af2 Saturday Night Matchups

April 9, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT BATTLE WINGS (1-0) AT FLORIDA FIRECATS (0-0)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004 - TECO ARENA (7,128) 7:30 P.M. ET

After a convincing victory in their home opener, the Battle Wings travel to Florida to face the Firecats. After winning just three games in the 2003 season, the Battle Wings started the 2004 season strong with a 63-41 victory of the Steeldogs in Week 1. The Battle Wings are led by quarterback SHERARD POTEETE who has the capability to beat the defense with his arm or his legs. Against the Steeldogs, Poteete ran for 32 yards while spreading all four of his touchdown passes to different receivers. The Firecats are coached by AFL legend Ben Bennett who has an af2 veteran of his own at quarterback in KEN MASTROLE. The 2002 season saw the Firecats advance all the way to the ArenaCup before losing to the Peoria Pirates. Last season the Firecats again made the playoffs but lost in the first round to the Macon Knights. A win in their opener would be a good way to begin the road back to the playoffs for the Firecats. The Battle Wings and Firecats have never met before and this will be the only meeting between the two clubs during the 2004 campaign.

QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS (1-0) AT MANCHESTER WOVLES (0-1)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004 -VERIZON WIRELESS ARENA (9,500) 7:30 P.M. ET

The game will be second in back-to-back meetings between the Manchester Wolves and the two-time ArenaCup Champion Quad City Steamwheelers. More importantly it will be the first Arena Football game ever played in Manchester, New Hampshire at the Verizon Wireless Arena. Last week after scoring 20 points in the first quarter and only trailing the Steamwheelers by one point, the Wolves could manage only 12 points for the rest of the game and fell to the Steamwheelers 71-32. Wolves' quarterback CHRIS SANDERS will need to find an answer to the Steamwheelers' defense, which recorded two safeties, an interception, four sacks and a forced fumble against the Wolves last week. The Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Week JEFF HEWITT hopes to find the same openings in Manchester as he found on the Mississippi River last week when he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. REGGIE ROBINSON of Manchester had a stat line you can only see in Arena Football. He caught a touchdown pass, lead the team in tackles, earned half a sack, and rushed for five yards. Steamwheelers' quarterback RONNIE GORDON is questionable for the game after injuring his ankle last week.

TULSA TALONS (0-1) AT MACON KNIGHTS (0-0)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004 - MACON COLISEUM (7,182) 7:30 P.M. ET

In what should have been an epic rematch of last year's ArenaCup, the game between the Tulsa Talons and the Macon Knights finds both teams having one thing in common, the need to rebuild. Both head coaches have moved on and found success in the AFL. The Talons' Skip Foster is now the head coach of the AFL's Austin Wranglers and former Knights' head coach Kevin Porter is the defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Voodoo. Key Talons like JOHNIE BALOUS, KEONTA GOLSEN and CRAIG STRICKLAND have moved on to the Yard Dawgz while key Knights' JACQUES RUMPH and DENARIO SMALLS don't return for the 2004 season. The Talons do have a game under their belt this season, albeit a loss to Oklahoma City last week ending Tulsa's 26 game home winning streak. But the Talons came back from 15 points down in the final minutes to force the game into overtime. More importantly new Tulsa quarterback MICHAEL WALL demonstrated he can handle the position throwing for 304 yards. Wall also showed he could find the one weapon who does return to the Talons from last season, MITCH ALLNER, who had ten catches for 133 yards. It has been said that champions don't rebuild they just reload. If the Talons or Knights are going to prove this statement correct, winning this game would be a good start.

LAREDO LAW (0-1) AT WICHITA STEALTH (1-0)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004 - KANSAS COLISEUM (9,686) 8:00 P.M. ET

For the expansion Laredo Law, it just doesn't get any easier. After scoring only six points in their inaugural game against Rio Grande Valley the Law travel to Wichita to take on a Steath team who only surrendered 13 points to the Peoria Pirates last week. Laredo has offensive threats in af2 veterans MARINO THEUS and P.J. WINSTON, it's just getting the ball to them which was the problem last week. Law quarterbacks combined for only 184 passing yards and two interceptions. Laredo's rushing attack wasn't productive at all, totaling minus 36 rushing yards in their loss to the Dorados. All of these areas need to improve if Laredo wishes to lay down the law in Wichita. The Stealth are coming off of a dominating defensive performance last week when they shut out the Pirates for the first three quarters. Quarterback AARON SPARROW will look to continue to spread the ball around the field as he did last week he completed passes to seven different receivers. It will be the first of three meetings between these division foes. The Law return to Wichita on May 29 and the Stealth travel to Laredo on July 24.

BAKERSFIELD BLITZ (0-1) AT CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES (0-1)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004 - SELLAND ARENA (8,300) 10:30 P.M. ET

The Bakersfield Blitz travel to Fresno, California to take on the Central Valley Coyotes in a game which could be called the Blitz Bowl. After the 2003 season the Blitz were sold and relocated to Fresno and renamed the Central Valley Coyotes. Immediately after this transaction an expansion team was awarded to Bakersfield and the name Bakersfield Blitz was taken for the team. So while all of the Blitz records go to Fresno, the Blitz name stays in Bakersfield. One key face that has also stayed in Bakersfield is quarterback CHAD ELLIOT. Elliot put up solid numbers last week in Bakersfield's loss at Tennessee Valley with 239 passing yards and five touchdown passes. But af2 coaches will tell you, turnovers will turn a close game into a blow out and Elliot threw four interceptions in a game that was tied at halftime. If Bakersfield wants to get their first victory in team history Elliot will need to decrease the turnovers. Decreasing turnovers will be key to Central Valley also as Coyotes' passers threw four interceptions last week against the Islanders. But KENYATTE MORGAN was a bright spot for the Coyotes catching eight passes for 111 yards. If Morgan gets it going again then the Coyotes may get their first win in Fresno.

RIO GRANDE VALLEY DORADOS (1-0) AT OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ (1-0)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004 - FORD CENTER (18,000) 8:30 P.M. ET

If a battle of two expansion teams could ever be the most anticipated game of the week then this is the match up that could do it. The Dorados are coming off a dominating 37-6 performance against the Laredo Law. The Dorados' defense recorded ten sacks, the second highest single game total in af2 history, and limited the Law to just one touchdown. ADT Defensive Player of the Week KARELTON THOMAS led the attack with three sacks, five tackles, and a forced fumble. But the Dorados are going to get a test going up against the Yard Dawgz who put up 70 points in their first ever game in Week 1. Last week, quarterback CRAIG STRICKLAND provided the Yard Dawgz' bite throwing for eight touchdowns and 304 yards. While TIMON MARSHALL provided the bark for the Yard Dawgz bringing in eight passes for 137 yards and five touchdowns last game. It will be the first home game in team history for the Yard Dawgz and one of these two teams will get an early lead in the Southwest Division of the National Conference.

MEMPHIS XPLORERS (0-0) AT BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS (0-1)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004 - BJCC (15,000) 8:30 P.M. ET

The Birmingham Steeldogs look to rebound from last week's loss at Bossier-Shreveport when they face the Memphis Xplorers in their home opener. Despite registering three sacks last week the Steeldogs' defense couldn't produce a single turnover while the Birmingham offense fumbled four times and threw two interceptions. If Birmingham wants to get their first victory of the 2004 season they will need to turn this stat around. DETRONN HARRIS will look to pace the Steeldogs after last weeks eight reception and 136 yard receiving performance. The Xplorers want to start the 2004 season with a victory after last seasons disappointing 6-10 record. KEVIN PRENTISS brings his 49 catches and 18 touchdown receptions in only eight games last year back to the Xplorers. Former Toledo Rocket BRIAN JONES will make his first start in the af2 at quarterback for the Xplorers. Kicker RYAN WHITE will make the transition from Memphis Tiger kicker to Memphis Xplorers kicker. The Steeldogs won the previous meeting between the Xplorers and Steeldogs last season in Memphis, 51-36. This will be the only meeting between the two teams during the 2004 season.

HAWAIIAN ISLANDERS (1-0) AT LOUISVILLE FIRE (0-0)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004 - FREEDOM HALL (16,154) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Hawaiian Islanders come to Kentucky with momentum and the Louisville Fire enter the 2004 season with new hope. If the Fire are going to stop the Islanders they better start by finding an answer for the Arceneaux brothers, quarterback DARNELL ARCENEAUX and WR/DB ANTHONY ARCENAUX. Darnell threw for six touchdowns last week in their win at Central Valley. Four of those touchdown passes went to his brother Anthony. Darnell also completed two separate 49 yard touchdown passes in the win against the Coyotes, one to his brother and another to ROBERT KEMFORT. The renewed optimism for the Fire is largely due to the arm of new quarterback and veteran af2 passer MATT SAUK who brings his 170 career touchdown passes from Tennessee Valley to the Fire. 2002 ArenaCup MVP CORNELL CRAIG will likely be Sauk's main target on offense. But the Fire will be facing an opportunistic Islander defense who forced four interceptions in Week 1. The Fire will return the visit from the Islanders on July 17 when they travel to Hawaii to face the Islanders.

ALBANY CONQUEST (0-0) AT CAPE FEAR WILDCATS (0-0)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004 - CROWN COLISEUM (8,920) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Albany Conquest and Cape Fear Wildcats are two teams with a lot in common. First and foremost they are both 2003 Division Champions, but now division rivals with the Wildcats moving to the Northeast Division of the American Conference this season. Second, WR/DB CALVIN CEASER joins the Conquest after spending last season with the Wildcats. Finally, both teams ended their 2003 season with bitter disappointment. They entered their first games of the 2003 playoffs as favorites along with home field advantage, but neither team left with a victory. Albany lost to the Knights while Cape Fear lost to the Wolves. The Conquest will have to find a replacement for quarterback Ryan Vena who is currently starting for the AFL Columbus Destroyers. GUS ORNSTEIN, who backed up Vena last season, will attempt to fill this role for Albany. Cape Fear needs to find a replacement at quarterback also. Last season's starter Bryan Snyder returned to the Vipers, the team he led to the 2000 ArenaCup. CHRIS WALLACE will attempt to fill the quarterback role for Cape Fear. A victory in the season opener would be a great start for either team.

COLUMBUS WARDOGS (0-0) AT WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (0-0)

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004 - WACHOVIA ARENA (7,955) 7:00 P.M. ET

The Columbus Wardogs travel to Pennsylvania to face the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers in the first game of the season for both teams. Last season was disappointing for both teams. The Wardogs finished 4-12 and the Pioneers finished 6-10. Veteran af2 quarterback CRHIS WINDSOR was supposed to bring optimism to the Wardogs, but that optimism will have to wait as he will start the season on the short term injured list and will not play against the Pioneers. KYLE ROWLEY will get the start at quarter back for the Wardogs. The Pioneers have an af2 veteran quarterback of their own in MIKE GLUSKI, luckily for the Pioneers Gluski is healthy and will play. Gluski will hope to find more continuity in the receiving corps this season than last season, when 22 different receivers caught passes for the Pioneers. The Pioneers also have a change at head coach. Les Moss takes over the head coach position and brings years of Arena Football experience to the Pioneers. This is first ever meeting between the Wardogs and Pioneers and will be the only meeting this season.

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