af2 Saturday night matchups

June 3, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

WILKES-BARRE SCRANTON PIONEERS (6-2) AT LOUISVILLE FIRE (4-4)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - Freedom Hall (15,646) 7:00 P.M. ET
The Wilkes-Barre Scranton Pioneers travel to Louisville to take on the Fire in an American East Division showdown. Louisville is one of the four teams only two games back of the Pioneers and as the af2 season hits the second-half stretch, this game has tremendous playoff implications. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is out to bounce back from their 48-28 slip last weekend against Manchester, while Louisville seeks its second win in a row after beating Tennessee Valley in a high-scoring 62-56 affair. The Pioneers could not stop Manchester WR/DB Steve Gonzalez, who had five touchdown catches on the night. After a first half tie at 21-21, Gonzalez caught touchdowns of 10-yards, 19-yards and 42-yards to propel the Wolves to the win. Rookie QB MIKE GRANIERI struggled for the Pioneers, going 13-of-34 for 135 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions. He did have two rushing scores. Granieri leads W-B/Scranton in passing (1,581 yards, 28 TDs) and in rushing (37 yards, 8 TDs). The Pioneers defense is one of the better units in the league. Led by two veteran defensive specialists in JAMIE HATTLEY and MATT FORBES, W-B/Scranton allows just 39.4 points per game. Louisville is led by the flammable tandem of QB BRETT DIETZ and OS ROB MAGER. Last week the pair were at it again. Mager caught all five of his touchdowns in the first half as the Fire built a 35-17 first half advantage. He finished the game with 12 catches for 123 yards and five touchdowns. He now has 25 touchdown receptions on the year, which ranks second overall in the af2. Mager is on pace to set franchise records for receptions, yards and touchdowns (82 rec., 1,014 yards, 25 TDs). While he was held scoreless in the second-half, WR/DB LANCE TAYLOR stepped up, catching three touchdowns and finishing with seven catches for 104 yards. Taylor had a spectacular overall game, amassing 90 kick return yards, five tackles and a fumble recovery. Dietz earned the Shutt Offensive Player of the Game Award for his impressive effort. The rookie signal caller went 26-of-35 for 304 yards and eight touchdowns, with only one interception. The all-time series is tied at 2-2. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won the first affair this season, 45-37, in Week 1.

PIONEERS FIRE
SERIES LEADER Series tied 2-2
LAST MEETING Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won 45-37 on 3/31/2006
LAST FIVE GAMES 3-2 3-2
LAST GAME Lost vs. MAN 28-48 on 5/27/2006 Won at TVV 62-56 on 5/27/2006
2006 LEADERS PIONEERS FIRE
PASSING Granieri: 281-141-11; 1581; 28 TDs Dietz: 268-191-7; 2140; 45 TDs
RECEIVING Yisrael: 41-498; 5 TDs Mager: 82-1014; 25 TDs
RUSHING Granieri: 30-37; 8 TDs Green: 8-27; 1 TD
TACKLES Hattley: 45 Siykala: 40.5
SACKS Harding: 4 Conner: 3.5
INTERCEPTIONS Forbes: 4 Siykala: 4
KICKING Davis: 36-46 PAT; 3-10 FG 45 PTS Hendrix: 45-58 PAT; 4-7 FG 57 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 42.9 PPG; 208.5 51.6 PPG; 277.8
TEAM DEFENSE 39.4 PPG; 268.2 48.5 PPG; 299.0

TULSA TALONS (5-3) AT MANCHESTER WOLVES (4-4)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - Verizon Wireless Arena (9,650) 7:30 P.M. ET
The Tulsa Talons battle the Manchester Wolves this Saturday in the first-ever meeting between these two teams. Both teams are very alive in the hunt for the playoffs and craving a victory. Tulsa lost 45-42 to National Midwest Division rival Arkansas last weekend, while Manchester got a big American East Division 48-28 win over first-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Talons suffered a heart-breaking lost to the Twisters, with the game being decided by Arkansas K David Carlton hitting a 34-yard field goal attempt with 00.01 remaining in the game. The win moved Arkansas into a tie with the Talons for second-place in the division. Tulsa got their first lead midway through the second quarter on WR/DB JAMES SADLER'S 37-yard interception return for a touchdown, giving his team a 20-14 advantage. Arkansas then scored three unanswered touchdowns to give them their biggest lead of the game, 33-20, but the Talons weren't ready to let the game get out of hand. QB MARK RADLINSKI connected with WR/DB STEPHEN BATTLE for a 32-yard touchdown with only 00:02 remaining in the half. Carlton hit a 46-yard field goal as time expired in the half, with the score 36-27 in favor of Arkansas. Both teams were shut out in the third quarter. Radlinski found WR/DB McGee for a 13-yard touchdown a minute into the fourth quarter, cutting the Twisters' lead to only two. Arkansas scored next with only 3:15 left in the game, increasing their lead to nine again. Radlinski found OS RICKY ROSS for a 5-yard touchdown with only 00:22, which set up Carlton's game-winning kick. Radlinski was 22-of-42 for 224 yards and five touchdowns, although he did throw two interceptions. Sadler was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Game with two interceptions (one for the touchdown) and another pass break-up. Manchester went on the road last week to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and dealt the Pioneers only their second loss of the season. The Wolves played a solid overall game, winning 48-28. The star for the Wolves was once again WR/DB STEVE GONZALEZ, who had another terrific game, winning the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game Award. He caught nine passes for 129 yards and five touchdowns from QB D. BRYANT. Gonzalez broke the 21-21 tie in the second-half with his third score of the game, giving his team the seven-point lead. With only a few seconds ticked off the clock in the fourth quarter and Wilkes-Barre down only seven, Gonzalez came through when it mattered most, catching a 19-yard touchdown and a 42-yard touchdown to put away Wilkes-Barre for good. Gonzalez now has an af2-best 29 receiving touchdowns. He's currently on pass to eclipse the mark for most receiving touchdowns in a single-season, held by former Tulsa star Donovan Morgan, who had 54 in 2005. Bryant finished the game 19-38 for 287 yards and seven touchdowns. Rookie WR/DB BRIAN MANCE won the ADT Defensive Player of the Game award with six tackles and an interception. He anchored the defense to a season-low 28 points allowed. This game is one of the biggest on the Week 10 slate.

TALONS WOLVES
SERIES LEADER No previous meetings
LAST MEETING N/A
LAST FIVE GAMES 3-2 2-3
LAST GAME Lost vs. ARK 42-45 on 5/27/2006 Won at WBS 48-28 on 5/27/2006
2006 LEADERS TALONS WOLVES
PASSING Radlinski: 271-165-6; 2019; 41 TDs Bryant: 212-141-2; 1502; 38 TDs
RECEIVING Battle: 30-537; 10 TDs Gonzalez: 79-885; 29 TDs
RUSHING Radlinski: 28-90; 8 TDs Kimener: 23-94; 3 TDs
TACKLES Sadler: 35 Haith: 33.5, Sebastien: 33.5
SACKS Murphy: 4.5 Forney: 2
INTERCEPTIONS Sadler: 4 Haith: 4
KICKING Phillips: 45-57 PAT; 2-10 FG 51 PTS Macinnis: 18-26 PAT; 0-2 FG 18 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 52.1 PPG; 286.5 52.4 PPG; 281.5
TEAM DEFENSE 45.1 PPG; 219.2 50.0 PPG; 255.5

TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS (2-6) AT FLORIDA FIRECATS (6-2)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - Germain Arena (7,128) 7:30 P.M. ET
Their records might be complete opposites but if we learned something last week in af2, it was to never count out the underdog. That will be Tennessee Valley's mentality as they go south to Florida to due battle with the Firecats. The Vipers have been struggling offensively all season long, only scoring 41.1 points per game, which is No. 20 in af2. They managed to put up 56 points last week against Louisville, but it wasn't enough as the Fire came away with the 62-56 victory. QB CHRIS GUNN was able to keep his team in a game that could have gotten out of hand pretty quickly. Louisville's deadly combination of QB Brett Dietz and OS Rob Mager connected 12 times for 123 yards and five touchdowns. All five came in the first half. Dietz tossed another three to WR/DB Lance Taylor in the second half. Despite the eight Dietz touchdowns, Gunn continued to come back with answers. He finished 23-of-37 for 322 yards and seven touchdowns, adding one on the ground as well. Mager's fifth score of the day made it 35-17 in favor of Louisville at the intermission. But Tennessee Valley came back in the third quarter, scoring two touchdowns and holding the Fire scoreless. After a Dietz touchdown pass made the game 41-30 Louisville, Gunn made his one crucial mistake of the evening, throwing a ball that ended up in the hands of WR/DB Nate Green, which he ran back 20-yards for a touchdown. The Vipers would continue to fight, however, and with the score 62-43 as time winded down, Gunn threw two more touchdowns to make the game 62-56 but time would run out on the Vipers' comeback attempt. The performance was Gunn's best of his three starts thus far, and he's been a much-needed spark to his team. WR/DB TORREY DAY was Gunn's go-to guy, catching 12 passes for 180 yards and five touchdowns. DS KOFI SMITH did take home ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors with his five tackles (one for a loss) and interception returned for 15 yards. Coming off of a disappointing loss to the Manchester Wolves two weeks ago, Florida got back on track this weekend in their 64-28 win over the South Georgia Wildcats. The Firecats offense was potent as usual and the defense stepped up big to shut down the Wildcats. South Georgia got on the board first and led 6-0, but then it was all Florida, as they scored 44 unanswered points to take a 44-6 lead. QB CHRIS WALLACE tossed four touchdowns over the span, including two to OS MAGIC BENTON. Benton finished the game with seven catches for 99 yards and three touchdowns, which now give him 24 for the season. Wallace went 17-of-30 for 234 yards and six touchdowns, giving him 49 for the season. These two are big reasons why Florida has the No. 2 scoring offense in af2, putting up 58.8 points a game, trailing only Oklahoma City (60.4). As spectacular as Florida's offense was, their defense was just as good, intercepting two passes, recovering three fumbles, sacking QB Julian Reese three times and blocking three kicks. The Firecats currently sit in second place in the American South Division, just a half-game back of the Memphis Xplorers. The all-time series is tied at three wins apiece after Florida beat Tennessee Valley 76-37 back in Week 6.

VIPERS FIRECATS
SERIES LEADER Series tied 3-3
LAST MEETING Florida won 76-37 on 5.6.2006
LAST FIVE GAMES 1-4 4-1
LAST GAME Lost vs. LOU 56-62 on 5/27/06 Won vs. SGW 64-28 on 5/27/06
2006 LEADERS VIPERS FIRECATS
PASSING Gunn: 68-42-1; 487; 11 TDs Wallace: 271-165-9; 2077; 49 TDs
RECEIVING Day: 49-579; 10 TDs Benton: 64-872; 24 TDs
RUSHING Gunn: 11-59; 1 TD Crossley: 47-181; 12 TDs
TACKLES Blanchard: 30 Sorrell: 54.5
SACKS Gibbs: 3 Fisher: 4
INTERCEPTIONS Robinson: 3 Brown: 3
KICKING Lee: 29-42 PAT; 2-15 FG 35 PTS Kornblue: 37-52 PAT; 1-4 FG 40 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 41.1 PPG; 200.5 58.8 PPG; 281.8
TEAM DEFENSE 53.5 PPG; 265.9 48.4 PPG; 255.9

MACON KNIGHTS (2-6) AT SOUTH GEORGIA WILDCATS (1-7)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - Albany Civic Center (8,034) 7:30 P.M. ET
Round two of the Peach Cup pits Macon against South Georgia is a matchup between two teams searching for a win in a big way. Both have had offensive and defensive struggles throughout the year. The good news is that one of them will at least come away with a new boost of confidence and another win to their record. Macon was dealt their worst loss of the season last week, 71-30, at the hands of the Birmingham Steeldogs. The game got ugly early, with Birmingham jumping out to a 27-0 lead midway through the second quarter. Macon finally got on the board with 3:11 left in the first half, with backup QB CECIL LESTER taking over for QB CHAD ELLIOTT, and doing a pretty good job. He connected with WR/DB CLENTON RAFE for a 34-yard touchdown. Lester proved to be one of the few bright spots for the Knights, completing 18-of-27 passes for 247 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, also running for 10 yards and a score. Despite Lester's impressive day, the Steeldogs were just too much for the Knights, scoring at will on the Macon defense. The score was 37-6 at halftime. Birmingham scored 28 straight points to start off the fourth quarter. The Steelogs were able to effectively shut down OS JAMES HICKENBOTHAM, who finished the game with only five receptions for 54 yards. He came into the game with 15 touchdowns and was denied a trip to the end zone by Birmingham. Macon also endured six sacks. The Wildcats didn't fare much better than the Knights in their game against the Florida Firecats last Saturday, losing 64-28. South Georgia scored on their first possession, a 10-play 39-yard drive lasting for 8:44, with QB JULIAN REESE's running for a 1-yard touchdown. But Florida then went on an offensive explosion, scoring 44 straight points against the Wildcats helpless defense. QB Chris Wallace threw five touchdowns in that scoring binge, and with 7:32 left in the third quarter, South Georgia found themselves down 44-6. Reese went 19-of-35 for 203 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. WR/DB CHRIS MCKINNEY had another solid game for the Wildcats, catching eight balls for 142 yards and a touchdown. He now has 798 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns on the season, South Georgia is only scoring 34.0 points per game, which ranks 22nd in af2. Macon has had similar troubles as well, scoring only 35.0 points per game (No. 21). It will be interesting to see how Macon handles Reese, because the offensive coordinator for the Knights, Rickey Foggie, was the Head Coach of the Everett Hawks when Reese was their quarterback at the beginning of the season. The all-time series between these two teams is tied after Macon defeated South Georgia 60-22 in Week 6.

KNIGHTS WILDCATS
SERIES LEADER Series tied 3-3
LAST MEETING Macon won 60-22 on 5/6/2006
LAST FIVE GAMES 1-4 1-4
LAST GAME Lost at BIR 30-71 on 5/27/06 Lost at FLA 28-64 on 5/27/06
2006 LEADERS KNIGHTS WILDCATS
PASSING Elliott: 279-177-11; 1854; 25 TDs Reese: 143-83-6; 883; 10 TDs
RECEIVING Hickenbotham: 69-831; 15 TDs McKinney: 65-798; 11 TDs
RUSHING Lloyd: 37-125; 7 TDs Reese: 23-88; 4 TDs
TACKLES Purse: 38 McCoy: 57.5
SACKS Wrangler: 4.5 Null: 2
INTERCEPTIONS FenceRoy: 5 Robinson: 2
Saunders: 2
KICKING Yoon: 21-35 PAT; 3-11 FG 30 PTS Burnett: 18-26 PAT; 4-15 FG; 30 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 35.0 PPG; 279.3 34.0 PPG; 203.6
TEAM DEFENSE 51.0 PPG; 271.2 51.4 PPG; 264.9

BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT BATTLE WINGS (1-7) AT ARKANSAS TWISTERS (5-3)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - ALLTEL Arena (16,508) 8:00 P.M. ET
The Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings will once again be in the underdog roll as they face the Arkansas Twisters, but they finally have a win to their name, after beating then No. 1 Oklahoma City, 53-50, last Saturday. They hope to pull off another upset and hand the Twisters their fourth loss of the year. Bossier played host to the Yard Dawgz No. 1 scoring offense and was able to slow them down and put themselves in a position to win. The Battle Wings scored on the first possession of the game, with QB J.J. RATERINK hitting WR/DB CHARLIE MYLES for a 12-yard touchdown. After Oklahoma City missed a field goal on the ensuing possession, Raterink connected with WR/LB DANTE JOHNSON for an 11-yard touchdown. WR/DB RICKY FRANKLIN then picked off Oklahoma City QB Craig Strickland, which led to a Raterink 3-yard touchdown run. Just like that Bossier was out to a 20-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Yard Dawgz, however, would not just go away. Strickland found WR/DB AL HUNT for two touchdowns in the second quarter, while the Battle Wings picked up two K BRIAN HAZELWOOD field goals. At halftime, Bossier owned a 23-14 lead. After the Yard Dawgz scored on the opening possession of the second half, Raterink answered with a 16-yard touchdown pass to WR/DB TERRELL SUTTON. Oklahoma City and Bossier then swapped touchdowns again, but with 00:56 left in the third, Oklahoma City got a 1-yard touchdown run from FB/LB Michael Tolbert to make the score 40-35 with Bossier in front, heading into the final quarter. Oklahoma City took their first lead of the game with 11 minutes remaining and converted on the 2-point try, going up 43-40. Raterink ran the ball in on Bossier's next possession, jumping in front 46-43. With just over five minutes remaining, Strickland threw his fifth touchdown pass of the game, taking a 50-46 lead. But with only 00:29 left, Raterink completed a 28-yard touchdown pass to WR/DB ANTHONY CHAMBERS for the game-winner. Raterink earned the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game award with his 21-of-31 passing for 296 yards and five touchdowns, and two touchdowns on the ground. He was later named the Schutt Offensive Player of the Week for Week 9 for his performance and willing his team to their first win of the season. Arkansas also won in dramatic fashion in their last game, beating Tulsa on a last-second field goal to win 45-42. Arkansas and Tulsa exchanged touchdowns during the first quarter, with Arkansas up 14-13. QB WALTER CHURCH then threw an interception, which was returned for a touchdown, but Church came back with a 30-yard touchdown to WR/DB JON SCHOONOVER to give Arkansas 21-20. FB/LB STEVE WATSON then ran in a 1-yard touchdown and Schoonover then hauled in a 20-yard touchdown. Going into the fourth quarter, Arkansas was in front 36-27. With 00:22 remaining, Tulsa QB Mark Radlinski hit OS Ricky Ross for a 5-yard touchdown to tie the game at 42. With 00:01 to go, K DAVID CARLTON kicked a 34-yard field goal to give Arkansas the win and move them into a second-place tie in the American Midwest Division. Arkansas leads the all-time series with Bossier-Shreveport 7-2, beating them 55-35 on April 15.

BATTLE WINGS TWISTERS
SERIES LEADER Arkansas leads 7-2
LAST MEETING Arkansas won 55-35 on 4/15/2006
LAST FIVE GAMES 1-4 2-3
LAST GAME Win vs. OKC 53-50 on 5/27/06 Won at TUL 45-42 on 5/27/06
2006 LEADERS BATTLE WINGS TWISTERS
PASSING Raterink: 272-152-11; 1490; 19 TDs Church: 270-151-14; 1986; 46 TDs
RECEIVING Rozier: 27-271; 6 TDs Schoonover: 36-537; 11 TDs
RUSHING Myles: 7-43; 0 TD Johnson: 4-31; 1 TD
TACKLES Sutton: 27.5 Reid: 45.5
SACKS Green: 2, Reed: 2 Watson: 11
INTERCEPTIONS Four tied with 1 Williams: 4
KICKING Hazelwood: 21-28 PAT; 9-22 FG
3 2-PT 51 PTS Carlton: 31-41 PAT; 2-12 FG 37 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 30.6 PPG; 195.6 52.6 PPG; 245.6
TEAM DEFENSE 56.2 PPG; 272.5 46.1 PPG; 252.4

RIO GRANDE VALLEY DORADOS (4-4) AT OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ (6-2)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - Ford Center (17,884) 8:00 P.M. ET
In one of the biggest games of Week 10, the Rio Grande Valley Dorados and Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz face off in a National Midwest Division game. Both teams are coming off losses in their last games and are looking to get back in the win column. Rio Grande had a bye in Week 10 but took on the Amarillo Dusters in Week 9 and lost 35-28. Rio Grande got the lead first with OS CHRIS CANTY running the ball in from six yards out and then Amarillo tied the game at seven with QB Steve Panella connecting with OS Derek Jones for a 25-yard touchdown at the end of the first quarter. Canty ran in another touchdown for Rio Grande, jumping ahead 14-7. Amarillo answered and the game went into halftime tied at 14. The Dorados got the only points in the third quarter with QB J.R. DAVIES finding WR/DB DWIGHT COUNTER, giving the Dorados the 21-14 lead. Amarillo then tied the game at 21 with just under 11 minutes to go. Rio Grande answered with a Davies 3-yard touchdown run. With 2:57 Amarillo scored on WR/DB Donta Bright ran in a 15-yard touchdown. Rio Grande got the ball back but then OL/DL ANTOINE MURPHY took a handoff from Davies and fumbled on his own 13-yard line, and the ball was recovered by Amarillo at the 10-yard line. With 00:55 left, WR/DB Michael Broussard ran in for a 2-yard touchdown. Rio Grande turned the ball over on downs in their last possession. Even with the loss, Canty was named the Shutt Offensive Player of the Game, for having five catches for 56 yards, and two rushing touchdowns. Davies had a sub-par game, completing 18-of-29 passes with one touchdown. Oklahoma City went into their game last week as the No. 1 ranked team in af2 with the No. 1 scoring offense. They were playing the 0-7 Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings, but they lost in the biggest upset of the year, by a 53-50 score. Bossier scored on their first three possessions, jumping out to a 20-0 lead. QB CRAIG STRICKLAND then put much needed points on the board, connecting with WR/DB AL HUNT for a 22-yard touchdown. Strickland and Hunt hooked up again for a 5-yard touchdown with 5:23 left in the second-quarter, and the score at halftime was 26-14 Bossier. A few minutes into the third quarter, Strickland tossed his third touchdown with OL/DL ANTHONY DINGLE for an 18-yard touchdown Oklahoma City closed the gap to 26-21. But Bossier and QB J.J. Raterink wouldn't back down, coming back with a score. After each team scored again, the game went into the fourth quarter with Bossier up 40-35. The Yard Dawgz would soon get their first lead of the game, with Strickland throwing a 3-yard touchdown to OS JARRAIL JACKSON and converting on the 2-point try, making the score 43-40. Raterink answered with a 1-yard touchdown run and Jackson scored once again to regain the lead, 50-46. With 00:29 left in the game, Raterink, the Schutt Offensive Player of the Week, hit WR/DB ANTHONY CHAMBERS for the game-winning 28-yard touchdown, completing the upset. Strickland finished the game 25-of-38 for 260 yards and five touchdowns, giving him a league-leading 55 for the season. Rio Grande will try to tie up the all-time series with Oklahoma City at three wins apiece.

DORADOS YARD DAWGZ
SERIES LEADER Oklahoma City leads 3-2
LAST MEETING Oklahoma City won 71-40 on 7/23/2005
LAST FIVE GAMES 2-3 3-2
LAST GAME Lost at AMA 28-35 on 5/20/06 Lost at BOS 50-53 on 5/27/06
2006 LEADERS DORADOS YARD DAWGZ
PASSING Davies: 59-36-2; 1557; 6 TDs Strickland: 255-160-4; 2077; 55 TDs
RECEIVING Counter: 54-636; 15 TDs Jackson: 60-762; 23 TDs
RUSHING Canty: 7-55; 2 TDs Dingle: 9-82; 4 TDs
TACKLES Withers: 46 Fletcher: 62
SACKS Agee: 2 Tolbert: 2
INTERCEPTIONS Long: 2
Withers: 2 Fletcher: 3
McCollister: 3
KICKING Bell: 37-48 PAT; 3-8 FG 46 PTS Haglund: 62-67 PAT; 3-13 FG 71 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 45.4 PPG; 258.5 60.4 PPG; 272.8
TEAM DEFENSE 47.0 PPG; 218.4 46.0 PPG; 290.6

ALBANY CONQUEST (4-4) AT QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS (2-6)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - The MARK of the Quad Cities (9,437) 8:15 P.M. ET
The Conquest are on the road this week to take on new East Division rival Quad City. This is the second and final matchup between these two teams in 2006. Albany won the first affair by outscoring the Steamwheelers, 73-62. Both squads are looking to break their recent two-game losing streaks. Albany's most recent outing was a 56-51 home loss against Green Bay. A costly interception return for a touchdown off a RYAN VENA pass early in the fourth quarter turned what could've been a Conquest lead into an 11-point deficit. Despite the interception and eventual result, Vena is clearly the driver that is steering Albany along the path toward the postseason. To get there, however, they need to start by evading the pothole in the Quad Cities. Last week's loss was also costly in that the Conquest lost their leading receiver, MANWELL TALBERT, who is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Vena, who leads the af2 in rushing touchdowns with 14 and ranks second in passing yards per game (289.6 ypg), will need to look to veteran Jim Jones and rookies ANTWUN WILLIAMS and R.J. HARVEY. Albany's defense, which started off the season strong, hasn't been as solid in recent weeks. They'll need to force some stops against a dangerous Quad City offense if they want to pull out the win. The Steamwheelers haven't had a great first half due in large part to a susceptible defense that is allowing a league-worst 60.0 points per game. Quad City's strong offensive attack has kept them in a lot of games, however. The team's last outing was a 68-63 road loss to Spokane. In that contest, the Steamwheelers were doomed with five turnovers (3 INTs, 2 fumbles). Both fumbles were returned for Spokane touchdowns. Veteran QB TIM HICKS struggled in the game but should start again this week. He currently leads the league in passing yards (2,434) and has thrown for 40 touchdowns. His three main targets to throw to are JACK WALKER, TIM DODGE and KRIS PETERS. All three receivers have 50 or more receptions and 600 or more receiving yards. If Quad City is to earn its third win, however, the team's defense will need to slow down Vena and company. If the Steamwheelers can do that, and take care of the football, they'll be in the contest from start to finish. If they continue to struggle on defense, Quad City will be in trouble once again.

CONQUEST STEAMWHEELERS
SERIES LEADER Series tied 1-1
LAST MEETING ALBANY 73, Quad City 62 on 4/29/06
LAST FIVE GAMES 2-3 2-3
LAST GAME Lost vs. GBB 51-56 on 5/27/06 Lost at SPK 63-68 on 5/27/06
2006 LEADERS CONQUEST STEAMWHEELERS
PASSING Vena: 293-181-10; 2,317; 36 TDs Hicks: 317-207-8; 2,434; 40 TDs
RECEIVING Talbert: 61-774; 12 TDs Walker: 73-810; 12 TDs
RUSHING Vena: 41-74; 14 TDs Hicks: 18-47; 3 TDs
TACKLES Tinson: 29.0 Lewis: 37.0
SACKS Parris: 2, Ward: 2 Macrea: 2
INTERCEPTIONS Murray: 5 Graham: 2
KICKING Cirrincione: 47-55 PAT; 5-8 FGS; 62 PTS Naehu: 34-48 PAT; 3-9 FGS; 43 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 52.5 PPG; 308.6 53.1 PPG; 338.0
TEAM DEFENSE 51.1 PPG; 275.5 60.0 PPG; 276.8

CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES (5-3) AT SPOKANE SHOCK (7-1)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - Spokane Arena (10,187) 9:00 P.M. ET
The Coyotes make their first trip to Spokane this week with revenge fresh on their minds. The reason why is that these two teams squared off just two weeks ago in California where the Shock earned a 68-54 road win. Despite that result, Central Valley should enter this week's West Division battle with a lot of confidence after beating second-place Bakersfield in Week 9, 56-46. The Coyotes are led by three key players - QB SCOTT RISLOV, WR/DB LAMONTE JONES and DS MAURICE TAYLOR. Rislov, just a rookie, has played like a veteran for the Coyotes in the first half of the season. He currently ranks second in the league in touchdown passes (51) and completion percentage (66.9) and also ranks third in passer rating at 123.2. Jones is the team's top playmaker. He ranks among the league leaders in touchdown receptions, kick return yards and all-purpose yards. He's also returned two kicks for touchdowns. Taylor leads the Coyotes in tackles (37.0), interceptions (5) and pass breakups (14). Central Valley leads the league in turnover margin at plus+14 (24 turnovers gained, 10 lost). If the Coyotes take care of the football in what is sure to be a hostile environment in Spokane, an upset is not at all out of the question. The Shock have been the best story so far of the 2006 season. This first-year team has the league's best record and best fans. Three of Spokane's four home games have drawn over 10,000 fans. Head Coach CHRIS SIEGFRIED has done a great job making this squad successful right out of the gate. Siegfried is on pace to surpass former Rio Grande Valley and Tennessee Valley Head Coach KEVIN GUY to become the league's all-time winningest coach before season's end. Leading the team on the field is journeyman QB ALEX NEIST. Neist has thrown for over 1,800 yards and has 32 touchdowns. The Shock has many playmakers for Neist to throw to, led by OS ANTWONE SAVAGE (team-best 39 catches, 501 yards, 12 TDs). The one defensive player who has quickly become a fan favorite is DS ROB KEEFE. Keefe is tied for the league lead with seven interceptions. He also leads the squad with 45.5 tackles. Last week Keefe returned an interception for a touchdown in a 68-63 win against Quad City. WR/DB CHARLES FREDERICK also made a big impact with two fumble returns for touchdowns, one kick return for a touchdown and one receiving score. Overall, the Shock are a solid team that doesn't often make mistakes. If they play another efficient game against Central Valley, the Spokane fans could be cheering for another Shock victory.

COYOTES SHOCK
SERIES LEADER Spokane leads 1-0
LAST MEETING Spokane 68, CENTRAL VALLEY 54 on 5/20/06
LAST FIVE GAMES 3-2 4-1
LAST GAME Won vs. BAK 56-46 5/27/06 Won vs. QCS 68-63 5/27/06
2006 LEADERS COYOTES SHOCK
PASSING Rislov: 254-170-5; 2,069; 51 TDs Neist: 264-157-7; 1,838; 32 TDs
RECEIVING Jones: 56-768; 19 TDs Savage: 39-501; 12 TDs
RUSHING Guardia: 20-78; 3 TDs Vigil: 18-53; 6 TDs
TACKLES Taylor: 37.0 Keefe: 45.5
SACKS Langenfeld: 3 Purvis: 3
INTERCEPTIONS Taylor: 5 Keefe: 7
KICKING Gockman: 52-60 PAT; 5-12 FG; 67 PTS Koker: 43-57 PAT; 3-8 FG; 52 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 55.1 PPG; 266.4 51.8 PPG; 252.5
TEAM DEFENSE 47.6 PPG; 255.1 48.2 PPG; 237.8

AMARILLO DUSTERS (4-4) AT BAKERSFIELD BLITZ (5-3)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - Rabobank Arena (9,000) 10:00 P.M. ET
The Dusters may not look pretty this week on offense against Bakersfield, they just hope to be effective. That's because they lost starting QB STEVE PANELLA (1,602 yards, 25 TDs, 1 INT) to a hand injury in a Week 9 loss to Memphis. WR/LB JARROD ROUANZOIN will get the start at quarterback. Rouanzoin is a versatile athlete who has played quarterback in the past. Amarillo will likely rely on its defense to carry the team this week. The Dusters "D" ranks in the Top 10 in the af2 in quarterback sacks, interceptions and in points per game allowed. In the last four weeks, Amarillo's defense has been especially stingy, allowing just 130 points (32.5 ppg). The Blitz are out to get back to their winning form after losing their last two contests. Their most recent result was a 56-46 loss at Central Valley. Bakersfield is led by former AFL standout GARY COMPTON. His quarterback is af2 veteran MICHAEL WALL. Wall has thrown for over 1,700 yards with 41 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Wall's favorite target is RENNARD REYNOLDS. Reynolds ranks among the league leaders in receiving touchdowns with 20. As a unit, Bakersfield's offense averages just under 49 points per game. The Blitz defense, however, has been the group that's keyed the team's first-half success. They rank fourth in the league in points per game allowed at 40.9. They also rank No. 1 overall in turnovers forced with 25 and in interceptions with 15. Leading the unit is veteran ALEX WALLACE. Wallace is tied for the league lead in interceptions with seven. He also leads the squad in tackles with 27.5. This is just the second all-time meeting between these two National Conference squads. Amarillo won the first time out in Texas in 2005.

DUSTERS BLITZ
SERIES LEADER Amarillo leads 1-0
LAST MEETING AMARILLO 66, Bakersfield 55 on 6/18/05
LAST FIVE GAMES 4-1 3-2
LAST GAME Lost to MEM 27-34 5/27/06 Lost at CVC 46-56 5/27/06
2006 LEADERS DUSTERS BLITZ
PASSING Panella: 255-141-1; 1,602; 25 TDs Wall: 262-155-6; 1,722; 41 TDs
RECEIVING Jones: 26-316; 6 TDs Reynolds: 52-707; 20 TDs
RUSHING Broussard: 19-92; 7 TDs Onaindia: 12-54; 2 TDs
TACKLES Mingo: 36.5 Wallace: 27.5
SACKS Williams: 5.5 Turner: 5.5
INTERCEPTIONS Mingo: 4 Wallace: 7
KICKING Felton: 42-45 PAT; 6-16 FG; 60 PTS Barrett: 14-21 PAT; 1-5 FG; 17 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 43.0 PPG; 222.9 48.9; 239.9
TEAM DEFENSE 46.4 PPG; 243.0 40.9; 207.0

MEMPHIS XPLORERS (7-2) AT STOCKTON LIGHTNING (3-5)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - Stockton Arena (10,117) 10:30 P.M. ET
The Lightning look to bounce back from a tough defeat last week as the Memphis Xplorers ride into the Stockton Arena on a two-game winning streak. Stockton, which lost last week to Everett, 41-40, was unable to score in the 4th quarter as Everett ran off 20 straight points to seal the victory. QB JOSH BLANKENSHIP threw for three touchdowns last week, as well as accounted for one on the ground. Forgotten in the loss was the effort of the defense, which forced three turnovers and kept the Lightning in the game, despite a 2:1 time of possession ratio. Stockton's pass defense is currently ranked 20th in the league, allowing an average of 253.4 yards per game. The Lightning's 174 penalty yards last week were the second most in a game this season, behind the Arkansas Twisters' 180 against the Quad City Steamwheelers. In the first meeting between these two teams, the Xplorers expect to add to their conference-leading seven wins. Memphis (#2 in the Coaches Poll) held off Amarillo last week after the Dusters recovered an on-side kick with 19.9 seconds remaining, to secure the 34-27 win. WR/DB KENNY HIGGINS led the Xplorers attack with seven catches for 108 yards and three touchdowns. The former Toledo Rocket remains second in the af2 in receiving yards and seventh in touchdowns with 18 for the season. QB BRIAN JONES added to his stats last week with 254 yards and four touchdowns. Jones is having another stellar season for the Xplorers. He is leading the af2 in passing efficiency again and is ied for third in both passing and rushing touchdowns. DS SCOTT CUNNINGHAM played a great all-around game last week with 8.0 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. OS KEVIN PRENTISS, who missed the first seven games of the season after a brief stint with the Las Vegas Gladiators, will look to move up the record books in the upcoming weeks as he is 52 points away from joining the elite 700 club. Head Coach DANTON BARTO and his coaching opponent this week, RICHARD DAVIS, are two of the winningest coaches in af2 history. Both men have totaled 44 wins, including postseason, and are tied for sixth on the all-time list. Memphis seems primed to make another run at the ArenaCup with the #1 scoring defense in the league at 37.4 ppg and an offense that averages over 55 points per contest (55.3).

XPLORERS LIGHTNING
SERIES LEADER First meeting
LAST MEETING N/A
LAST FIVE GAMES 4-1 2-3
LAST GAME Won at AMA 34-27 5/27/06 Lost at EVE 40-41 5/27/06
2006 LEADERS XPLORERS LIGHTNING
PASSING Jones: 270-177-3; 2,368; 49 TDs Blankenship: 262-148-11; 1,773; 38 TDs
RECEIVING Higgins: 59-960; 18 TDs Goodman: 35- 436; 12 TDs
RUSHING Jones: 35-167; 10 TDs Blankenship: 15-30; 3 TDs
TACKLES Giddens: 59.5 Wallace: 30.0
SACKS Eggleston: 5 Dorisme: 5.0
INTERCEPTIONS Cunningham: 2, Eggleston: 2 Goodman: 2
KICKING Azar: 56-67 PAT; 2-7 FG; 62 PTS Hickok: 31-39 PAT; 1-5 FG; 34 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 55.3 PPG; 290.8 47.0; 234.0
TEAM DEFENSE 37.4 PPG; 279.6 48.5; 274.8

BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS (4-4) AT EVERETT HAWKS (1-7)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 - Everett Events Center (8,300) 10:30 P.M. ET
The Everett Hawks hope to make it two straight against a Birmingham Steeldogs squad that piled on a ton of points a week ago against Macon. The Everett Events Center was rocking last Saturday as the Hawks picked up their first victory in the franchise's short history. Everett erased a 19-point 4th quarter deficit, while shutting out the Stockton Lightning to pick up the win, 41-40. QB BRIAN BAKER directed the Hawks offensem, throwing for a team record 336 yards. Baker also threw five touchdowns, including the game-winner to WR/DB HASSAN BROCKMAN, which turned out to be the Cutters Catch of the Week. The 2-yard score was the exclamation mark on a huge day for Brockman, as he finished with 14 catches for 117 yards. OL/DL JOHN FIELDS led the defense with 3 tackles for loss. Lost in the victory were the struggles the offense had, as the unit converted only three of its seven red zone trips into scores. It will be interesting to see if this victory is all Everett needed to get on track. The Birmingham Steeldogs defeated the Macon Knights last week 71-30. Birmingham jumped out to a quick 20-0 lead behind the arm of QB RYAN HAWK before sealing the deal with 34 fourth quarter points to squash any rumblings of a possible Macon comeback. Hawk teamed up with QB ROBERT KENT to throw for a combined 246 yards and eight touchdowns. OS BRADLY CHAVEZ, in his first game back since a Week 2 knee injury, answered all questions about his health with an enormous day; grabbing 11 balls for 155 yards and four touchdowns to earn Schutt Offensive Player of the Game. Chavez put his mark on the game by catching more balls than the rest of the team combined. WR/DB LAWRENCE STORY added two touchdown snatches of his own. The Steeldogs' defense was once again firm as they forced three fumbles and terrorized the Knights for six sacks. They have now allowed just 51 points in the past two games, compared to 122 in the two previous. This is the one and only meeting between these two teams in 2006.

STEELDOGS HAWKS
SERIES LEADER First meeting
LAST MEETING N/A
LAST FIVE GAMES 3-2 1-4
LAST GAME Won vs. MAC 70-31 on 5/27/06 Won vs. STK 41-40 on 5/27/06
2006 LEADERS STEELDOGS HAWKS
PASSING Hawk: 282-150-6; 1,954; 29 TDs Baker: 74-43-2; 504; 9 TDs
RECEIVING Wright: 51-782; 13 TDs Brockman: 39-377; 6 TDs
RUSHING Browden: 30-101; 6 TDs Baker: 7-25; 0 TDs
TACKLES Keyes: 35.0 Brockman: 33.0
SACKS Brumbaugh: 3, Daniel: 3 Fields: 2
INTERCEPTIONS Keyes: 5 Butler: 2
KICKING Walls: 32-43 PAT; 5-13 FG; 47 PTS Hawley: 31-42 PAT; 2-9 FG; 37 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 44.9 PPG; 289.2 41.4 PPG; 265.6
TEAM DEFENSE 43.6 PPG; 247.8 50.8 PPG; 271.2

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