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af2 Saturday night semifinal matchups

August 12, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


(4) WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (10-7) AT (1) FLORIDA FIRECATS (14-2)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2005 - GERMAIN ARENA (7,128) 7:30 P.M. ET

The defending champion Florida Firecats look to take their first step toward repeating when they host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers at Germain Arena on Saturday night. The Firecats have followed their championship season with a 14-2 regular season record, their best in franchise history. They also won their division for the second time in franchise history.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has had an up and down season. They lost two straight games three times this season and their longest winning streak was only three games, when they won their first three games of the season. Despite losing to Florida in Week 16, the loss seems to have righted their season. They then won their final two games of the regular season to earn a home playoff date. This home date helped them defeat the Green Bay Blizzard 48-41 on a late defensive stand.

The Pioneers took the Firecats to overtime in that Week 16 loss to Florida. Florida scored with under a minute left to push their lead to nine points. The Pioneers' struck back in one play on a ROCCO FORGIONE 30-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to six after the extra point was missed. After an unsuccessful onside kick Florida took over at the Pioneers 11, but could only manage one yard before they attempted a field goal. The Pioneers blocked the attempt and moved down the field for a 27-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. In the extra session UFUOMA PELA caught a three-yard touchdown pass to bring the Pioneers within one after Florida scored on their first possession. Pioneers head coach LES MOSS went for the win but a BRYAN SNYDER pass was incomplete and the Pioneers went home unhappy. While this loss stings, it is only salt in a wound originally opened when the Pioneers lost to Florida 31-41 to in the American Conference Championship game last season.

The Firecats have playmakers all over the field. On defense, ROY STABLER and KELLY SNELL make up one of the best duos of defensive specialists to ever play in af2. Stabler's 334.5 career tackles ranks first all-time in af2 while Snell won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2002. Snell had a strong season, registering 100.0 tackles, four interceptions and breaking up 28 passes.

The Firecats offense starts with quarterback CHRIS WALLACE. He has the ability to run and make passes while moving the pocket, but the Firecats are best when he doesn't have to. When Wallace can sit back and throw to his talented receiving corps the Firecats are difficult to stop. MAGIC BENTON leads the team in receiving with 105 catches for 1,307 yards and 32 touchdowns. CAINON LAMB rejoined the team out of retirement after six games to catch 75 passes for 783 yards and 21 touchdowns.

The Firecats took a hit earlier this week when STEVE GORRIE was lost for the postseason due to injury. Gorrie became the first player to rush for 500 yards in a single season last year as the Firecats rushed to the title. Luckily for Florida backup FB/LB CHRIS MORANT was able to get considerable playing time last season and is more than a suitable replacement for Gorrie. This season Morant has rushed for 121 yards and four touchdowns on 46 carries.

Looking at the Pioneers, they have a 100 tackler of their own in JAMIE HATTLEY. Hattley recorded 102.0 (89UA-26AT) stops, 24 passes broken up and three interceptions on the season. Last week Hattley recorded seven solo tackles and forced a fumble in the Pioneers win.

Last season LEROY MCFADDEN was one of the Pioneers' key contributors. After not playing a regular season game McFadden returned for the playoffs and recovered a fumble in the endzone for a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown and caught five passes for 41 yards. McFadden and Rocco Forgione will need to make up for the loss of J.R. THOMAS for the playoffs.

PIONEERS /// FIRECATS
SERIES LEADER: Florida leads series 2-0
LAST MEETING: Florida won 48-47 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on 7/16/05
LAST FIVE GAMES: 3-2 /// 5-0
LAST GAME: Won vs. Green Bay 48-41 /// Won at Birmingham 28-27
PASSING: Rowley: 298-188-11; 2193; 48 TDs /// Wallace: 527-320-14; 3501; 80 TDs
RECEIVING: Forgione: 104-1363; 32 TDs /// Benton: 105-1307; 32 TDs RUSHING: Apostolidis: 23-44; 5 TDs /// Gorrie: 81-345; 8 TDs
TACKLES: Hattley: 102.0 /// Snell: 100.0
SACKS: Ekwueme: 3.0 /// Fisher: 2.5
INTERCEPTIONS: Hattley/Kaymore/Riley: 3 /// Snell: 4
KICKING: Davis: 75-98 PAT; 9-27 FG 102 /// Kornblue: 73-93 PAT; 3-22 FG 82 Pts
TEAM OFFENSE: 49.4 PPG (12th); 243.8 YPG (16th) /// 45.1 PPG (15th); 250.6 YPG (14th)
TEAM DEFENSE: 37.6 PPG (1st); 250.9 YPG (5th) /// 39.8 PPG (2nd); 257.9 YPG (9th)

(4) RIO GRANDE VALLEY DORADOS (11-6) AT (2) TULSA TALONS (11-5)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2005 - TULSA CONVENITON CENTER (7,111) 8:00 P.M. ET

For the third time this season the Rio Grande Valley Dorados and the Tulsa Talons play. This time it is at the Tulsa Convention Center for a spot in the National Conference Championship Game.

When these two teams met for the first time in Week 10 the Dorados won a barnburner 65-64 on a ERIC HOULE 33-yard field goal with just two seconds remaining on the contest. The kick came after the Dorados managed the clock perfectly, burning the final two minutes of the game. The win put the Dorados in the drivers seat to the West Division Championship. But when these two clubs met again in Week 16 Tulsa came out on top 58-49, putting them back in control of the division.

In that second meeting Talons receiver DONOVAN MORGAN broke the af2 record for receiving touchdowns in a season and points scored in a season. He finished the season with 54 receiving touchdowns and 346 total points scored. These numbers earned him interest from several NFL teams during Tulsa's bye week, but the record-breaking receiver returned to Tulsa this past week to finish the season with the Talons.

Morgan has had two of his best game of the season against Rio Grande Valley. He caught ten passes for 145 yards and five touchdowns in their first meeting. In their second meeting he caught ten passes for 125 yards and five touchdowns.

Rio Grande Valley's main receiver is WR/DB MARQUIS FLOYD. Floyd grabbed 101 passes for 1,452 yards and 29 touchdowns. On defense Floyd was the Dorados' second leading tackler with 47.0 (42UA-10AT) stops. He led the team in interceptions with nine. He returned those nine for 145 yards. He also recorded two fumbles. In his two games against the Talons Floyd has registered 16 receptions for 246 yards and six touchdowns. But, he has failed to record an interception against Tulsa yet.

Rio Grande Valley doesn't just do it through the air though. FB/LB CHRIS ROBINSON totaled 236 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground in the regular season. Last week against Quad City he rushed seven times for 42 yards and a touchdown. His 42 yards was the second highest rushing total in an af2 playoff game.

On defense Robinson has been equally as productive, registering six sacks and 37.5 tackles during the regular season. Last week lineman CURTIS JETER earned ADT Defensive Player of the Week honors for his big game against Quad City. He recorded two sacks, two forced fumbles and a recovered fumble. He came up with the big play late in the game to force a Quad City turnover when the Steamwheelers were starting to creep back into the game. During the regular season Jeter forced four fumbles and recorded 3.0 sacks.

Robinson and Jeter will be going after Tulsa quarterback JOSH BLANKENSHIP. The rookie signal caller has thrown for 15 touchdowns and no interceptions in their two previous meetings against the Dorados. While he has benefited from having a talented receiver like Morgan, someone had to get the ball to Morgan and the rest of Tulsa's receivers and Blankenship has done that this season.

Rio Grande Valley's victory over Quad City last week was their first playoff win in franchise history. It was also their first postseason contest. Now they would like to earn their first ever road playoff victory. Tulsa is one of af2's most accomplished franchises. This will be their tenth all-time postseason game. Last season they loss to Peoria in the American Conference Championship game. In 2003 they won the ArenaCup. If Tulsa wants to advance to the ArenaCup again, they will have to get past the Dorados on Saturday night.

DORADOS /// TALONS
SERIES LEADER: Tulsa leads series 4-1
LAST MEETING: Tulsa won 58-49 vs. Rio Grande Valley on 7/16/05
LAST FIVE GAMES: 3-2 /// 3-2
LAST GAME: Won vs. Quad City 56-38 /// Lost at Oklahoma City 57-50
PASSING: Kellett: 533-303-14; 3627; 63 TDs /// Blankenship: 480-285-10; 3554; 89 TDs
RECEIVING: Floyd: 101-1452; 29 TDs /// Morgan: 121-1687; 54 TDs
RUSHING: Robinson: 57-236; 11 TDs /// Martin: 34-133; 7 TDs
TACKLES: Brown: 60.0 /// Davis: 94.5
SACKS: McGinnis: 4.5 /// McIver: 5.5
INTERCEPTIONS: Floyd: 9 /// Davis: 4
KICKING: Houle: 72-84 PAT; 17-43 FG 123 Pts /// 68-77 PAT; 2-8 FG 74 Pts
TEAM OFFENSE: 49.8 PPG (11th); 265.7 YPG (9th) /// 55.6 PPG (3rd); 265.4 YPG (10th)
TEAM DEFENSE: 52.2 PPG (14th); 262.4 YPG (13th) /// 48.9 PPG (9th); 283.9 YPG (18th)



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