American Indoor Football League Week One Preview
February 24, 2006 - American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) News Release
The Rome Renegades' last game was against a league champion and their next game will also pit them against a league champion. But it isn't a rematch.
Confused yet?
The Renegades open their American Indoor Football League season Monday night on the road against the defending champion Richmond Bandits. Last season, Rome advanced to the National Indoor Football League title game before joining the AIFL this year.
A meeting of two championship game teams adds extra intrigue to an opening week slate of five games, including the Steubenville (Ohio) Stampede at the Canton (Ohio) Legends and Carolina (Asheville, N.C.) Ghostriders facing the Raleigh (N.C.) on Saturday with the Daytona Beach (Fla.) Thunder at the Chattahoochee Valley (Columbus, Ga.) and the Erie (Pa.) Freeze at the Reading ( Pa.) Express Sunday night. Six teams - the Syracuse (N.Y.) Soldiers, the Johnstown (Pa.) Riverhawks, the Augusta (Ga.) Spartans, the Miami Valley (Troy, Ohio) Silverbacks, the Huntington (W.V.) Heroes and the Florence (S.C.) Phantoms are idle.
"My first thought was `who the heck made the schedule,'" admitted Rome coach Dave Humphreys. "But I'm excited. I like big games. We'll find out where we are right off the bat."
Rome features quarterback Marcus Brady, wide receiver Gerald Gales, defensive end John Bowman and safety Charles Jones.
Richmond coach Brent Williams sort of downplayed the significance of the meeting, saying each and every game is a big game.
"I treat them all the games like each one's a Super Bowl," Williams said. "You have to cherish the moment."
The Bandits have a quarterback battle going with two returning players - Robbie Jenkins and Will Burch - competing for the starting job. Other players to watch are wide receivers Redd Thompson and defensive end Lawrence Lewis.
STEUBENVILLE STAMPEDE AT CANTON LEGENDS
Saturday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m., Canton Civic Center, Canton, Ohio
HEAD COACHES: Steubenville, Eric Meek; Canton, Brian Olive
KEY PLAYERS: Stuebenville: QB Wes Beschorner, RB R.J. Bowers, WR Chucky Hython; Canton: QB Dan Larlham, DB Harlan Jacobs, WR Randall Knapp, OL Mike Anderson, LB/FB Doug Schwaberow
NOTES: Meek was named head coach earlier this week, replacing Jim Terry, who resigned ... Beschorner was runner-up for the Harlon Hill award, the Heisman Trophy equivalent for small college football ... Former Ohio State football great Jeff Graham will serve as honorary team captain for the Legends and handle the coin toss. Larlham led the AIFL with 2,172 yards and 57 TD passes last season ... Knapp holds the league single-game scoring record with 38.
CAROLINA GHOSTRIDERS AT RALEIGH REBELS
Saturday, February 25, 7 p.m., Dorton Arena, Raleigh, N.C.
HEAD COACHES: Carolina: Reggie Smith; Raleigh, Steven G. Folmar
KEY PLAYERS: Carolina: WR Demeco Archangel, WR Cedrekus Antone Calloway, LB Thomas Richardson, WR/KR Tennyson Rucker; Raleigh: DL Terrance Chapman, DL Shawn Price DB Montrail Pittman DB Eddie Ravenell, WR Lavel Bailey
NOTES: Meeting of AIFL's two traveling teams of 2005, thus it's Raleigh's first-ever home game ... Rebels went 3-7, Ghostriders own 11 game-losing streak ... Bailey spent a season with the St. Louis Rams. Smith is in the Arena Football Hall of Fame and also had stints in the NFL and USFL,
ERIE FREEZE AT READING EXPRESS
Sunday, February 26, 7 p.m., Sovereign Civic Center, Reading, Pa.
HEAD COACHES: Erie, Jerry Crafts; Reading, Ollie Guidry:
KEY PLAYERS: Erie: QB David Dinkins, LB Roosevelt Benjamin, DB Chris Blackshear, WR Vince Austin; Reading: QB Tom Stetzer, WR Carmelo Ocasio, DL Adam Vogel, DB Amar Watson
NOTES: Erie won the 2005 regular season title but fell to Richmond in the championship game ... Dinkins owns virtually every league rushing record ... He plans to send Pepto Bismol to opposing defensive backs ... Crafts made his name playing for the Buffalo Bills.
DAYTONA BEACH THUNDER AT CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY VIPERS
Sunday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m., Columbus Civic Center, Columbus, Ga.
HEAD COACHES: Daytona Beach, Ervin Bryson; Chattahoochee Valley, Jason Gibson
KEY PLAYERS: Daytona Beach: QB Travis Wilson, RB Brad Lee, OL Tommy Moody, WR Lucas Greene, WR Robert Bailey, DB Nick Allison; Chattahoochee Valley: QB Andrico Hines, WR Garvin Grace, RB Marvin Ross; LB Darin Damron; DB Roshard Gilyard
NOTES : First game for both franchises ... Core of Daytona Beach team played for the dormant NIFL team in 2005 ... Allison tied the NIFL single-season interception record (14) before moving on the UIF's Sioux City Bandits, where he played in the championship game ... Gilyard was on the SEC All-freshman team after his 2000 Auburn campaign.
American Indoor Football Association Stories from February 24, 2006
- American Indoor Football League Week One Preview - AIFA
- You Make the Call with the Vipers - Chattahoochee Valley Vipers
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