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af2 Saturday Night Matchups

May 2, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


MOHEGAN WOLVES (3-1) AT ROCHESTER BRIGADE (0-4)
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2003 - BLUE CROSS ARENA (10,598) 1:00 P.M. ET

Due to a championship Lacrosse match at the Blue Cross Arena, the game between the Wolves and Brigade kicks off at 1:00 Eastern. In the second meeting of the season between the two inter-division foes, Rochester is looking for revenge and its first win of the season. Coach MARK SAUNDER'S crew has come up short each week this season, including a 57-20 loss to these Wolves back in Week 2. WR/DB DEREK BAKER has been a spark for the Brigade, catching 21 passes for 313 yards and seven touchdowns and he has two interceptions. The Wolves bid to remain perfect came to an end last week in Greensboro. Despite the loss, WR/DB ANTHONY COMER did all he could, scoring on offense, defense and special teams with two kick returns for touchdowns in the same quarter. Comer leads all af2 kick returners with a 34-yard average per runback. The Wolves rank seventh in af2 with a 48.5 points per game average, compared to the Brigade's 28.5 average. These team square off again on June 7 for the final time this season.

CAPE FEAR WILDCATS (2-1) AT NORFOLK NIGHTHAWKS (2-1)
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2003 - SCOPE ARENA (8,965) 7:00 P.M. ET

The Cape Fear Wildcats and Norfolk Nighthawks tee it up at Scope Arena with both clubs looking to keep pace with Greensboro for the Atlantic division lead. This game pits the league's second ranked scoring offense against the top ranked scoring defense. The Wildcats average 55.7 points per game, while the Nighthawks have only allowed 29.0 per contest. QB BRYAN SNYDER has not thrown an interception and has tossed 12 touchdowns. Four of those have gone to OS MATT BURNSTEIN, who has 29 receptions (9th in af2). TRAVIS BURNS has five of QB AARON SPARROW'S touchdown passes. Norfolk has never beaten the Wildcats, but is 22-4 all-time at Scope Arena. Cape Fear has lost twice on the road in its history, including once in Virginia to the Speed. These teams face-off again on July 19 in Fayetteville.

ALBANY CONQUEST (2-1) AT WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (1-3)
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2003 - FIRST UNION ARENA (7,955) 7:00 P.M. ET

The Albany Conquest heads to Wilkes-Barre for an inter-division battle with the Pioneers. It is the first of three meetings scheduled between the Northeast division foes. Coach PETE COSTANZA'S Conquest has scored 45 points in each of its three games this season. Coach LARRY COKINO'S Pioneers have given up an average of 47 per game this season. QB CHRIS BODEN has 897 yards and 15 touchdowns passing for the Pioneers, compared to 530 yards and nine touchdowns from the arm of Conquest QB RYAN VENA. LJUBORMIR STAMENICH has 3.5 sacks for the Conquest, which is the second best total in af2. In the three-game season series last year, the Pioneers scored 28, 35 and 36 points against the Conquest. The Conquest's only loss of the season came on the road, while the Pioneer's only win was at home. Pioneer's leading tackler KYLE GROVE has left the team for NFL Europe. The Conquest and Pioneers play again on July 5 in Albany.

CHARLESTON SWAMP FOXES (1-3) AT COLUMBUS WARDOGS (2-1)
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2003 - COLUMBUS CIVIC CENTER (7,600) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Charleston Swamp Foxes head to Columbus in search of road win No. 1 on the season. RIK RICHARD'S Swamp Foxes are coming off a thrilling win over Birmingham, while JOHN FOURCADE'S Wardogs are back in action after a bye week. These teams have not met since the 2001 season. On April 14 of 2001 the Swamp Foxes scored 94 points against the Wardogs, which is the most points Charleston has ever scored in a game. Columbus (27.3 PPG) and Charleston (24.8 PPG) rank 26th and 27th in scoring. Charleston leads the league in yards allowed (158.2 YPG) due in part to the play of DEMONT SMITH (four interceptions) and MICHAEL BROWN, who has two picks and leads the team with 17 tackles. Columbus' JAMES DICKERSON is 30 points away from 500 over his career. QB MIKE GLUSKI, who missed the Peoria game, should back under center for the Wardogs and he is 2-0 as their starter. These teams meet again on July 19 at Charleston.

BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS (2-2) AT FLORIDA FIRECATS (2-2)
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2003 - TECO ARENA (7,128) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Birmingham Steeldogs and Florida Firecats square-off in the first of two regular season matches. The South division combatants have only met one other time in history, with the Steedogs beating the Firecats 49-31 last year. Florida suffered a major blow this week, losing QB BRYAN SPARACINO for the season. Back-up TIM OLDSTEAD will take over the starter's role, but the Firecats also picked MAJOR HARRIS to shore-up the position. No matter who throws for Florida, OS CAINON LAMB is sure to get the ball. The speedy receiver has 29 catches for 357 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, including a six-touchdown performance last week at Memphis. Birmingham's answer to Lamb is ARYVIA HOLMES, who has caught 36 passes for 475 yards and 12 of the team's 19 passing touchdowns. DS ROY STABLER, who sealed last week's win with a late interception, was the Week 5 ADT Defensive Player of the Week and he is second in af2 with 25 tackles. Birmingham's WILLIAM MAYNES has three sacks on the season, which ties him for third among the league's sack leaders. The Firecats and Steeldogs take the series to Birmingham on July 19.

ARKANSAS TWISTERS (2-2) AT MACON KNIGHTS (3-1)
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2003 - MACON COLISEUM (7,182) 7:30 P.M. ET

After dropping the first two games of the season, the Arkansas Twisters have turned things around in a hurry, winning their last two, including a 57-54 decision over the Bossier City Battle Wings last week. This week they travel to Macon for an intra-conference tilt with the 3-1 Macon Knights. Twisters' QB RICKY HEBERT is quickly piling up the yards, passing for 573 yards over his last two games. He also has 19 touchdowns, compared to 12 from Knights' QB SEAN PETERSON. The Knights' defense is second in af2, allowing only 29.8 points per game. BYRON DOUZART is second in the league with 3.5 sacks and DENARIO SMALLS has three interceptions. LENNIE JOHNSON has shot to become only the second player in af2 history to reach 500 points, if he can get four points before Tulsa's MITCH ALLNER. This series moves to Arkansas on July 19.

TULSA TALONS (3-1) AT MEMPHIS XPLORERS (1-3)
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2003 - DESOTO CIVIC CENTER (8,444) 8:00 P.M. ET

The Memphis Xplorers look for revenge against the Tulsa Talons after dropping a 2-point decision two weeks ago. Tulsa's MITCH ALLNER needs four points to reach 500 for his career. Depending on what LENNIE JOHNSON does with his half-hour head start, Allner can become the second or third player to reach the milestone. Memphis' top receiver is KEVIN PRENTISS, who is one of five af2 players to average over 100 yards receiving per game this season. In the last game against Tulsa, Prentiss had 13 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns. Both teams feature solid defenses, as the Talons allow 39.2 points per game (12th best in af2) to the Xplorers 38.2 points per game (10th best in af2). Xplorers DS KEVIN COBB and KEITH SPANN rank first and second in passes defended. Cob has batted away 14, while Spann has knocked down 13. This is the final regular season meeting between these division foes.

BOSSIER CITY BATTLE WINGS (2-2) AT TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS (3-0)
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2003 - VON BRAUN CENTER (6,642) 8:30 P.M. ET

The Tennessee Valley Vipers look to remain the only unbeaten team in af2. To do it they'll have to outgun the league's top scoring offense as the Bossier City Battle Wings have averaged 57.8 points per game this season. The Vipers aren't that far behind in offensive firepower, averaging 52.7 points over three games. The key for the Vipers will be to contain QB SHERARD POTEETE, who has thrown for 15 touchdowns and run for nine more. MATT SAUK sets up under center for the Vipers and has completed 16 touchdowns passes this season. Even though the Battle Wings have the best scoring offense, they give up more points than any other team, allowing 58.2 per game. Tennessee Valley ranks 13th in the league, averaging 39.3 points allowed per game. The Battle Wings are winless on the road this season, and the Vipers are 21-7 all-time at home. Sauk has not been sacked all season, while Poteete has gone down six times. The winner of this game takes a one-game lead in the all-time series. These teams play again next week in Bossier City.

HAWAIIAN ISLANDERS (3-1) AT WICHITA STEALTH (3-1)
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2003 - KANSAS COLISEUM (9,686) 8:30 P.M. ET

The two top teams from the West division battle for sole possession of first place Saturday in Wichita as the Islanders and Stealth meet for the first of two games this season. Wichita beat Hawaii 31-27 last season in the only other game played between these teams. This game pits the sixth best scoring offense against the 14th best, as Hawaii has averaged 48.8 points per game to the Stealth's 42.0 per game. Wichita's LEE VAUGHN leads the league with 27.5 tackles, and he has two interceptions. The Islanders' CHRIS PAOGOFIE has 107 of the Islanders 260 rushing yards, which is the highest team total in af2. The Islanders are 7-3 all-time when they rush for 50 or more yards, including all three wins this season. BRIAN GOOLSBY has 3.0 sacks for the Stealth; the third highest total in af2 and QB ANTHONY BUICH should surpass 1,000 yards passing this week. The Islanders and Stealth conclude the season series on May 16 in Honolulu.

SAN DIEGO RIPTIDE (2-2) AT BAKERSFIELD BLITZ (1-3)
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2003 - CENTENNIAL ARENA (8,700) 10:00 P.M. ET

The San Diego Riptide looks to bust a two-game losing skid on Saturday when they play West division rival Bakersfield for the second time this season. The Riptide took the first game in this series 54-36 in Week 1 and has won the last three against the Blitz. San Diego QB KANE CLAUNCH threw five touchdowns in this first game between these teams and has 15 for the season. Bakersfield QB CHAD ELLIOTT has tossed 16 touchdowns, including four the first time against the Riptide. Riptide receiver JESUS REYES has 246 receiving yards for the season and 121 of those came in the Week 1 matchup against the Blitz. The Blitz is the only team in af2 to not record an interception this season. This series concludes on May 31 in Bakersfield.



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