Avengers Game Notes
June 20, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Game: Utah Blaze at Los Angeles Avengers
Date: Saturday, June 23, 2007
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (Pacific)
Site: STAPLES Center (17,942)
Television: FSN Prime Ticket (Bill Macdonald, John
Jackson, Lindsay Soto)
Radio: AM 570 KLAC (Andrew Siciliano, Troy West,
Antoine Ibrahim)
Spanish Radio: ESPN Deportes 1330 AM (Edu Villamar, Mario Amaya)
Satellite Radio: Sirius (Channel 126)
Internet Radio: www.xtrasportsradio.com
Line: Los Angeles by 1 (over/under 119)
Series Record: Utah leads 3-0
Last Meeting: Utah 76, Los Angeles 63; April 13, 2007,
EnergySolutions Arena
Officials: Bill LeMonnier (R), Mike Delaney (U), Allen
Baynes (HL), Art Lucky (LJ), Billy Beckett (BJ)
Head Coaches:
Los Angeles -- Ed Hodgkiss (sixth season, 52-41)
Utah -- Danny White (15th season, 135-72)
THE AVENGERS:
Los Angeles has won three games in a row and six of its last eight to improve to 9-6 and clinch a first-round home game in the upcoming 2007 AFL Playoffs. But before the postseason starts, the Avengers will close out the regular season against the Utah Blaze (7-8) at STAPLES Center on Saturday, June 23. The Avengers have locked up the No. 4-seed in the American Conference and will host the No. 5-seed on Monday, July 2, at STAPLES Center. L.A. has qualified for the postseason in five of the six years that Ed Hodgkiss has been the team's head coach. The Avengers have played extremely well at home this year. Only four of L.A.'s 22 turnovers this season have come at STAPLES Center, where the team has beaten Southern Division champion Georgia and Central Division leading Chicago in recent weeks. Second-year quarterback Sonny Cumbie is 363-of-583 (62.3 percent) for 4,187 yards and 80 touchdowns, and has thrown just nine interceptions in 2007. Cumbie welcomed back one of his primary targets, slot receiver Lenzie Jackson, two weeks ago in the 55- 52 victory at Arizona. Jackson, who had missed the previous five games due to a hand injury, responded with a game-high 12 receptions for 89 yards. Split end Kevin Ingram (leads the team in scoring and all-purpose yards), who has missed the last five games due to a hand injury as well, is eligible to be activated off the injured reserve list. Flanker Rob Turner and rookie LaShaun Ward combined to catch 18 passes for 202 yards and five touchdowns in last week's 60-42 victory over Las Vegas. Although he spends most of his time on defense, WR/LB Robert Quiroga has caught 10 TD passes this season. Another one of L.A.'s vital offensive weapons is veteran fullback Lonnie Ford, who has rushed for 192 yards and 19 touchdowns (No. 2 in the AFL) in 2007. The Avengers have been impressive on defense, holding four opponents to 40 or less points this season. Defensive end Silas Demary spearheads a formidable front that includes second-year men Jason Stewart and Reggie Rhodes. That trio has combined for 15.5 sacks, 13 batted down passes, five fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, two blocked kicks and one safety in 2007. In the defensive backfield, safety Damen Wheeler (five interceptions and 56 tackles) provides leadership to a group, which was struck by injuries in the middle of the season, forcing the key acquisitions of cornerbacks Eddie Canonico and Terrance Joseph.
AVENGER HEAD COACH: In his sixth season as the head coach of the Avengers, Ed Hodgkiss has compiled a record of 52-41, advanced to the AFL Playoffs four times and finished as the runner-up in the AFL "Coach of the Year" balloting twice (2003 and 2005). Last season, the Avengers slipped to 5-11, but developed quarterback Sonny Cumbie, who earned AFL All-Rookie honors. Under Hodgkiss' direction, the Avengers captured their first Western Division championship in 2005 and compiled a 10-6 record. In 2004, the Avengers went 9-7 and led the AFL in scoring, averaging 56.5 points per game. In 2003, the Avengers won a franchise-best 11 games and earned a first-round playoff bye. In his first two seasons in Los Angeles, Hodgkiss directed the Avengers to a 19- 11 record. He is one of only five head coaches in AFL history who has won 21 or more of his first 32 games (the other four are Darren Arbet, John Gregory, Lary Kuharich and Tim Marcum). Hodgkiss became the head coach of the Avengers on Oct. 5, 2001, and signed a fiveyear contract extension shortly after a 2002 season that saw him adroitly pilot the team to an 8-6 mark and into the postseason for the first time in franchise history. In his first season as a head coach at any level, he instantly established the Avenger offense as one of the most feared in the AFL, scoring 52.2 points per game. Prior to joining the Avengers, Hodgkiss was the Indiana Firebirds' offensive coordinator for three seasons (1999-2001) and was part of an ArenaBowl championship in 1999.
THE SERIES: This will be only the fourth meeting between the Avengers and the Blaze, who are in their second season in the AFL. All three of the previous meetings have been highscoring affairs won by Utah. Both of last season's meetings were decided by just two points and on the game's final play. Los Angeles and Utah have combined to score a total of 397 points in just three meetings (an average of 132.3 points per game). The Avengers have a long history of facing Blaze head coach Danny White. This will mark the 16th time that Los Angeles has faced off with White, who was previously the longtime head coach of the Arizona Rattlers. White had success versus Los Angeles while with the Rattlers, winning seven of 10 regular-season games and a pair of playoff contests. The Avengers have never beaten a Danny White-coached team at STAPLES Center. All three of L.A.'s victories over White were in Phoenix at the U.S. Airways Center (then America West Arena).
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