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April 7, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


GREEN BAY BLIZZARD (0-1) AT MANCHESTER WOLVES (0-0)

FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2006 - Verizon Wireless Arena (9,650) 7:30 P.M. ET The Blizzard enter Friday's game with a bit of a limp after suffering a season-opening home loss to an improved Albany team, 48-40, on March 31. A few timely turnovers were the difference. With the team's veteran coaching staff and veteran cast of players, however, Green Bay will be prepared to turn things around on the road in Manchester. Last week OS RANDALL LANE picked up where he left off in his return to af2 action, scoring touchdowns on four of his six catches against Albany. Green Bay starting QB JAMES MACPHERSON threw four touchdowns and one interception in his first af2 game. While MacPherson started the game, veteran RONNIE GORDON played down the stretch. Chances are MacPherson will get the starting nod again this week. DS DAVID CROCKER paced the Blizzard defense with a game-high 7.5 tackles and one interception. An interesting side story of note is that Green Bay Assistant Head Coach MARK STOUTE will be returning to Manchester to face a team that just over a year ago he was hired to coach - for the second time. Stoute coached the Wolves when the team was based in Connecticut in 2003 and led them to a 10-6 record and a trip to the second round of the playoffs. After a year with Indiana in the AFL, Stoute was rehired to coach the Wolves for their second season in Manchester. Just a few months into the job, Stoute moved on for another AFL opportunity, this time with the Tampa Bay Storm. Things turned out ok for Manchester, however, in spite of Stoute's untimely departure. The team eventually hired AFL legend BEN BENNETT, who had just led the Florida Firecats to the 2004 ArenaCup title. He turned the Wolves from a 5-11 team in 2004 into a 12-win team and East Division champion in 2005. Last year Manchester became just the second team in league history to go from worst to first in consecutive seasons. This year Bennett is back as well as a strong group of veterans. The Wolves will not sneak up on anybody in 2006. Manchester has dealt with the loss of QB JAKE EATON (Orlando Predators) by bringing in two veteran QBs in D. BRYANT (4,230 yards passing, 81 TDs, 14 rushing TDs in '05 with Albany) and KYLE ROWLEY (2,193 yards passing, 48 TDs, six rushing TDs in '05 with W-B/Scranton). Import OS STEVE GONZALEZ, better known as "Speedy," has ventured east from San Diego and should be a huge addition as well. Last season as a rookie with the Riptide, he returned six kickoffs for scores and caught 76 passes for 1,033 yards and 28 touchdowns. He'll try to replace some of the scoring that was left behind by WR/LB J.J. MCKELVEY's promotion to the AFL's Philadephia Soul. Manchester's defense should be improved as well thanks to having "The Sheriff" ABDUL WIGGINS back in town to bring the rush. DS WILLIAM "ROC" HAITH will bolster the secondary. Haith set an af2 record in 2005 with 121.5 tackles.

BLIZZARD WOLVES
SERIES LEADER Manchester leads 3-0
LAST MEETING Manchester won 62-48 at Green Bay on 6/11/2005
LAST FIVE GAMES 1-4 3-2
LAST GAME Lost vs. ALB 40-48 on 3/31/06 Lost vs. LOU 56-69 on 8/12/05 in playoffs
2005/06 LEADERS 2006 BLIZZARD 2005 WOLVES
PASSING MacPherson: 17-12-1; 147; 3 TDs Eaton: 539-382-13; 4066; 88 TDs
RECEIVING Lane: 6-65; 4 TDs McKelvey: 138-1454; 44 TDs
RUSHING Pagel: 3-12; 0 TDs Kimener: 72-198; 5 TDs
TACKLES Crocker: 7.5 Haith: 121.5
SACKS Huyser: 1 Fuller: 3
INTERCEPTIONS Crocker and Kwaku: 1 Sebastien: 6
KICKING Conteh: 2-4 PAT; 0-1 FG 2 PTs Ohlige: 38-63 PAT; 1-9 FG 41 PTs
TEAM OFFENSE 40.0 PPG; 224.0 YPG 50.3 PPG; 268.8 YPG
TEAM DEFENSE 48.0 PPG; 205.0 YPG 42.9 PPG; 258.2 YPG

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