2 Laredo Anthony Griffin-Wichita
3 @ Peoria Michael Dritlein-Wichita
4 Green Bay Damon Thompson-Wichita
6 @ Rio Brian Livingston-Wichita
7 @ Quad Ronnie Gordon-Quad City
8 @ OKC Craig Strickland-Oklahoma City
9 Laredo Damon Thompson-Wichita
10 @ Tulsa Robert Reed-Tulsa

ARMY IRONMAN AWARD (selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Peoria Daren Williams-Wichita
2 Laredo Marc Bacote-Wichita
3 @ Peoria Brian Livingston-Wichita
4 Green Bay Brian Livingston-Wichita
6 @ Rio Manwell Talbert-Rio Grande
7 @ Quad Bear Brown-Quad City
8 @ OKC Al Hunt-Oklahoma City
9 Laredo Brian Livingston-Wichita
10 @ Tulsa Bjorn Barre-Tulsa

ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Peoria Cliff Holloman-Wichita
2 Laredo Cliff Holloman-Wichita
3 @ Peoria Marc Bacote-Wichita
4 Green Bay Ty Ardoin-Wichita
6 @ Rio Marc Bacote-Wichita
7 @ Quad Jamaal Cherry-Quad City
8 @ OKC James Landers-Oklahoma City
9 Laredo Christopher Highshaw-Wichita
10 @ Tulsa Ty Ardoin-Wichita

af2 WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
Week Offensive Defensive Ironman
1 Jeff Hewitt-Quad City Karleton Thomas-Rio Grande Valley Jerrian James-Tennessee Valley
2 Randall Lane-Green Bay Jerry Turner-Birmingham Al Hunt-Oklahoma City
3 Matt Burstein-Cape Fear Justin Thomas-Louisville Leroy McFadden-Wilkes-Barre
4 Aaron Sparrow-Wichita Demetrius Forney-Louisville Bjorn Barre-Tulsa
5 Chris Sanders-Manchester Matt Forbes-Quad City Steve Gorrie-Florida
6 Bo Smith-Bossier Takuya Furutani-Louisville Anthony Jordan-Birmingham
7 Chris Greisen-Green Bay Deronn Finley-Green Bay Ricky Leung-Wai-Central Valley
8 Brian Jones-Memphis Terence Samuel-Columbus Joshua Robinson-Hawaii
9 Anthony Payton-Louisville Nakoa McElrath-San Diego Lawrence Matthews-Peoria
10 Sherard Poteete-Bossier-Shreveport Robert Garth-Green Bay Mitch Galloway-Cape Fear



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