Battle Creek Crunch Send Six To GLIFL All-Star Game
July 19, 2006 - Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL)
Battle Creek Crunch News Release
The Battle Creek Crunch will send six players to the Great Lakes Indoor Football League's All-Star Game on August 8th. The Inaugural Season has been a success in 2006, and will officially wind up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the home of the Lehigh Valley Outlawz for this year's All-Star Game. Each of the six teams will send six players. The Crunch will send quarterback Tim Kubiak, wide receiver/defensive backs Eric Gardner and Herb Haygood, linebacker LJ Parker, defensive end Anthony Allsbury and offensive/defensive lineman Kyle Lackscheide. The players will represent the West Division All-Stars, compiled of players from the Port Huron Pirates and the Marion Mayhem. Here's the players statistics and figures for this season--
Tim Kubiak -- Quarterback
Kubiak's 25 touchdown passes was third in the GLIFL this season, as he started all 11 games for the Crunch this season. The signal caller from Toledo University went 101-for-217 passing through the season, and completed touchdowns to seven different receivers. He would also run for four touchdowns this season.
Eric Garnder - Wide Receiver/ Defensive Back
Gardner was second in the league in all-purpose yards with 1,139 yards, a majority of them on kick returns, where would return two touchdowns this season. He was also second in touchdowns with 23 touchdowns. On the offensive side of the ball, EG caught 28 balls for 375 yards and 14 scores, and ran for five more. He also returned an interception for a touchdown, while leading the Crunch with seven picks (tied for second in the league), along with a fumble returned to the end zone. Gardner even completed a touchdown pass. Gardner was considered one of the best two-way players in the league. He was named Defensive Player of the Week twice this season.
Herb Haygood - Wide Receiver/ Defensive Back
After joining the squad in Week 3, Haygood made an instant impact on the defensive side of the ball. The former Michigan State standout picked off three passes and returned two of them for touchdowns (tied with two others for tops in the GLIFL), including a 27-yard touchdown return against the Lehigh Valley Outlawz in Week 5 to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors. Haygood caught eight passes for 116 yards and a touchdown on the offensive side this season.
LJ Parker -- Linebacker
Parker led the Crunch in tackles this season with 47, which also was third most in the league. His three sacks were second most on the squad, tied with Brian Wright, and is one of the very few players that played all 11 games this season. The Indiana University grad made his presence felt in the first win for the Crunch this season in Marion, wrapping up seven tackles individually, including a sack and a number of pass deflections.
Anthony Allsbury - Defensive End
After staying on the sidelines in Week 1 to play coach, Allsbury suited up and would be one of the leaders on the Crunch defense. The Western Michigan grad led the Crunch with 5 ½ sacks, only second to Port Huron's Eddie Bynes in the league. It all came in only seven games this season. Allsbury had three of his sacks in Week 9 versus the New York/ New Jersey Revolution, where he would include two other tackles.
Kyle Lackscheide - Center/ Nose Guard
The Olivet College standout continues to add to his trophy case an All-Star nomination, as he would play and start all 11 games in the middle of the offensive line. His back-up roll on the defensive side was proven worthy, as he wrapped up nine tackles this season
The All-Star Game will conclude the first season of the Great Lakes Indoor Football League, and it has been considered a success, as over 85,000 fans passed through the gates this season. The league already beginning work on the 2007 season, as the original six teams (Battle Creek, Port Huron, Marion, Rochester, Lehigh Valley, New York/New Jersey) will return next season, along with four expansion teams to begin next season. The teams include the Muskegon (MI) Thunder, Motor City (Fraser, MI) Reapers, and the Chesapeake (Upper Marlboro, MD) Tide. The newest team, the Wayne County (Wooster, OH) Rumble will be announced on July 19th.
Continental Indoor Football League Stories from July 19, 2006
- GLIFL announces Wayne County Rumble - CIFL
- Battle Creek Crunch Send Six To GLIFL All-Star Game - Battle Creek Crunch
- GLIFL announces All-Star Teams - CIFL
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