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April 1, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


MEMPHIS XPLORERS (0-0) AT TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2006 - Von Braun Center (6,642) 8:30 P.M. ET
The best team won the ArenaCup in 2005 and that team was the Memphis Xplorers. With a nice new ring on his finger, Coach Danton Barto is now faced with the tough task of trying to find the right combination to rekindle the magic of a year ago. He'll have help, however, thanks to the return of starting QB BRIAN JONES (3,384 yards passing, 69 TD passes, 23 rushing TDs, league-best 123.1 QB rating) and a number of other key cogs from last year's machine. Trying to repeat, however, is a tough thing to do, especially without the two best defensive players in the entire league - DS DAHNEL SINGFIELD (2005 af2 Defensive Player of the Year) and DS KHREEM SMITH (2005 af2 Lineman of the Year). Memphis will also need to find a replacement for OS/KR KEVIN PRENTISS (1,627 receiving yards, 40 TDs, 4 KR TDs in '05). The Xplorers will expect more from Jones and other key members of last year's title team, such as WR/DB TERRELL ADAMS, WR/DB DEON GIDDENS, DS SCOTT CUNNINGHAM and WR/DB TERRANCE QUATTLEBAUM. Adams was second on the team in 2005 in rushing (74 yards, 5 TDs) and receiving (57 catches, 779 yards, 15 TDs) and finished fourth in tackles (37.0). He also recorded five interceptions and three tackles for loss. Giddens ranked second on the team in tackles with 52 while also recording five interceptions. Cunningham was second on the squad behind Singfield in interceptions with seven and also tallied 46.5 tackles and 18 pass break ups. Quattlebaum is a veteran who came up big in the big game, earning Ironman of the Game and Defensive Player of the Game honors in ArenaCup6. Memphis newcomers who should make an impact are OL/DL CHRIS EGGLESTON (4.0 sacks with Green Bay in 2005) and rookie OL/DL/DLS DAVID BAMIRO. Their opponents on the other side are the Tennessee Valley Vipers. That's right, the Vipers are back! The Tennessee Valley team of old (2000-04) was one of the top two franchises in the league, both on and off the field. After a year away, this new Vipers team will be ready to play. Rookie af2 Head Coach Chris Williams has assembled a solid overall group of players. The team's strength, however, is its group of linemen. A number of these big guys have major college and even major professional experience, such as OL/DL AHMAD CHILDRESS. Leading the team on offense will be second-year af2 QB ROGER LINN. Linn started eight games for Birmingham in 2005 and tossed 27 TDs. His main target may be OS WAYNE THOMAS, who hasn't played recently, but is Birmingham's career leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and scoring. In three years (2000-02) with the Steeldogs, Thomas accumulated 270 catches, 4,021 yards, 101 receiving scores and 606 total points. The Vipers also have their top DS back from 2004 in HENRY FREEMAN. Freeman led the 2004 Tennessee Valley team in tackles (75.0) and tied for the team lead in interceptions with four.

XPLORERS VIPERS
SERIES LEADER Tennessee Valley leads series 6-1
LAST MEETING Memphis won 54-48 on 6/26/2004
LAST FIVE GAMES 5-0 NA
LAST GAME Won vs. LOU 63-41 on 8/27/2005 in the ArenaCup Championship NA
2005 LEADERS XPLORERS VIPERS
PASSING Jones: 388-245-7; 3384; 69 TDs NA
RECEIVING Prentiss: 103-1627; 40 TDs NA
RUSHING Jones: 75-229; 23 TDs NA
TACKLES Singfield: 73 NA
SACKS Smith: 17 NA
INTERCEPTIONS Singfield: 12 NA
KICKING Azar: 57-72 PAT; 8-16 FG 81 PTs NA
TEAM OFFENSE 55.8 PPG; 248.1 YPG NA
TEAM DEFENSE 37.6 PPG; 243.1 YPG NA

RIO GRANDE VALLEY DORADOS (0-0) AT CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2006 - Selland Arena (8,911) 10:30 P.M. ET
The Dorados have a strong core of veterans back this year from their 2005 team that made it all the way to the National Conference Championship game. That's good news for rookie head coach Marty Hammond. He and the team have high expectations again as some of former coach Kevin Guy's top guns are back and that much better after another year of experience. Second-year WR/DB DWIGHT COUNTER will be counted on to have a huge year for the Dorados. Last season in just 13 games, he caught 89 passes for 1,014 yards and 19 TDs. He also set team single-game records for receptions (18) and receiving yards (217) in 2005. Returning QB JOSH KELLETT is also expected to have another strong season. In 2005, he set team single season records with 3,636 passing yards and 63 touchdown passes. He also recorded single-game records for passing yards (390) and passing TDs (8) last season. WR/LB TRAVIS MCALPINE and OL/DL CURTIS JETER are also veterans who should make an impact for the Dorados in 2006. A year ago McAlpine caught five TDs, intercepted four passes and notched 30 total tackles. Jeter, a crafty lineman, tallied three sacks in 2005 in addition to forcing a team-best six fumbles. The Central Valley Coyotes and Head Coach Fred Biletnikoff, Jr. look to break through and compete for a division title in 2006. They have a small but strong group of veterans returning, led by FB/LB VAI NOTOA (7 rushing TDs, 4.5 sacks in 2005) and WR/LB WES BORBA (8 TD catches, 41.0 tackles in 2005). They also return one of 2005's most dependable kickers, JOHN GOCKMAN. The key for this team will be the play of rookie QB SCOTT RISLOV and the play of their defense, which is bolstered by the offseason addition of OL/DL JAMES LANDERS. Rislov is a former San Jose State standout that spent parts of the past two years with the AFL's Nashville Kats. Landers, who has spent the past two seasons with Oklahoma City, was the 2004 af2 Lineman of the Year.
DORADOS COYOTES
SERIES LEADER Rio Grande Valley leads series 2-1
LAST MEETING Rio Grande Valley won 55-36 on 6/18/2005
LAST FIVE GAMES 3-2 3-2
LAST GAME Lost at MEM 49-64 on 8/19/2005 in the playoffs Won at SDR 88-53 on 7/30/2005
2005 LEADERS DORADOS COYOTES
PASSING Kellett: 533-303-14; 3636; 63 TDs Wood: 597-361-19; 4361; 89 TDs
RECEIVING Floyd: 101-1452; 29 TDs Williams: 116-1633; 39 TDs
RUSHING Robinson: 57-236; 11 TDs Wood: 34-158; 12 TDs
TACKLES Brown: 60 Robinson: 73
SACKS McGinnis: 4.5 Three with 4.5
INTERCEPTIONS Floyd: 9 Robinson: 8
KICKING Houle: 72-84 PAT; 17-43 FG 123 PTs Gockman: 84-101 PAT; 12-21 FG 120 PTs
TEAM OFFENSE 49.8 PPG; 265.7 YPG 54.5 PPG; 293.4 YPG
TEAM DEFENSE 52.2 PPG; 262.4 YPG 51.5 PPG; 267.0 YPG

Week 1 Schedule & Results
Thursday, March 30, 2006
SPOKANE 41, Stockton 40
Bakersfield 60, EVERETT 54
Friday, March 31, 2006
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 45, Louisville 37
Arkansas 68, QUAD CITY 58
Albany 48, GREEN BAY 40
Saturday, April 1, 2006
Memphis at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Rio Grande Valley at Central Valley 10:30 p.m.
Bye: Amarillo, Birmingham, Bossier-Shreveport, Florida, Macon Manchester, Oklahoma City, South Georgia, and Tulsa



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