Bakersfield Blitz game notes

July 21, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Bakersfield Blitz News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Bakersfield Blitz (7-7)
Stockton Lightning (5-9)
Date: Saturday, July 22, 2006
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. (PST)
Site: Rabobank Arena
National Anthem: Kristen Briley
Coin Toss:
Officials: Referee: Mike Weseloh
Umpire: Ali Shetula
Head Linesman: Clay Reynard
Line Judge: Danny Short
Back Judge: Brad Glenn
Radio: KERN 1410 with Host, Puck Whitnack
TV: Brighthouse Networks with play-by-play announcers, Vance Palm and Brian Adams.
Series Record: 1-1
Streaks: Blitz 4L, Lightning 2L
Coaches: Gary Compton, Blitz (First Season) (7-6)
Richard Davis, Lightning (11 seasons) (5-9)


THE STAKES: The Blitz need one more win to secure a spot in the play offs.

- THE Ifs:
If Bakersfield defeats the Lightning, it would...
- Put them on track for a win streak
- Improve their season record to 8-7
- Create a season series record of 2-1
- Put them in the last spot for the playoffs


Blitz (7-7)
Date Opponent Result Score
3/30 @Everett Hawks 7:00 W 60-54
4/9 Spokane Shock 3:00 L 45-49
4/15 @ Central Valley 7:30 W 38-28
4/29 @ Stockton Lightning 7:00 W 55-26
5/6 @ Spokane Shock 6:00 W 52-20
5/13 Rio Grande Valley Dorados 7:00 W 53-45
5/20 Stockton Lightning 7:00 L 42-49
5/27 @ Central Valley 7:30 L 46-56
6/3 Amarillo Dusters 7:00 W 40-39
6/10 @Tennessee Valley 5:30 W 55-32
6/17 @ Oklahoma City 5:00 L 63-64
6/25 Arkansas Twisters 3:00 L 32-50
7/8 @ Everett Hawks 7:30 L 34-63
7/15 Central Valley 7:00 L 37-51
7/22 Stockton Lightning 7:00
7/22 Everett Hawks 7:00

Lightning (5-9)
Date Opponent PT Result Score
3/30 @ Spokane 7 p.m. L 40-41
4/8 @ Oklahoma City 5 p.m. L 50-60
4/22 @ Quad City 5:15 W 60-46
4/29 BAKERSFIELD 7:30 L 26-55
5/6 EVERETT 7:30 W 50-40
5/13 CENTRAL VALLEY 7:30 L 61-63
5/20 @ Bakersfield 7 p.m. W 49-42
5/27 @ Everett 7:30 L 40-41
6/3 MEMPHIS 7:30 L 54-73
6/10 @ Green Bay 5:30 W 68-62 (OT)
6/17 EVERETT 7:30 L 41-50
6/24 BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT 7:30 W 51-41
7/8 @ Central Valley 7:30 L 46-58
7/15 SPOKANE 7:30 L 44-63
7/22 @ Bakersfield 7 p.m.
7/29 CENTRAL VALLEY 7:30


HEAD COACHES:
Blitz Head Coach Gary Compton is the new Head Coach for the Bakersfield Blitz. Gary comes to the Blitz almost straight off the field. In 2004, Gary played his last season for the Arena Football League as a star receiver for the Philadelphia Soul. Previous years were spent playing for the Dallas Texans, the Fortworth Cavalry, the Milwaukee Mustangs, the Indiana Firebirds, the Grand Rapids Rampage, and the Tampa Bay Storm. For the 2005 season, Gary coached the Philadelphia Soul as their Offensive Coordinator. Gary started his football career in his hometown Irving, Texas. He attended East Texas State University where he was a four time All-Lone Star Conference, a two time All-American, and a member of the 1990 LSC Championship team.
Coach Richard Davis was named the first head coach in Stockton Lightning history on November 11, 2005. Davis, who holds a career 41-23 record and is the fifth winningest coach in af2 history, carries five years of coaching experience in the af2 ranks, most recently serving the Albany Conquest for the 2005 season. In total, Davis brings 11 years of coaching experience at the professional and collegiate levels. After his collegiate career at Cisco Junior College and NAIA Rocky Mountain College (Mont.), his offensive expertise helped guide the NFL Europe's London Monarchs to a World Cup title in 1991. He then served as an offensive coordinator at Langston University (Okla.) (NAIA) in 1992 and as a quarterback coach at University of Connecticut (NCAA) in 1994. Davis branched his on-field experience into the front office ranks in 1995-96, serving the CFL's San Antonio Texas as the team's Vice President of Operations. Davis' track record for winning was greatly enhanced by an impressive 31-19 overall record with the Richmond Speed from 2000-2003. Under his direction, Richmond collected 27 wins in a two-year span, which is the second-highest two-year win total in af2 history. He also led the Speed to an Arena Cup Championship appearance in 2001.

LAST SERIES MEETING: In their last meeting, the Blitz loss 42-49 tying the season series 1-1 on May 20.
LEAGUE TOP 10s:
Blitz
Player Rank Category Stat
Bobby Pesavento 10 Total Off. Avg/Play 7.2
Bobby Pesavento 10 Pass yds/comp 12.4
Nick Onaindia 10 Rushing 11.3 yd/g
Nick Onaindia 4 Yards Per Rush 4.4 yds
Rennard Reynolds 6 Reception TDs 32
Jaret Johnson 4 PAT Kicking pct 87.2 pct
DeRonn Finley 3 MFG Ret. Yards 123
Alex Wallace 1 Interceptions 9
Alex Wallace 8 Int. Ret. Yards 73 yds
DeRonn Finley 4 MFG Returns 5
Alex Wallace 1 Int. Returns 9
Jerry Turner 3 Sacks 12
Jerry Turner 3 Tackles for Loss 12
Daniel Kegler 4 Tackles for Loss 12
Nick Onaindia 3 Fumbles Forced 2
Alex Wallace 5 Passes Defended 33

LIGHTNING
Player Rank Category Stat
Atnas Maeko 3rd Yards per catch 16.7
Atnas Maeko 55h Rec. Yds/Game 107.1
Josh Blankenship 5th Total off. plays 510
Josh Blankenship 9th Total off. TD's 74
Josh Blankenship 7th Passing yards 3510
Josh Blankenship 6th Pass avg/game 250.7
Josh Blankenship 7th Pass comp.'s 276
Josh Blankenship 8th Pass yds/comp. 12.7
Josh Blankenship 9th Passing TD's 69
Kenyatte Morgan 4th MFG return yds 109
Kenyatte Morgan 1st KR yds. Avg. 23.3
Kenyatte Morgan 1st Kick ret. Yards 1467
Kenyatte Morgan 1st Kick returns 63
Kenyatte Morgan 5th All-purpose yds 161.4/gm
Kenyatte Morgan 1st Kick Return TD 4
Clyde Surrell 6th Int. Ret. Yds 78

TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Blitz and the Lightning match up
Statistical Blitz Lightning
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 13 46.6 12 48.6
Scoring Defense 6 44.7 17 52.5
Total Offense 17 248.9 7 267.4
Total Defense 1 208.9 21 285.7
Pass Offense 17 230.7 8 252.8
Pass Defense 1 180.1 21 262.6
Rushing Offense 17 18.2 20 14.6
Rushing Defense 19 28.7 13 23.1
Scoring (Non-Kick) - - - -
Scoring (Kicking) 16 82 14 84
Pass TD 11 69 10 71
Pass Def. Rating 1 75.9 20 117.3
Kickoff Returns 6 18.8 1 22.6
MFG Returns 9 18.7 20 27.2
Turnover Margin 13 +0 14 +0
Field Goals 18 5 7 6
PAT Kicking 16 67 17 66
Sacks By 3 32 9 25
Sacks Against 15 21 8 16
First Downs 15 245 6 269
Opp. First Downs 3 222 22 290
Penalties 10 113 23 138
Opp. Penalties 20 113 3 131

BLITZ TEAM INJURY REPORT:
Pos. Name Injury Status
QB Bobby Pesavento Injured knee L.T.I.R.
S.T.I.R.-Short Term Injured Reserve
L.T.I.R.-Long Term Injured Reserve

Recent Roster Moves:
Date Action Player
6/22 Re-Assignment Nian Taylor
6/22 Act. From R.R. George Williams
7/6 Team Suspension Mike Wall
7/6 Assigned Ryan Porter
7/13 Re-Assignment Chuck Jones
7/13 Assigned Alex Neist

2006 League Honors
Schutt Offensive Player of the Week:

U.S. Army Ironman of the Week:
Week2: DeRonn Finley, WR/DB Bakersfield
Week 11: Jerry Turner, OL/DL Bakersfield
Week 16: DeRonn Finley, WR/DB Bakersfield

ADT Defensive Player of the Week:
Week 5: Alex Wallace, DS Bakersfield

Cutters Catch of the Week:
Week 1: Rennard Reynolds, OS Bakersfield

DROPBACK: The Bakersfield Blitz loss to the Central Valley Coyotes on Saturday, July 15. The 37-51 loss brings to the Blitz to an overall record of 7-7.

The Blitz opened up the game with a 16 yard rushing touchdown by WR/DB, DeRonn Finley. Coyotes' QB Scott Rislov connected with WR/DB LaMonte Jones shortly after with a 22 yard touchdown pass. The Blitz returned with a 43 yard touchdown pass to WR/DB Nathan Munson. The first quarter ended with a touchdown by the Coyotes OL/DL Donyell Booker, tying the game at Blitz 14, Coyotes 14.

Finley had his second touchdown of the game with an interception return in the second quarter. The Blitz scored again with FB/LB Ben McCombs and OL/DL Adam Fitcher sacked Rislov in the end zone, for a safety. The Blitz hope to add to their lead abruptly ended when a fumbled snap was recovered by Coyotes WR/LB Weston Borba. The next drive was a touchdown pass to Borba; however, Coyotes failed to score the point after keeping the Blitz ahead by a field goal. Unfortunately, the Blitz missed a 54 yard field goal attempt in the last seconds of the second quarter. The first half came to a close with Rislov taking a knee. Blitz 23, Coyotes 20.

The Coyotes were first to score in the second half. Jones' touchdown put the Coyotes in the lead for the first time in the game at Blitz, 23, Coyotes 27. The Blitz struggled to score again as they fumbled the ball in the fourth quarter; ball was recovered by Jones. The Coyotes took their opportunity and scored with a rushing touchdown by WR/LB Emmett White. Blitz OS Rennard Reynolds had his first touchdown of the game late in the third quarter with a 16 yard touchdown.

The Coyotes had a hard time completing a pass in the fourth quarter when Blitz OL/DL Dwayne Parker-Draughon intercepted a pass and headed in the end zone for a touchdown, putting the Blitz in the lead at Blitz 37, Coyotes 34. It didn't take long for the Coyotes to respond with a 14 yard touchdown pass to Jones. Shortly after, Booker intercepted a Blitz pass and scored, making it his second touchdown of the game. Coyotes DS Kenny Haslip intercepted a pass by Neist. The Coyotes then resorted to a field goal by Gockman. The Blitz were unable to score again after Haslip's second interception ended the game at Blitz 37, Coyotes 51.

FORWARD MOTION: In their last game of the regular season, the Bakersfield Blitz will take the field against the Everett Hawks on Saturday, July 29. Kick off is set for 7:00 p.m. at Rabobank Arena.



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