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June 13, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


CHARLESTON SWAMP FOXES (4-5) AT RICHMOND SPEED (4-5)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - RICHMOND COLISEUM (11,088) 7:00 P.M. ET

The Swamp Foxes travel to Richmond to try to put the brakes on the Speed for the first time this season. Both teams stand at 4-5 in the American Atlantic Division so this game proves to be a crucial third place tie-breaker. The Swamp Foxes are coming off a big win versus Norfolk in which quarterback JOHN TURMAN threw eight touchdown passes, three each to wide receivers JOE JUDGE and LEROY MCFADDEN. The Speed is coming off a tough game against Cape Fear and it has lost its past two games. However, the Swamp Foxes must look out for Speed quarterback ROY JOHNSON who is one of the top-rated passers in af2. OS DAMON THOMPSON is always a major scoring threat and is looking to build on his 21 touchdowns. The teams face off again in Charleston on July 26th.

GREEN BAY BLIZZARD (1-8) AT CINCINNATI SWARM (3-7)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - US BANK ARENA (14,000) 2:00 P.M. ET

Green Bay heads to Cincinnati to take on the Swarm for the second time this season, looking to build on momentum from the team's first-ever win last week. Despite being 1-8, the Blizzard can make a move to get out of the cellar with a win over the Swarm. Aside from first-place Quad City, all teams in the Midwest have only three wins, meaning it's not too late for the Blizzard to make a run on fellow division foes. The Swarm is in the midst of a five-game losing streak. In the first meeting between these teams, Cincinnati defeated the Blizzard, 69-33. Cincinnati quarterback CHRISTIAN BATCHELLER threw eight touchdown passes, three each to wide receivers JAMES SCOTT and TONY LOCKE. Green Bay's NICK JOHNSON looks to add to his seven-touchdown total, while QB RAMON ROBINSON is set to eclipse the 1,300 passing yard mark. This is the final meeting of the regular season between these teams.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (3-6) AT MOHEGAN WOLVES (6-3)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - MOHEGAN SUN ARENA (7,700) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Pioneers head to Mohegan for the second of three meetings this season. This game is an American Northeast Division battle, with the Wolves in second place and the Pioneers trailing three games behind them. Mohegan took the first meeting between these teams 41-38 because of great play including that of LAJOHN JONES who rushed for a touchdown and forced a safety. Wide receiver MEL LONG had six receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns. However, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton quarterback CHRIS BODEN threw five touchdown passes, all to wide receiver COSMO DEMATTEO. Boden, who had a tryout with the NFL's Bills, can reach the 40-touchdown mark with four more scoring strikes. The two teams meet for the final time this season on July 18.

NORFOLK NIGHTHAWKS (5-4) AT ALBANY CONQUEST (8-1)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - PEPSI ARENA (13,901) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Nighthawks travel to Albany to take on the Conquest for the first time this season. This inter-division game proves important for both teams. The Conquest wish to stay at the top of the American Northeast division, while Norfolk needs a couple more wins as it sits two games back of the Cape Fear Wildcats in the American Atlantic Division. Albany hopes to extend its six-game winning streak behind the arm of quarterback RYAN VENA, who is coming off a monstrous 390-yard performance against Greensboro. Defensive specialist MICHAEL CONLEY has six sacks while JOHN STUART has contributed 16 pass breakups. Norfolk wide receiver TRAVIS BURNS has caught 17 touchdown passes while defensive specialist QUESUA WIGFALL has contributed 50.0 tackles, making him third in the league. The two teams face off again next week, June 21, for their final meeting this regular season.

FLORIDA FIRECATS (4-5) AT MACON KNIGHTS (6-3)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - MACON COLISEUM (7,182) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Firecats travel to Macon to take on the Knights for the first of two meetings this season. This is a crucial divisional matchup for both teams, with the Knights two games ahead of the Firecats but three games behind the undefeated Tennessee Valley Vipers. Macon is coming off of an exciting victory against the Bossier City Battle Wings in which the Knights edged them 49-44. JACQUES RUMPH put on a strong performance in that game, catching four touchdown passes from quarterback JERMAINE ALFRED. The Firecats recognize that Macon is undefeated at home, but they hope to carry their momentum from their defeat of the Memphis Xplorers last week in which ANTHONY DIXON caught five touchdown passes and defensive specialist ROY STABLER contributed 7.0 tackles and five pass deflections. The two teams face off again on June 28.

BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS (5-4) AT MEMPHIS XPLORERS (3-6)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - DESOTO CIVIC CENTER (8,444) 8:00 P.M. ET

The Steeldogs travel to Memphis to take on the Xplorers for the first time this season. This midseason tilt carries huge implications for both teams, as both are smack in the middle of heated division battles. The Steeldogs are fighting to move from third place in the American South Division while the Xplorers are in third place in the National Central Division. Birmingham hopes to extend its two-game winning streak with the help of OS ARYVIA HOLMES, who leads the team in touchdown receptions with 16 and he is coming off of a strong performance against the Columbus Wardogs last week in which he caught three touchdown passes from quarterback CHRIS WINDSOR. Memphis fell last week to Florida, but still comes in ranked 10th in scoring offense. These teams both allow 41.2 points per game. This is the only time these teams meet in the regular season.

LOUISVILLE FIRE (3-7) AT QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS (8-2)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - THE MARK OF THE QUAD CITIES (9,200) 8:30 P.M. ET

A Midwest Division showdown ensues in Moline, IL as the Louisville Fire square off against the red-hot Steamwheelers. The Steamwheelers come in winners of eight straight, including a season-sweep of the Cincinnati Swarm over the past two weeks. Louisville has only won once over its last five games and continues to look for ways to put more points on the board. Quad City TONY ZIMMERMAN will shoot for 55 passing touchdowns on the season, while IRA GOOCH looks to approach the 1,000-yard receiving yards plateau. Louisville's ARKEE THOMPSON is approaching a team record in interceptions, and he is the team leader in tackles with 38 for the year. The Steamwheelers have never lost to Louisville and boast the third best scoring offense in af2. This is the final regular season meeting between these two teams.

COLUMBUS WARDOGS (2-7) AT TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS (9-0)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - VON BRAUN CENTER (6,624) 8:30 P.M. ET

The Wardogs look to bust a seven-game skid when they visit the Tennessee Valley Vipers, a team they nearly upset two weeks ago. The Wardogs took the undefeated Vipers to the wire last time around, and now they have the services of af2's all-time rushing leader, QB SHERARD POTEETE. While the Vipers are 2-0 this season against Poteete (w/Bossier City), this game should be very close. The Wardog's offense has seen a resurgence the past two weeks. After a three-game span in which the Wardogs only averaged 18.3 points per game, they have managed to average 47.5 over the last two games. DESOMOND WASHINGTON has stepped up on the defensive side of the ball for the Wardgos, leading the team in tackles and interceptions. For the Vipers, MATT SAUK is quickly approaching 2,500 passing yards for the season, while looking to avoid more interceptions. Reigning ADT Defensive Player of the Week KENNY BAILEY leads the Vipers with 40.5 tackles following his 12 stops last week. This is the final regular season meeting between these two teams.

WICHITA STEALTH (6-4) AT SAN DIEGO RIPTIDE (4-6)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - SAN DIEGO SPORTS ARENA (12,000) 10:00 P.M. ET

The Wichita Stealth has suffered some devastating injuries over the past two weeks, losing top players on both offense and defense. This week they head to San Diego to face the slumping Riptide. Those game features an interesting matchup at QB. Wichita's ANTHONY BUICH and San Diego's KANE CLAUNCH share similar numbers through the season's midway point. Buich has thrown for 2,123 yards and 37 touchdowns, while his counterpart Claunch has thrown for 2,170 and 40 touchdowns. Both gunslingers have 11 interceptions. Wichita's defense leads the league with 16 interceptions, while the Riptide have nine for the season. The West Division race has tightened over the past few weeks and a win by San Diego would make things even more bunched up. This is the first of two meetings for these teams. They play again in Wichita in two weeks.

TULSA TALONS (9-1) AT BAKERSFIELD BLITZ (4-6)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - CENTENNIAL GARDEN (8,700) 10:00 P.M. ET

The Bakersfield Blitz looks to build on a three-game win streak by knocking off Conference front-runner Tulsa. The Blitz win-streak can be credited to the increased effort on defense. The Blitz defense has not allowed over 35 points in three weeks and possesses the league's top sacker in RICKY LEUNG'WAI, who had two last week at Louisville. No defense in af2 has played better than Bakersfield over the past month, and the Blitz has climbed back into the playoff picture and saved a disappointing season as a result. The Talons strong point continues to be offense, led by QB CRAIG STRICKLAND who is closing in on 60 touchdowns for the season. Strickland will pass the 2,500-yard mark this week and has only tossed four interceptions all season. Bakersfield QB CHAD ELLIOTT is nearing 2,000 passing yards for the season and ERIC MAHANKE leads the Blitz in receptions and interceptions. Tulsa's MITCH ALLNER is closing in on the af2 all-time scoring lead. He currently has 592 points (114 this season) and sits 14 away from the record held by former Birmingham Steeldog WAYNE THOMAS. Allner, who was an OS last year, has proved to be a valuable two-way guy for the Talons this season and leads the team in interceptions (3). This is the first of two meetings between these teams, with the second matchup coming next week.

PEORIA PIRATES (3-6) AT HAWAIIAN ISLANDERS (7-3)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2003 - NEAL BLAISDELL ARENA (6,443) 1:30 A.M. (7:30 P.M. LOCAL) ET

The first place Hawaiian Islanders host the defending champion Peoria Pirates in a crucial inter-conference game. The Islanders need to keep winning to remain in the hunt for a first-round bye, while the Pirates look to put a streak together and climb back in the wildcard picture. Peoria suffered a loss last week at Tulsa, while the Islanders loss on the road to Arkansas. Peoria is 1-4 away from the Peoria Civic Center, while the Islanders (5-0) have yet to lose at home this season. QB CHARLIE PETERSON is two touchdowns away from 50 for the season, while JACK WALKER has grabbed the league scoring lead with his 27 touchdowns. Hawaii QB MIKE TILLIS will get his third start, filling in for the injured DARNELL ARECENEAUX. Tillis has tossed 11 touchdowns this season and gone 1-1 as a starter. Peoria is 1-0 against Hawaii, having won in Honolulu last season. This is the only regular season matchup this season.

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