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af2 week six Friday night matchups

May 4, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


GREEN BAY BLIZZARD (2-3) AT WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (4-0)
FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2006 - Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza (7,950) 7:00 P.M. ET
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton enters this week looking for their best start in team history. The undefeated Pioneers, currently ranked No. 1 in the latest Coaches Poll, will not look past a testy Blizzard bunch that has lost its last two games. Green Bay's most recent result was a 45-39 loss at Louisville last week. The Blizzard never led against the Fire, despite making a few runs late in the game. Louisville started hot, opening up a 21-6 first quarter lead on three Brett Dietz three touchdown passes to OS Rob Mager. Down 24-6 early in the second quarter, Green Bay sliced the deficit to 24-19 when OS RANDALL LANE ran in from the Fire 5-yard line with 4:11 left in the 3rd quarter. Louisville put the game away after that, however, striking three more times for touchdowns. The Blizzard switched QBs in the first quarter, replacing starter JAMES MACPHERSON with Gordon. Gordon completed 16-of-27 passes for 176 yards, and scored two rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter, one on an 18-yard run as he followed the blocking of FB/LB PETER LAZARE. He also threw one interception and was sacked twice. ROBERT GARTH led the Blizzard receiving corps with five catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. DAVID CROCKER stood out on defense with 10.5 tackles. Green Bay's strength is its defense, which ranks among the league's stingiest in points per game allowed at 41.0. The Blizzard offense, however, has been a bit erratic. Gordon will lead the team as the full-time starter. He'll need to take care of the ball and find his playmakers like Lane and Garth on a consistent basis in order for Green Bay to pull off the upset. The Pioneers, also on the road last week, outmatched Manchester, 62-47. In what was billed to be a battle of two strong defenses, the Pioneers' strong fourth quarter scoring binge helped give the team the win over the Wolves. QB MIKE GRANIERI threw for 241 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for two more in his return to New Hampshire to lead the Pioneers. Granieri, a former standout at the University of New Hampshire, completed 18-of-31 passes. His most productive target was OS J.R. THOMAS, who scored on three of his four catches. Granieri also spread the wealth to OS YARDON BRANTLEY (7 catches, 60 yards, TD) and WR/DB YAACOV YISRAEL (5 catches, 76 yards, TD). W-B/Scranton outscored Manchester 34-21 in the final quarter. The Pioneers are an intelligent and efficient team on both sides of the ball. The only af2 stat the Pioneers rank first in is fourth-down conversions. They've made seven of eight this season, including three that went for touchdowns against Manchester. The veteran DS tandem of Matt Forbes (3 INTs) and Jamie Hattley (2 INTs) lead the W-B/Scranton defense.

GREEN BAY PIONEERS
SERIES LEADER Wilkes-Barre/Scranton leads 3-1
LAST MEETING Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won 48-41 on 8/6/2005
LAST FIVE GAMES 2-3 4-1
LAST GAME Lost at LOU 39-45 on 4/29/06 Won at MAN 62-47 on 4/29/06
2006 LEADERS GREEN BAY PIONEERS
PASSING Gordon: 96-51-3; 643; 12 TDs Granieri: 138-78-4; 962; 18 TDs
RECEIVING Lane: 31-355; 9 TDs Yisrael: 22-308; 2 TDs
RUSHING Tyson: 6-48; 1 TD Jefferson: 19-31; 3 TDs
TACKLES Crocker: 30 Yisrael: 25.5
SACKS 3 with 1.5 Harding: 2
INTERCEPTIONS Kaymore: 2, Kwaku: 2 Forbes: 3
KICKING Tydlacka: 15-20 PAT; 3-5 FG 24 PTS Davis: 20-27 PAT; 2-6 FG 26 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 43.2; 234.0 49.5 PPG; 249.2
TEAM DEFENSE 41.0; 243.0 41.2 PPG; 266.2

LOUISVILLE FIRE (2-2) AT BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS (2-2)
FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2006 - Birmingham Jefferson Civic Complex (16,000) 8:00 P.M. ET
The Louisville Fire travel to Birmingham this week for a Friday night non-divisional contest with the Birmingham Steeldogs. These two teams are very familiar with each other. Just two weeks ago they tussled in Louisville where the Fire won in convincing fashioning fashion, 62-40. The win was Louisville's first of 2006. Last week both teams earned victories and this week both are aiming to move above the .500 mark. The Fire are coming off a solid, 45-39, win over Green Bay in which Louisville rode the hot hand of rookie QB BRETT DIETZ for the second straight week. Dietz threw six touchdowns on the night, including five to OS ROB MAGER. Mager's merits earned him the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game Award. The pair connected three times in the first quarter as Louisville was able to build a 24-9 halftime lead. The Fire defense was the real difference, however, as Louisville halted three Green Bay drives in the first half with interceptions. In the third quarter the Blizzard made a run, but Louisville had a familiar answer late in the third, courtesy of the combination of Dietz to Mager. DENNIS FRYZEL put the game out of reach officially with 20 seconds left on a 3-yard scoring strike from Dietz. Louisville OL/DL SHELTON CONNOR recorded 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble to earn ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors. Mager finished with eight catches for 87 yards and five touchdowns. The Fire are starting to warm up with two wins in a row after opening the 2006 season 0-2. If the Steeldogs allow Dietz and Mager to get off like they did in their previous encounter, they could be in for another tough outing. Birmingham got back on a positive track last week with a solid road win at South Georgia, 40-34. The Steeldogs seized command midway trough the fourth quarter to ensure the victory. After a RYAN HAWK to KERRY WRIGHT 16-yard touchdown connection put Birmingham ahead, 34-26, the Steeldogs defense came up with a crucial turnover on South Georgia's next drive. That's when Birmingham OL/DL ERIC THOMAS recovered a fumble by Wildcats QB Dondrial Pinkins. The Steeldogs sealed the game on a 2-yard touchdown rush by TERRELL BROWDEN with just under two minutes to play. Birmingham's MARENO PHILYAW earned the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game Award with four catches for a game-high 112 yards and two touchdowns. JORDAN BRUMBAUGH won ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors with 4.0 tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss and two sacks. Hawk finished the game with 15-of-27 passing for 218 yards and two touchdowns. The Steeldogs are expecting a good crowd to be on hand Friday due to a successful Faith Night promotion. If the Birmingham faithful help keep things close, the Steeldogs may just find redemption.

LOUISVILLE STEELDOGS
SERIES LEADER Louisville leads 4-3
LAST MEETING Louisville won at home 62-40 on 4/29/06
LAST FIVE GAMES 2-3 2-3
LAST GAME Won vs. GBB 45-39 on 4/29/06 Won at SGW 40-34 on 4/29/06
2006 LEADERS LOUISVILLE STEELDOGS
PASSING Dietz: 134-92-3; 931; 18 TDs Hawk: 135-69-3; 992; 15 TDs
RECEIVING Mager: 38-464; 12 TDs Wright: 24-446; 10 TDs
RUSHING Power: 12-24; 3 TDs Sanders: 16-59; 0 TDs
TACKLES Chandler: 23.5 Harris: 17.5
SACKS Conner: 3.5 Brumbaugh: 3
INTERCEPTIONS Chandler: 3, Siykala: 3 Keyes: 2, Sheffield: 2
KICKING Hendrix: 22-24 PAT; 4-6 FG 34 PTS Walls: 7-12 PAT; 1-5 FG 10 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 44.5 PPG; 245.2 41.0 PPG; 300.5
TEAM DEFENSE 40.8 PPG; 251.0 44.0 PPG; 263.0

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