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April 17, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


WEEK 4: FRIDAY NIGHT MATCHUPS

NORFOLK NIGHTHAWKS (1-0) AT ROCHESTER BRIGADE (0-2)
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2003 - BLUE CROSS ARENA (10,598) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Rochester Brigade opens the home portion of their schedule Friday night when they host the Norfolk Nighthawks. The Brigade, led by third-year head coach MARK SAUNDERS, went 4-4 at home last season and is trying to avoid dropping to 0-3 overall this season. The Brigade offense (26th in af2) needs a pick-me-up and they may have found it in QB JASON VISCONTI, who threw for 272 yards and four touchdowns last week. WR/DB DEREK BAKER leads all Brigade receivers with 13 catches for 210 yards and four touchdowns on the year. RICK FRAZIER'S Nighthawks were idle last week after opening the season with a 31-21 win over Charleston. AARON SPARROW sets up under center for the Nighthawks and he tossed three touchdowns in the opening night win. The Nighthawks' defense ranks third in points allowed (21.0) and second in total yards allowed (123.0). Norfolk went 1-7 on the road last season, despite going 7-1 at home. This is only the second meeting between these teams, with Norfolk taking the first game 35-21 back on June 8, 2001.

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ALBANY CONQUEST (2-0) AT MOHEGAN WOLVES (2-0)
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2003 - MOHEGAN SUN ARENA (7,700) 7:30 P.M. ET

A pivotal early season matchup sets up in the Northeast division on Friday when the undefeated Albany Conquest, led by head coach PETE COSTANZA, visits the unbeaten Mohegan Wolves, coached by MARK STOUTE. The Wolves are coming off a dramatic 41-38 win at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on April 11. Mohegan's game-winning moment came when quarterback MIKE BATH tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to offensive specialist MEL LONG as time expired. Long leads the Wolves with 10 receptions for 177 yards and three scores. The Wolves are averaging 49 points per game, while Albany averages 45. The Conquest, however, have only allowed 27.5 points per game (including 13 last week), while the Wolves give up 29 a game. Quarterback RYAN VENA tossed four touchdowns for Albany last week. Wide receiver/defensive back PHIL TAYLOR has 134 of the Conquest's 275 receiving yards. Albany won all three meetings with the Wolves last season. This is the first of three scheduled games between these clubs this season.

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WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (0-2) AT QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS (0-2)
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2003 - THE MARK (9,200) 8:30 P.M. ET

The Quad City Steamwheelers, coached by RICH INGOLD, hope to right the ship this week when they host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers, who are also winless on the season. Quad City has lost both its games by three or less points and in the final minute. Quarterback TONY ZIMMERMAN threw eight touchdowns last week and rushed for one more. He is averaging 317.5 passing yards per game, which is top among all af2 quarterbacks. JEFF HEWITT earned Offensive Player of the Week for his 209-yard receiving and six-touchdown performance against the Tennessee Valley Vipers last week. Coach Ingold added 37-year-old kicker RICH EHMKE to his roster to replace BRIAN HEGNAUER, who has been in a slump. Ehmke once went to camp with the Chicago Bears, competing against KEVIN BUTLER for the Bears' job. The Pioneers have quarterback CHRIS BODEN, who has thrown for 422 yards and six touchdowns thus far in 2003. One of his primary targets is COSMO DEMATTEO, who grabbed nine balls for 137 yards and five scores last week. This is the first meeting between the Pioneers and Steamwheelers, and it is the furthest west that the Pioneers have ever traveled in team history.

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CAPE FEAR WILDCATS (1-0) AT BOSSIER CITY BATTLE WINGS (1-1)
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2003 - CENTURYTEL CENTER (12,500) 8:30 P.M. ET

The Cape Fear Wildcats can match last year's 2-0 start to the season with a win against the offensively potent Bossier City Battle Wings. Head coach CHRIS SIEGFRIED seems to have another suffocating defense in Cape Fear, as the team held Louisville to 20 points and only 103 total yards in their first game of the year. That defense gets a good test this Friday, facing off against the league's second rated scoring offense. Bossier City, coached by CHAD CARLSON, is averaging 57.5 points and 308.5 total yards per game in 2003. Quarterback SHEARARD POTEETE has already thrown for 10 touchdowns and rushed for four more. The receiving trio of LEAFORD HACKITT, SHADRICK MCAFFEE and KEVIN STEVENON have combined for 473 of the Battle Wings' 552 receiving yards and all 10 of their touchdowns. Cape Fear's offense, led by quarterback BRYAN SNYDER, put up 54 points in their only game, getting three receiving touchdowns from MATT BURNSTEIN. This is the first game played between Bossier City and Cape Fear.

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