Bay Rivals Seek First Wins
Published on April 25, 2002 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
PENSACOLA, Fla. - The first installment of the "Battle of the Bays" kicks off Friday at 8 p.m. ET when the expansion Mobile Wizards head across the Alabama/Florida state line to face the Pensacola Barracudas.
The cities are separated by just 56 miles and enjoy fierce rivalries in other sports. The first arenafootball2 meeting between the interstate neighbors carries added importance because both teams enter this Week 5 contest still looking for their first victories.
Mobile (0-3) plays the last of four straight road games to open its inaugural season. The road hasn't been kind, with losses at Florida (47-23), Birmingham (47-26) and Tennessee Valley (72-28). Pensacola's third season also is off to a rough start after 8-8 and 5-11 campaigns in 2000 and 2001, respectively. The 0-2 Barracudas followed byes in Weeks 1 and 3 with losses to Tallahassee (46-41) and Birmingham (70-40).
Besides the homefield advantage, Pensacola has the offensive edge statistically, averaging 40.5 points (19th in af2) to Mobile's 25.7 (30th in af2). But this could be the Wizards' breakout game - the Barracuda defense allows an average of 58 points (Mobile has surrendered 55.3 points per contest).
WR/DB WILL PETTIS and OS JERRIAN JAMES are vital to Pensacola's chances. Pettis has accounted for 229 yards and four TDs on 16 catches (he's thrown in 8.5 tackles, an interception and fumble recovery on defense for good measure). James made a spectacular debut last week against Birmingham, returning eight kicks for 167 yards and catching five passes for 104 yards and two TDs. His all-purpose total of 271 was the most in the league in Week 4 and second-most this season. Playing in their first games for Mobile last week, WR/DB BOBBY WASHINGTON caught three passes for 84 yards plus a touchdown and OS DAVID SIMMONS returned six kicks for 110 yards, including a 54-yard TD. The teams meet again in Mobile June 14.
The 2-0 Charleston Swamp Foxes head to Jacksonville for a Friday night clash with the 0-2 Tomcats. Charleston's combination of QB RAY ISAAC and OS DWAYNE WILMOT has connected 16 times for 179 yards and seven touchdowns in the Foxes' first two games. The Swamp Foxes added another scoring threat earlier this week in WR/DB MIKE CHANDLER. Chandler returns to Charleston after stints in the NFL, AFL and CFL. In 10 games with the Foxes last season, he returned four kickoffs for touchdowns and finished third in the league with a 26.4-yard kickoff return average. The Tomcats look to redeem themselves after a dismal Week 4 outing in which they scored only 14 points in becoming Columbus' first-ever victim (the Wardogs lost the first 17 games in team history). Jacksonville Head Coach ERNEST WILSON probably will continue to use both MARCUS OUTZEN and RASHARD CASEY at QB as the Tomcats look for a spark on offense.
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