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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

AFL Wild Card Matchups

May 21, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK – The Drive to ArenaBowl XVII kicks off with No. 5 Dallas Desperados (10-6) hosting No. 12 Georgia Force (8-8) at American Airlines Arena on NBC, Saturday, May 24 at 3 p.m. ET.

Other Wild Card round games include: No. 11 Las Vegas Gladiators at No. 6 Arizona Rattlers, No. 10 Detroit Fury at No. 7 Grand Rapids Rampage and No. 9 Chicago Rush at No. 8 New York Dragons on Sunday. All games will be broadcast on NBC at 3 p.m. ET.

The Desperados (10-6) are coming off a Central Division title-clinching victory over the Grand Rapids and head coach JOE AVEZZANO has his offense (60.4 average over the last five games) clicking at the right time. Led by Second-Team All-Arena QB JIM KUBIAK (69.7 completion percentage and 97 touchdowns), who set the AFL single-season passing mark with 4,762 yards in 2003, the second-year franchise hopes to further their playoff success after losing in the quarterfinals in 2002. The Force (8-8), making its first playoff appearance, is guided by All-Rookie Team QB LEON MURRAY (1,737 yards, 33 touchdowns and three interceptions in eight games) and Ironman of the Year candidate DARRYL HAMMOND (88 receptions and 20 touchdowns).

The Rattlers (10-6) won six of their last seven games on their way to securing the No. 6 seed. All-Arena First-Team QB SHERDRICK BONNER (67.0 completion percentage, 88 touchdowns and seven interceptions) guides the AFL 's most efficient offense (76.0 scoring percentage) along with All-Arena First-Team and All-Ironman member WR/DB RANDY GATEWOOD (69 receptions, 32 touchdowns and nine interceptions). The Gladiators (8-8) offense is led by OS MIKE HORACEK (127 receptions for 1,585 yards and 36 touchdowns).

Head coach MICHAEL TRIGG and the Grand Rapids Rampage, who won the ArenaBowl XV championship in 2001, have QB CLINT DOLEZEL (66.3 completion percentage, 4,430 yards and 89 touchdowns) and the receiving trio of OS TERRILL SHAW (115 receptions and 41 touchdowns), WR/DB STEVE SMITH (94 receptions and 27 touchdowns) and WR/DB WILLIS MARSHALL (74 receptions and 15 touchdowns) to lead the way. The Fury (8-8) face their cross-state rival behind the arm of the AFL's all-time passing leader ANDY KELLY (93 touchdowns, 548 all-time).

The Rush (8-8), led by Second-Team All-Arena OS ANTONIO CHATMAN, travel to Nassau Coliseum to face QB AARON GARCIA and the Eastern Division champion New York Dragons (8-8). Chatman set the all-time all-purpose yard mark (3,678), while Garcia became the first quarterback in professional football history to throw for at least 100 touchdowns in two different seasons (104 in 2001; 100 in 2003).

(12) GEORGIA FORCE (8-8) AT (5) DALLAS DESPERADOS (10-6) SATURDAY, MAY 24, 3 P.M. ET (TV: NBC – TOM HAMMOND, PAT HADEN and MARTY SNIDER)

The Wild Card Round of the AFL playoffs begins this Saturday when the No. 5 Dallas Desperados host the No. 12 Georgia Force. The teams met previously two weeks ago at the Gwinnett Center where the Desperados narrowly held on to win 56-55 after a near fourth-quarter comeback by the Force. Dallas Head Coach JOE AVEZZANO has an offense that is averaging a fifth-best 56.8 points per game. Led by second year QB JIM KUBIAK, who fared well against the Force two weeks ago (21-29; 258 yards; five touchdowns), and WR/LB DIALLEO BURKS, who also had a standout game at Georgia (five receptions; 68 yards; two touchdowns) hope to overpower a Force defensive unit led by DS KEVIN GAINES (10.0 tackles; two interceptions in last two games). Georgia Head Coach MARTY LOWE has a few weapons as well. Rookie QB LEON MURRAY had a standout performance vs. Dallas, passing for 354 yards and eight touchdowns. His two top receivers, OS TYRONNE JONES (nine receptions vs. Dallas) and WR/LB DARRYL HAMMOND (four touchdowns vs. Dallas), combined for 270 yards in the last meeting with Dallas. A tough obstacle standing in Georgia's way is last week's ADT Defensive Player of the Week, Dallas OL/DL TOM BRIGGS (12.0 tackles; 2.0 sacks in last five games). Considering the close score when these teams last squared off, this game could boil down to which squad has the best fourth quarter performance. Dallas and Georgia have both proven to be very strong late in the game. This season the Desperados and Force have both scored more points in the fourth than any other quarter (275 points and 227 points, respectively).

NO. 11 LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS (8-8) AT NO. 6 ARIZONA RATTLERS (10-6) SUNDAY, MAY 25, 3 P.M. ET (TV: NBC – ELI GOLD, CHARLES DAVIS and LEWIS JOHNSON)

The AFL Wild Card Round continues on Sunday when the No. 11 Las Vegas Gladiators travel to America West Arena in Phoenix to face the No. 6 Arizona Rattlers. The Rattlers defeated the Gladiators, 46-42, in their last meeting at ‘The Snakepit,' on February 9. Arizona head coach DANNY WHITE has an offensive unit that is averaging a fourth-best 290.8 yards per game. Led by 2003 All-Arena First-Team selections QB SHERDRICK BONNER (20 touchdowns; one interception in last three games) and WR/DB RANDY GATEWOOD (averaged 11.3 yards per reception during regular season), the Rattlers hope to overpower a eighth-ranked Las Vegas pass defense. Major threats to the Rattlers offensive success are Gladiators DS JEROID JOHNSON (18.5 tackles; two interceptions in last five games) and rookie DS T.J. HILL (53 tackles; four interceptions). Las Vegas Head Coach FRANK HAEGE has an offense led by QB JAY MCDONAGH (averaging 178.5 yards in last four games) and WR/DB MIKE HORACEK (six receptions; three touchdowns vs. Arizona) that is averaging a twelfth-best 47.2 points per game. They will battle with the ninth-ranked Rattler defense, led by two-time Ironman of the Year, WR/LB HUNKIE COOPER (165.0 career tackles) and Gatewood (touchdown interception return; 2.0 tackles vs. Las Vegas).

NO. 10 DETROIT FURY (8-8) AT NO. 7 GRAND RAPIDS RAMPAGE (8-8) SUNDAY, MAY 24, AT 3 P.M. ET (TV: NBC – BILL WEBER, JOHN RIGGINS and DAVE BURNS)

This will mark the fifth consecutive season that Grand Rapids has advanced to the playoffs and the third time hosting another playoff team in the opening round. Grand Rapids QB CLINT DOLEZEL has completed 65-of-105 passes (62.0 percent) for 867 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions in his last three games – helping the Rampage claim the No.2 position for scoring offense. Grand Rapids OS TERRILL SHAW has been on the receiving end of 113 of Dolezel's passes, recording 1,658 yards on the season – breaking Indiana OS EDDIE BROWN's previous single-season receiving yards record of 1,650 (1997). Shaw has caught a touchdown reception in 15 consecutive games, tying THOMAS BAILEY's Rampage franchise record (1999-00). Rampage WR/DB WILLIS MARSHALL has caught a pass in 37 consecutive games to tie Bailey's team record (1998-00). Fury QB ANDY KELLY has completed 69-of-126 passes (55.0 percent) for 704 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions in his last three games. This season, he has connected on 392-of-653 passes putting him at No.1 for most passes completed in a season – breaking Dolezel's previous record of 374 (1999). Detroit DS RON CARPENTER has recorded at least two kick returns this season. He leads the AFL in kick returns (94) and is tied for No. 3 in kick returns for touchdowns (4). Carpenter is the AFL's new all-time leader for most combined kick returns in a season with 104, breaking STEVE PAPIN's previous record of 102 set in 2002.

NO. 9 CHICAGO RUSH (8-8) AT NO. 8 NEW YORK DRAGONS (8-8) SUNDAY, MAY 24, AT 3 P.M. ET (TV: NBC – MIKE BREEN, RAY BENTLEY and MARTY SNIDER)

Chicago QB BILLY DICKEN has completed 66-of-103 passes (64.1 percent) for 771 yards, 11 touchdowns and one interception in his last three games. Rush OS ANTONIO CHATMAN leads the AFL in all-purpose yards with 3,678, topping the all-time list for all-purpose yards gained in a season. Chatman finished the regular season No. 1 in kick returns for touchdowns (7) and No.2 in receptions (123), kick returns (77) and kick return yards (1,643). Chatman is a perfect 3-for-3 receptions in 4th-down situations. New York QB AARON GARCIA -- 64-of-90 passes (71.1 percent) for 782 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions in his last three games – has led the Dragons' No. 2-ranked passing offense (283.0 yards per game), pass-completion percentage (66.9 percent) and passing yards (4,528). Last week, Garcia became the first professional football player to record more than 100 passing touchdowns in two separate seasons (104 in 2001 and 100 in 2003). New York FB/LB RODNEY FILER was named to the All-Arena Second-Team for his two-way play, recording seven rushing touchdowns, 26.0 tackles, 2.0 sacks and three forced fumbles this season. Dragons DS DONVETIS FRANKLIN led the AFL with 93.5 total tackles.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 21, 2003


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