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af2 Saturday night matchups

May 19, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


ALBANY CONQUEST (4-2) AT LOUISVILLE FIRE (2-4)
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 - Freedom Hall (15,646) 7:00 P.M. ET
The Albany Conquest will take its high-powered offense into Louisville this week with their focus set on claiming their third win in a row at the expense of their East Division rivals. Albany is coming into the contest on the strength of a thrilling, 63-61, home win against Manchester last Saturday. QB RYAN VENA leads the Conquest with his 301.2 yards per game average, a total which ranks second-best in the league. Vena went 22-of-36 for 273 yards and five touchdowns through the air against the Wolves, along with two touchdowns on the ground. However, the biggest play of the game took place when Vena was not on the field. With only seconds remaining in the game and the Conquest clinging to a 63-61 lead, the defense stopped the Wolves' two-point conversation try to seal the victory. Vena's favorite target for the game was OS MANWELL TALBERT, who finished with 10 catches for 126 yards. With Albany's victory and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's loss, the Conquest pulled within one game of a share of first place. Louisville also played in a tight game last week that went down to the wire at Quad City. They didn't have the same end result, however, losing in overtime to the Steamwheelers, 68-62. The Fire currently stand in fourth place in the East Division. With no time remaining in regulation and the Fire trailing 56-49, QB BRETT DIETZ connected with WR/LB DENNIS FRYZEL for a 16-yard touchdown. The extra point was successful, sending the game to overtime, where the Fire eventually went down in the sudden-death period. Despite the loss, Louisville had a number of players shine on offense. Dietz finished the game 26-of-37 for 346 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. It was another accurate performance for him, as the rookie signal caller currently ranks second in the league with a 69.8 completion percentage. WR/DB LANCE TAYLOR topped the century mark receiving, with 118 yards on eight catches. Four of those went for touchdowns. Taylor, who also returned a kick for a touchdown, has been a scoring machine in recent weeks. He currently ranks No. 4 in the league in points per game (16.5). Fryzel finished the game with 11 receptions for 129 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The last time these two teams met was back on June 24, 2005. Albany won that contest on the road, 73-63. The Fire lead the all-time series, 3-1.

CONQUEST FIRE
SERIES LEADER Louisville leads 3-1
LAST MEETING Louisville won 73-63 at Albany on 6/24/2005
LAST FIVE GAMES 3-2 2-3
LAST GAME Won vs. MAN 63-61 on 5/13/2006 Lost at QCS 62-68 in OT on 5/13/2006
2006 LEADERS CONQUEST FIRE
PASSING Vena: 220-136-9; 1807; 26 TDs Dietz: 134-92-3; 931; 18 TDs
RECEIVING Talbert: 46-607; 10 TDs Mager: 38-464; 12 TDs
RUSHING Vena: 31-53; 12 TDs Power: 12-24; 3 TDs
TACKLES Murray: 21.5 Chandler: 23.5
SACKS Ward:2Parris: 2 Conner: 3.5
INTERCEPTIONS Murray: 5 Chandler: 3Siykala: 3
KICKING Cirrincione: 36-44 PAT; 3-6 FG 45 PTS Hendrix: 22-24 PAT; 4-6 FG 34 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 55.2 PPG; 316.2 44.5 PPG; 245.2
TEAM DEFENSE 50.3 PPG; 266.2 40.8 PPG; 251.0


SOUTH GEORGIA WILDCATS (1-5) AT OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ (5-1)
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 - Ford Center (17,884) 7:00 P.M. ET
The South Georgia Wildcats are looking to pull off a major upset for the second straight week. The Wildcats are on the road to tackle the Midwest Division leading Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz, who are currently ranked No. 2 in the latest Coaches Poll. This is the first time these two teams have squared off. South Georgia finally cracked the win column last week, beating the defending ArenaCup Champion Memphis Xplorers, 48-41, at the Albany Civic Center. The storyline of the game was QB JULIAN REESE, starting in his first game for South Georgia after being traded from the Everett Hawks. Reese earned Schutt Offensive Player of the Game honors with three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. It took a fourth down stop with under 30 seconds to go to preserve the win for the Wildcats. It was South Georgia's first home win since May 14, 2005. South Georgia's offense will need another impressive showing with Reese and company to compete with Oklahoma City's potent attack. The Wildcats currently average just 27.2 points per game through the first six games of the season. The Yard Dawgz, on the other hand, enter this week's action averaging a league-best 61.2 points per game, led by QB CRAIG STRICKLAND's league-leading 45 touchdown passes. Strickland threw for six touchdowns in Oklahoma City's 56-44 road win over Arkansas last weekend. Despite Stickland's impressive performance, the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game award went to OS JARRAIL JACKSON, who finished the game with 11 catches for 157 yards and four scores. The Yard Dawgz also got a major contribution from U.S. Army Ironman of the Game CHAVIS MCCOLLISTER. Not only was McCollister on the receiving end of a Strickland touchdown pass, but he also intercepted a pass and returned it 44 yards for a score. Oklahoma City benefited from three Arkansas touchdowns that were called back from penalties. The win improved Oklahoma City's road record to 3-0. The team's lone loss of the season came back in Week 5 at home against Amarillo. South Georgia's No. 2 red zone defense will need to come up big to slow down the Oklahoma City offense. Their defense has a conversion percentage of 69.2 percent. Something will have to give, however, as Oklahoma City has the No.2 red zone offense, converting 90.3 percent of the time.

WILDCATS YARD DAWGZ
SERIES LEADER No previous meetings
LAST MEETING N/A
LAST FIVE GAMES 1-4 4-1
LAST GAME Won vs. MEM 48-41 on 5/13/2006 Won at ARK 56-44 on 5/13/2006
2006 LEADERS WILDCATS YARD DAWGZ
PASSING Pinkins: 72-34-5; 381; 5 TDs Strickland: 190-119-2; 1617; 45 TDs
RECEIVING McKinney: 40-466; 6 TDs Jackson: 43-604; 16 TDs
RUSHING Pinkins: 17-65; 1 TDs Dingle: 6-54; 2 TDs
TACKLES McCoy: 39 Fletcher: 43
SACKS Null: 2 Three tied with 1
INTERCEPTIONS Saunders: 2 Fletcher: 2, McCollister: 2
KICKING Burnett: 9-13 PAT; 4-9 FG 21 PTS Haglund: 47-52 PAT; 2-9 FG 53 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 35.2 PPG; 142.0 61.2 PPG; 277.8
TEAM DEFENSE 46.8 PPG; 220.3 47.0 PPG; 291.0


FLORIDA FIRECATS (5-1) AT MANCHESTER WOLVES (2-4)
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 - Verizon Wireless Arena (9,650) 7:30 P.M. ET
The Florida Firecats travel to Manchester in search of their sixth consecutive win. Since a Week 2 loss at Memphis, the Firecats have been, well, on fire. Their latest victim was the Birmingham Steeldogs, who they defeated, 62-44, last Saturday. It was a historic night for Florida and af2, as OS MAGIC BENTON broke the all-time touchdown receptions and total receptions records. Benton finished the game with 11 catches for 133 yards and five touchdowns. He leads the league with 21 touchdowns and 22.0 points per game. He also joined Arkansas WR/DB Kevin Williams as the only active player in af2 history with 700 or more points scored. Benton is currently fifth on the all-time list with 724. Florida broke open a close contest against Birmingham late in the game. Leading by just four points (48-44) with a little over 11 minutes to play, Florida QB CHRIS WALLACE hit WR/DB BRITTNEY TELLIS for a 46-yard touchdown, starting the Firecat's 14-0 run to end the game. Wallace completed 18-of-29 passes for 254 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. The win propelled the Firecats to the top ranking in the latest weekly Coaches Poll. Florida is currently sitting atop the American South division, a half game ahead of Memphis. Much of the team's success has to do with their offense, which is ranked No. 2 in the league, putting up 57.3 points per game. The No. 2 scorer in the league will also be on the field for Manchester. WR/DB STEVE GONZAELEZ (19 TDs, 19.7 ppg) caught three touchdowns in Manchester's tough, 63-61, loss at Albany last week. He leads the league with 1,092 all-purpose yards after racking up 170 against the Conquest. It wasn't enough, however, as a failed two-point conversion after a touchdown with less than a minutes remaining left the Wolves two points short of a tie and potential overtime. Despite the loss, Manchester QB D. BRYANT had another stellar showing, tying a franchise-record with nine touchdown passes. He completed 23-of-33 passes for 243 yards with one interception. Manchester has an impressive offense as well, averaging 277.0 total yards a game, which is eighth in af2. Manchester took the last meeting between these two teams back on June 18, 2005, winning 52-29. This game also pits Manchester Head Coach BEN BENNETT against his former team. Bennett led the Firecats to the 2004 ArenaCup title. In two previous head-to-head battles, the series is tied at 1-1. Both games were played in 2005, the same year Bennett became coach of the Wolves.

FIRECATS WOLVES
SERIES LEADER Series tied 1-1
LAST MEETING Manchester won 52-29 at Florida on 6/18/2005
LAST FIVE GAMES 5-0 2-3
LAST GAME Won vs. BIR 62-44 on 5/13/2006 Lost at ALB 61-63 on 5/13/2006
2006 LEADERS FIRECATS WOLVES
PASSING Wallace: 199-124-5; 1537; 38 TDs Bryant: 143-99-1; 976; 25 TDs
RECEIVING Benton: 51-693; 21 TDs Gonzalez: 57-605; 18 TDs
RUSHING Crossley: 36-146; 7 TDs Kimner: 17-64; 3 TD
TACKLES Sorrell: 39.5 Sebastien: 33.5
SACKS Fisher: 4 Forney: 2
INTERCEPTIONS Sorrell: 2 Sebastien: 3
KICKING Kornblue: 28-41 PAT; 0-2 FG 28 PTS Russell: 7-11 PAT; 0-2 FG 7 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 57.3 PPG; 280.7 48.7 PPG; 277.0
TEAM DEFENSE 46.7 PPG; 259.3 51.7 PPG; 267.7


WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (5-1) AT MACON KNIGHTS (2-4)
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 - Macon Coliseum (7,182) 7:30 P.M. ET
The Wilkes-Barre Scranton Pioneers will be trying to regain their winning form this Saturday when they head to Macon to battle the Knights. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is sitting atop the East Division despite suffering its first loss of the season last Saturday to the Tulsa Talons. The Talons went on the road and impressively beat Wilkes-Barre, 53-37, making sure no team this season would flirt with perfection. The Pioneers were unable to get head coach RICH INGOLD his 4oth career af2 victory. The Pioneers were hurt on offense by the sub-par showing from QB MIKE GRANIERI, who completed just 12-of-31 for 124 yards, two interceptions and three touchdowns. He did also lead his team in rushing with 18 yards and two scores. The Pioneer defense did not play its best game either, giving up 53 points, significantly more than their 40 points per game allowed average. Macon also gave up 53 points in its last game, which the Knights lost 53-19 to the Green Bay Blizzard. Macon fell behind early 13-0 and never recovered. All Macon managed was three touchdown passes from QB CHAD ELLIOTT, although one of them went for 45 yards to WR/DB JAMES HICKENBOTHAM, his 15th touchdown catch of the year. Hickenbotham had 13 catches for 130 yards, which puts him at No. 6 in receptions for the season (50) and No. 5 in yards (630). Even with Hickenbotham, the Knights' offense has been stagnant at times, averaging only 38 points per contest. Elliott will have to be careful where he throws passes. He's gotten intercepted 10 times this season, which is tied for second-most in the af2. Elliott also ranks second for most completions with 146. These two teams have met twice before, with each team coming away with a win. They last time they faced off was on July 30, 2005, when Wilkes-Barre/Scranton earned a narrow, 53-52, win.

PIONEERS KNIGHTS
SERIES LEADER Series tied 1-1
LAST MEETING WB/Scranton won 53-52 on 7/30/2005
LAST FIVE GAMES 4-1 2-3
LAST GAME Lost vs. TUL 37-53 on 5/13/2006 Lost at GBB 19-53 on 5/13/2006
2006 LEADERS PIONEERS KNIGHTS
PASSING Granieri: 207-109-7; 1256; 25 TDs Elliott: 232-146-10; 1559; 24 TDs
RECEIVING Yisrael: 33-403; 4 TDs Hickenbotham: 50-630; 15 TDs
RUSHING Jefferson: 21-35; 3 TDs Lloyd: 35-120; 7 TDs
TACKLES Hattley: 36.5 Purse: 32.5
SACKS Harding: 3 Wrangler: 3
INTERCEPTIONS Forbes: 3 Fenceroy: 3
KICKING Davis: 28-38 PAT; 3-8 FG 37 PTS Yoon: 20-30 PAT; 2-6 FG 26 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 46.2 PPG; 219.7 38.0 PPG; 283.2
TEAM DEFENSE 40.8 PPG; 267.8 49.8 PPG; 281.3


EVERETT HAWKS (0-6) AT TULSA TALONS (4-2)
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 - Tulsa Convention Center (7,111) 8:00 P.M. ET
If the Everett Hawks are going to get their first win in af2 history, they're going to have to do it against a tough team in a rough environment. They're going on the road to face a very talented Tulsa team that has won four of its last five games. There is hope for the Hawks, however, as they will turn to new head coach ANTHONY WELLS. Wells replaced Rickey Foggie, who was relieved of his duties earlier in the week. The Spokane Shock had no problem with Everett last week, beating them 58-29 on the road. Everett could not stop Spokane's offense, allowing QB Alex Neist to throw for five touchdowns and allowing another three to Spokane via the ground. QB CHRIS DIXON struggled going 4-15 for 67 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and one lost fumble, prompting him to get benched at halftime, with the Hawks down 35-7. QB WES BESCHONER came in and replaced him and encountered some success. He finished 8-17 for 103 yards and two touchdowns. He threw no interceptions which was encouraging. His performance might have earned him the start against the Talons. If not, the team will opt for BRIAN BAKER, who was recently acquired from South Georgia in a trade for QB JULIAN REESE and two other players. Everett is in need of an offensive spark, averaging only 40.2 points a game, which is near the bottom of the league team scoring standings. Tulsa is coming off a huge win at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last Saturday. The Talons came out on a mission to prove their Week 6, 90-54, loss at Oklahoma City was just a fluke. The Talons did just that, going on the road and handing the last-unbeaten team in the league a 53-37 defeat. Rookie QB MARK RADLINSKI totaled eight touchdowns against the Pioneers. He passed for six and ran for two. Radlinski has thrown for 33 touchdowns in just his first season in the league. Another star for Tulsa was WR/DB DON MCGEE. McGee caught two touchdown passes, intercepted a pass and deflected a fourth-down pass in the end zone. Tulsa is fourth in total offense, averaging 292.3 yards per game. Everett has their work cut out for them as Tulsa is fighting to catch up with Oklahoma City for first place in the Midwest Division.

HAWKS TALONS
SERIES LEADER No previous meetings
LAST MEETING N/A
LAST FIVE GAMES 0-5 4-1
LAST GAME Lost vs. SPO 29-58 on 5/12/2006 Won at WBS 53-37 on 5/13/2006
2006 LEADERS HAWKS TALONS
PASSING Reese: 140-85-6; 933; 13 TDs Radlinski: 201-124-3; 1544; 33 TDs
RECEIVING Humphries: 26-264; 4 TDs McGee: 33-339; 7 TDs
RUSHING Reese: 19-46; 10 TDs Radlinski: 18-68; 6 TDs
TACKLES Brockman: 28.5 Sadler: 26.5
SACKS Three with 1 Murphy: 4.5
INTERCEPTIONS Three with 1 Cannings: 2, Wimberly: 2
KICKING Hawley: 22-29 PAT; 1-7 FG 25 PTS Phillips: 35-45 PAT; 1-8 FG 38 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 40.2 PPG; 246.0 53.7 PPG; 292.3
TEAM DEFENSE 42.2 PPG; 278.8 44.5 PPG; 211.0


RIO GRANDE VALLEY DORADOS (4-3) AT AMARILLO DUSTERS (3-3)
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 - Amarillo Civic Center (4,870) 8:00 P.M. ET
The Rio Valley Dorados square off against in-state and Midwest Division rival Amarillo on Saturday. Rio Grande Valley is coming off not one, but two losses last week. Not only did the Dorados fall victim to Bakersfield, 53-45, starting QB JOSH KELLETT left the game in the second quarter with a broken right thumb on his throwing hand. Kellett is expected to be out for six to eight weeks. Backup QB J.R. DAVIES will get his second career start next week. The Dorados hope the second will be as good as the first, as Davies led his squad to a 66-52 win at Bossier-Shreveport last season, throwing for 246 yards and five touchdowns. Against the Blitz last Saturday, he played well in place of Kellett, tossing five touchdowns in the losing effort. WR/DB DWIGHT COUNTER was on the receiving end of three touchdown passes and WR/DB CHRIS CANTY caught two. It was a solid offensive performance against the stingiest defense at the time, which was giving up only 34.5 points per contest. Amarillo may have a tough task attacking the Dorados defense. Rio Grande Valley is only giving up 225.3 yards per game, which is fifth best in the league. Anchoring the Dusters' attack will be QB STEVE PANELLA, who like Davies, is from Canada. This is the first time in af2 history that both starting quarterbacks are international players. Panella led the Dusters to a 53-34 victory last weekend against Bossier-Shreveport. Panella went 15-for-26 through the air for 192 yards and five touchdowns. He connected with WR/DB JOHN ROBERSON III seven times for 112 yards and three scores, including a 34-yard score in the waning moments of the first quarter. His impressive play earned him the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game honors. The team also received good news about WR/DB AUBREY LACY, who was knocked unconscious during the 4th quarter against the Battle Wings. All tests came back negative, but he did suffer a severe concussion and a neck strain. He left the Northwest Texas Hospital on Sunday. Saturday will be the first meeting between these two teams.

DORADOS DUSTERS
SERIES LEADER No previous meetings
LAST MEETING N/A
LAST FIVE GAMES 3-2 3-2
LAST GAME Lost at BAK 45-53 on 5/13/2006 Won at BOS 53-34 on 5/13/2006
2006 LEADERS DORADOS DUSTERS
PASSING Kellett: 261-142-6; 1557; 32 TDs Panella: 197-108-0; 1238; 22 TDs
RECEIVING Counter: 49-586; 14 TDs Broussard: 21-157; 0 TDs
RUSHING Canty: 2-46; 0 TDs Broussard: 15-71; 6 TDs
TACKLES Withers: 43 Mingo: 26
SACKS Jeter: 1.5Bradley: 1.5 Williams: 3.5
INTERCEPTIONS Withers: 2Long: 2 Mingo: 3
KICKING Bell: 33-44 PAT; 3-8 FG 42 PTS Felton: 34-36 PAT; 6-13 FG 52 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 48.0 PPG; 275.0 47.0 PPG; 222.0
TEAM DEFENSE 48.7 PPG; 225.3 51.5 PPG; 258.5


BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT BATTLE WINGS (0-6) AT MEMPHIS XPLORERS (5-2)
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 - DeSoto Civic Center (8,444) 8:00 P.M. ET
The Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings are still in search of their first win, and their schedule doesn't get any easier this week as they travel to Memphis to take on the defending ArenaCup champions. The Battle Wings' disappointing season so far continued last weekend at home against Amarillo. Amarillo handled Bossier-Shreveport, 53-34, although the Battle Wings never trailed in the first half. A couple of turnovers in the second half cost the team down the stretch. The Battle Wings went with two quarterbacks, J.J. RATERINK and BRIAN ZBYDNIEWSKI. Both struggled at time. WR/DB ANTHONY ROZIER had a solid game overall, but not mistake free. On the positive side, he caught 10 passes for 84 yards and three touchdowns. On the negative side, he fumbled the ball away to the Dusters late in the second half. The Battle Wings are last in the league in scoring, averaging only 26.7 points per game. Their defense hasn't been much better. Bossier-Shreveport's defense ranks 21st overall in points allowed, yielding an average of 55.5 per game. This does not bode well for the Battle Wings. The Xplorers are currently ranked number one overall in scoring defense, allowing only 32.9 points per game. Memphis is also tough to stop on offense. They average nearly 51 points per game and also average a league best 7.7 yards per play. Memphis is also a bit angry after getting upset by the then-winless South Georgia Wildcats, 48-41. Memphis fell behind early 13-0 and went into halftime trailing 27-14. The Xplorers rallied in a hurry, however, scoring three unanswered touchdowns to start the second half on four plays to take a 35-27 lead. On the first play of the second half, Memphis QB BRIAN JONES ran left and scampered for a 45-yard-touchdown, the longest run in franchise history. Memphis had a chance to tie the game with under 30 seconds to go in the game, but a fourth down conversion was unsuccessful. The Xplorers will get a big boost this week with the return of OS KEVIN PRENTISS. Prentiss was a big part of last year's championship team. Prentiss was named to the National Conference All-af2 second team in 2005. Last season the Mississippi native tied the franchise high of 103 receptions and set the franchise high for receiving yards (1,627), touchdowns (40) and points (264). He is expected to play for the Xplorers this week. Memphis leads the all-time series with Bossier-Shreveport, 6-3.

BATTLEWINGS XPLORERS
SERIES LEADER Memphis leads 6-3
LAST MEETING Memphis won 47-27 on 7/30/2005
LAST FIVE GAMES 0-5 3-2
LAST GAME Lost vs. AMA 34-53 on 5/13/2006 Lost at SGW 41-48 on 5/13/2006
2006 LEADERS BATTLEWINGS XPLORERS
PASSING Raterink: 213-114-10; 1046; 13 TDs Jones: 189-122-3; 1677; 35 TDs
RECEIVING Rozier: 27-271; 6 TD Higgins: 44-725; 12 TDs
RUSHING Coleman: 8-29; 0 TDs Jones: 24-77; 7 TDs
TACKLES Sutton: 22 Giddens: 44.5
SACKS Reed: 2, Green: 2 Eggleston: 4, Crear: 4
INTERCEPTIONS Three tied with 1 Cunningham: 2
KICKING Hazelwood: 14-18 PAT; 5-15 FG 32 PTS Azar: 39-47 PAT; 1-2 FG 42 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 26.7 PPG; 176.7 56.7 PPG; 262.4
TEAM DEFENSE 55.5 PPG; 278.5 39.7 PPG; 248.6


BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS (3-3) AT TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS (1-5)
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 - Von Braun Center (6,642) 8:30 P.M. ET
In one of the league's biggest rivalries, the Tennessee Valley Vipers host the Birmingham Steeldogs this week at the Von Braun Center, also known as "The Snake Pit." The Vipers lead the all-time series with the Steeldogs, 9-2. Birmingham is looking to start a new trend. The Steeldogs will settle for nothing less than their third win in the "War of I-65." Both teams are coming off of losses. Each team's last loss came at the hands of the Florida Firecats. The Steeldogs lost 62-44 at Florida last week, and the Vipers lost two weeks ago at home, 76-37. Birmingham couldn't stop Florida's Magic Benton, who caught 11 passes for 133 yards and five touchdowns. Early in the second half, Birmingham cut into the lead and closed to within one, 42-41, but that was the closest they would come to catching the Firecats. Birmingham got a strong outing from QB RYAN HAWK, who set a franchise-record with 47 passing attempts. He finished 26-of-47 for 278 yards and five touchdowns. In just his sixth game, Hawk's already the franchise's fifth all-time leading passer with 1,565 yards. Against Florida, 10 of Hawks passes went to OS KERRY WRIGHT, who finished with 93 yards and a touchdown. WR/LB MARENO PHILYAW and WR/LB LAWRENCE STORY each hauled in two touchdown passes. Birmingham is ranked No. 3 in af2 in total offense, averaging 303.7 yards per game. The Vipers enter the game looking to snap a four-game losing streak. Their last time on the field against Florida was doomed from the start. Tennessee Valley had four turnovers in its first four possessions as Florida built a 34-0 lead in the first quarter. Benton went for 107 yards on seven catches, six of those for scores. QB KENTON EVANS had major problems for the Vipers, going 5-of-18 for 41 yards, with three interceptions. CHRIS GUNN took over in the second half and found a bit more success. He finished the game completing 14-of-25 passes with three touchdowns. The Vipers finished the game with six turnovers, a franchise worst. The 37-point loss was also the worst in team history, which was worse than their 30-point loss to Quad City on May 19, 2001. Tennessee Valley will likely start another QB this week, rookie RYAN SCHEIDER. Schneider played well in a loss at Arkansas three weeks ago, but was injured during the contest. Tennessee Valley is ranked No. 21 in the league in total offense, managing only 193.2 yards per game. These two teams last met on June 19, 2004, a game in which the Vipers prevailed, 67-64.

STEELDOGS VIPERS
SERIES LEADER Tennessee Valley leads 9-2
LAST MEETING Tennessee Valley won 67-64 on 6/19/2004
LAST FIVE GAMES 2-3 1-4
LAST GAME Lost at FLA 44-62 on 5/13/2006 Lost vs. FLA 37-76 on 5/6/2006
2006 LEADERS STEELDOGS VIPERS
PASSING Hawk: 220-119-4; 1581; 25 TDs Linn: 122-71-5; 743; 9 TDs
RECEIVING Wright: 43-698; 13 TDs Day: 38-380; 5 TDs
RUSHING Sanders: 21-71; 1 TDs Gunn: 2-28; 0 TDs
TACKLES Keyes: 23 Blanchard: 24.5
SACKS Brumbaugh: 3 Gibbs: 3
INTERCEPTIONS Sheffield: 3, Keyes: 3 Robinson: 3
KICKING Walls: 22-31 PAT; 3-8 FG 31 PTS Lee: 21-32 PAT; 1-11 FG 24 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 45.2 PPG; 303.7 42.0 PPG; 193.8
TEAM DEFENSE 49.7 PPG; 262.8 58.7 PPG; 263.2


STOCKTON LIGHTNING (2-4) AT BAKERSFIELD BLITZ (5-1)
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 - Rabobank Arena (9,000) 10:00 P.M. ET
Stockton travels to Bakersfield for the first-ever meeting between the expansion Lightning and the Blitz. The Lightning have a tough task ahead as Bakersfield (No. 4 in Coaches Poll) has been on fire the last four weeks. Stockton is coming into the contest off a narrow, 63-61, loss last Saturday at home to Central Valley. After a first half tie at 35-35, Stockton looked to take control of the game in the third quarter and when QB JOSH BLANKENSHIP connected with WR/DB PHIL GOODMAN for a touchdown to the open the quarter. However, the extra point was no good. The Coyotes scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run by FB Matt Guardia to take a 42-41 lead. After trading scores, the Coyotes defense made the difference, forcing the Lightning to turn the ball over on downs. Both teams then traded touchdowns, and the Lightning failed on a 2-point conversion to tie the game. Newcomer ATNAS MAEKO, playing in just his second game, earned Schutt Offensive Player of the Game honors with 10 catches for 175 yards and four touchdowns. Blankenship threw for 297 yards and eight touchdowns. Stockton's faces have changed a bit in recent weeks as Head Coach RICHARD DAVIS works to find the right combination of talent and experience that will translate into wins on the field. The new 1-2 combination of Blankenship and Maeko should continue to spark the Lightning offense. The group will have to limit its mistakes, however, as Bakersfield is a team that loves to create turnovers. Defensively, the Lightning will try to turn the tables on the Blitz and force some turnovers of their own. Strong play from linemen LYNDELL HAWKINS (3.0 sacks) and AUBREY DURISME (3.0 sacks) will be an important key to the Stockton cause. The Blitz are coming off their fourth win in as many weeks. Last Saturday they scored a 53-45 home win against the Rio Grande Valley Dorados. Rio Grande Valley's 45 points scored was the most allowed by Bakersfield during the team's current four-game winning streak. In that span, the Blitz defense has allowed just under 30 points per game. Bakersfield is led by veteran signal caller MIKE WALL, who's in the midst of his best af2 season. In six games, he's thrown 31 touchdowns and just two interceptions. His favorite red zone target is OS RENNARD REYNOLDS, who is tied for fourth in the league in touchdown receptions with 15. Bakersfield's defense boasts a strong pass rush and secondary play. JERRY TURNER leads the squad in sacks with 4.5 while DS ALEX WALLACE leads the af2 with six interceptions. The unit has forced an af2-best 20 turnovers to date. If the Blitz stay with the game plan laid out by first-year Head Coach GARY COMPTON, they will be hard to handle on their home turf.

LIGHTNING BLITZ
SERIES LEADER Bakersfield leads 1-0
LAST MEETING Bakersfield won 56-27 at Stockton on 4/29/2006
LAST FIVE GAMES 2-3 4-1
LAST GAME Lost vs. CVV 61-63 on 5/13/2006 Won vs. RGV 53-45 on 5/13/2006
2006 LEADERS LIGHTNING BLITZ
PASSING Blankenship: 213-122-9; 1397; 32 TDs Wall: 185-115-2; 1220; 31 TDs
RECEIVING Goodman: 27-330; 9 TDs Reynolds: 30-500; 15 TDs
RUSHING Williams: 3-33; 1 TD Onaindia: 11-54; 2 TDs
TACKLES Dennis: 25 Robinson: 22.5
SACKS Hawkins: 3 Turner: 4.5
INTERCEPTIONS Three tied with 1 Wallace: 6
KICKING Hickok: 20-27 PAT; 1-4 FG 23 PTS Barrett: 14-21 PAT; 1-5 FG 17 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 47.8 PPG; 246.7 50.5 PPG; 234.5
TEAM DEFENSE 50.8 PPG; 264.7 37.0 PPG; 206.3


SPOKANE SHOCK (5-1) AT CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES (4-2)
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 - Selland Arena (8,911) 10:30 P.M. ET
The expansion Shock are on the road again. This week Spokane heads to Fresno, Calif., to face new West Division rival Central Valley for the first time. This is an important early season showdown between two very good football teams. Spokane enters this week on the heels of an impressive, 58-29, win against in-state rival Everett in Week 7. The game was decided in the first six minutes of the game. The Shock took advantage of early mistakes by the Hawks, which led to easy scores. Everett fumbled twice in its first three possessions. The first quarter score of 14-0 quickly became 21-0 when early in the second quarter Shock QB ALEX NEIST connected with WR/LB CHRIS STALLWORTH on a 39-yard touchdown. The Hawks starting QB Chris Dixon had little success with the stingy Shock defensive secondary. Dixon was just 4-of-15 passing for 67 yards and one interception before being replaced by Wes Beschorner. Beschorner rallied the Hawks to within 13 in the third quarter but the early 21-point deficit was too much to overcome. Neist displayed a solid effort, completing 23-of-36 passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions. WR/DB ANTHONY GRIFFIN (1 receiving TD, 1 rushing TD, 1.0 tackle, 1 fumble recovery) earned U.S. Army Ironman of the Game honors for his play on both sides of the ball. Spokane boasts a solid offense that isn't quite electrifying (46.3 ppg), but it's efficient. Defensively, the Shock are glad to have af2 veteran DS ROB KEEFE around. Keefe leads the team in tackles with 33.0 and is responsible for the team's entire interception total (5). OL/DL NEIL PURVIS has a team-best 3.0 sacks. Four of Spokane's five victories have been decided by four points or less. The Coyotes are coming off a close 63-61 win at Stockton last Saturday to stay a half-game behind Spokane and Bakersfield in the West Division standings. Coyotes QB SCOTT RISLOV had a strong overall showing in the win, throwing for 304 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions. Rislov is currently tied for third in the league in touchdown passes with 38. He's also rushed for two scores. His top target is LAMONTE JONES, who is among the af2 scoring leaders with 96 points on 16 touchdowns, including 15 receiving scores. As a unit, they are tied for third in points per game (55.2). Defensively, Central Valley is just as strong. The Coyotes currently lead the league in turnover margin (+12) and rank second in turnovers forced (19 - 8 fumbles, 11 INTs). This should be an entertaining game.

SHOCK COYOTES
SERIES LEADER No previous meeting
LAST MEETING N/A
LAST FIVE GAMES 4-1 3-2
LAST GAME Won at EVE 58-29 on 5/12/2006 Won at STO 63-61 on 5/13/2006
2006 LEADERS SHOCK COYOTES
PASSING Neist: 213-119-6; 1325; 24 TDs Rislov: 192-132-3; 1552; 38 TDs
RECEIVING Savage: 34-449; 10 TDs Jones: 41-566; 15 TDs
RUSHING Vijil: 12-47; 4 TDs Guardia: 15-65; 3 TDs
TACKLES Keefe: 33 Taylor: 26
SACKS Purvis: 3 Langenfeld: 3
INTERCEPTIONS Keefe: 5 Taylor: 4
KICKING Koker: 30-37 PAT; 2-9 FG 36 PTS Gockman: 41-45 PAT; 2-8 FG 47 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 46.3 PPG; 244.0 55.2 PPG; 267.7
TEAM DEFENSE 44.8 PPG; 208.8 44.5 PPG; 237.7



arenafootball2 Stories from May 19, 2006


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