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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

ArenaBowl XIX descends on Las Vegas

June 9, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


LAS VEGAS - The journey that began in Week 1 will come to a conclusion this weekend as the Colorado Crush (12-6) and Georgia Force (13-5) battle for the right to be crowned ArenaBowl XIX Champion this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET live on NBC from the Thomas & Mack Center.

Coach of the Year DOUG PLANK and the No. National Conference Champion Force face off against former ArenaBowl champion head coach MIKE DAILEY and the American Conference Champion Crush. Although Plank has never been to an ArenaBowl as head coach, he was the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Rattlers during their three consecutive ArenaBowl appearances from 2002-2004. This is the first ArenaBowl appearance for both teams and just their second meeting.

Georgia's "Thunder and Lightning" combo of WR/LB DEREK LEE (6-5, 225, Tennessee Tech) and OS TROY BERGERON (6-2, 190, Middle Tennessee State), who were both named to the All-Rookie Team, highlight the offensive attack that is guided by All-Arena Second-Team selection QB MATT NAGY (6-2, 220, Delaware). Nagy and WR/LB CHRIS JACKSON (6-2, 220, Washington State) were named Offensive Player of the Week and U.S. Army Ironman of the Week, respectively, for the Conference Championship Round of the playoffs.

The Force closed out the regular season ranked No. 2 in the League in points allowed per game (46.6) and No. 3 in red-zone defense allowing opponents to score on just 60-of-78 tries on the season inside the 10-yard line.

Colorado QB JOHN DUTTON (6-4, 225, Nevada) will lead the offensive charge along with Offensive Player of the Year OS DAMIAN HARRELL (6-3, 200, Florida State). Harrell was also an All-Arena First-Team selection. Dutton is making his first ArenaBowl appearance since being named MVP of ArenaBowl XVI after leading the SaberCats to a 52-14 victory over the Arizona Rattlers.

Three U.S. Army All-Ironman team selections, FB/LB RICH YOUNG (6-3, 255, Tulsa), OL/DL KYLE MOORE-BROWN (6-4, 306, Kansas) and WR/DB WILLIS MARSHALL (5-10, 195, Youngstown State) round out Colorado's two way unit.

COLORADO CRUSH (12-6) VS. GEORGIA FORCE (13-5)
SATURDAY, JUNE 12 AT 3 P.M. ET
NBC
TOM HAMMOND, PAT HADEN & MARTY SNIDER

ArenaBowl XIX will be the first AFL title game for the Georgia Force and Colorado Crush... For the first time since 1988 (ArenaBowl II), ArenaBowl XIX will feature two teams making their first appearance in the championship game... The Force finished the regular season with a League-best 11 wins, the AFLWA's No. 1 ranking, and the Southern Division Championship... The Crush had the League's longest winning streak (8 games) of the 2005 season and are the Central Division Champions... The Crush earned a spot in ArenaBowl XIX after WR/LB ANDY MC CULLOUGH caught a TD pass from QB JOHN DUTTON 9:44 into overtime... Georgia head coach DOUG PLANK is the 2005 AFL Coach of the Year and will be appearing in his first ArenaBowl as a head coach... As an assistant, Plank coached the Arizona Rattlers into the ArenaBowl the past three seasons... If the Force win ArenaBowl XIX, Plank will become the sixth coach in AFL history to be named Coach of the Year and win the ArenaBowl in the same season... Colorado head coach MIKE DAILEY was the third coach in League history to accomplish the feat when he led the Indiana Firebirds to the ArenaBowl XIII championship in 1999... Dutton, who finished the regular-season completing 367-of-586 passing for 4,143 yards and 89 TDs, has completed 47-of-72 passing for 614 yards and 11 TDs in two postseason games... Dutton was named MVP of ArenaBowl XVI, guiding San Jose to a win over Arizona... Two of Georgia's most dangerous offensive weapons are rookie OS TROY BERGERON and rookie WR/LB DEREK LEE... Bergeron edged out Lee for AFL Rookie of the Year after he set a new AFL rookie record with 1,372 receiving yards in a single season... Lee set the rookie record for most receptions in a single-season (113)... In the Force's two playoff games, Lee and Bergeron have a combined 29 receptions for 304 yards and six TDs.

2005 LEADERS COLORADO GEORGIA
SERIES LEADER Georgia leads, 1-0
LAST FIVE GAMES 4-1 4-1
LAST GAME Won vs. Chicago, 49-43 Won vs. Orlando, 60-58
2005 LEADERS COLORADO GEORGIA
PASSING Dutton: 72-47-1, 614, 11 TDs Nagy: 73-47-1, 567, 12 TDs
RECEIVING McCullough: 18-259, 6 TDs Bergeron:17-167, 5 TDs
RUSHING Marshall: 3-7, 0 TDs Thomas: 3-14, 1 TDs
TACKLES Floyd: 27.5 Gaines: 10.0
SACKS Watton: 1.0 Wilson: 3.0
INTERCEPTIONS Hughley, Marshall: 1 Carey, Lee, Gaines, Parker: 1
KICKING Rush: 12-12 PAT; 1-1 FG; 15 PTS Garner: 8-14 PAT; 2-4 FG; 14 PTS
TEAM OFFENSE 52.5 PPG (2); 309.5 YPG (3) 61.0 PPG (1); 280.0YPG (6)
TEAM DEFENSE 45.5 PPG (1); 373.5 YPG (8) 52.0 PPG (5); 298.5 YPG (5)



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 9, 2005


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