NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Birmingham Steeldogs game notes

June 1, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Alabama Steeldogs News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Birmingham Steeldogs (4-4)
at Everett Hawks (1-7)
Date: Saturday, June 3, 2006
Kickoff: 9:30 p.m. CT
Site: Everett Events Center (8,300)
National Anthem: TBA
Coin Toss: TBA
Officials: Bernie Hulscher (Referee), Rich Troyer (Umpire), Robert Day (Head Linesman), Ryan Flemming (Line Judge), Shane Anderson (Back Judge)
Radio: WAPI-1070 AM (Matt Coulter)
TV: None
Series Record: BIR 1-0
Last Meeting: BIR, 41-36, April 8, 2006 @ BIR
Streaks: Birmingham W1, Everett W1
Coaches: Ron Selesky (23-17; 1-1 playoffs, 3rd Season
Overall; 4-4, 1st Season in Birmingham)
Tony Wells (1-1, 1st Season)

THE STAKES: For all the success that the Steeldogs have enjoyed at home, the reverse has been true on the road. Birmingham is 1-3 away from the BJCC this season. This week is a chance to even that record in the Pacific Northwest against the Everett Hawks, who finally notched their first win of the season last week against Stockton. Everett is anxious to avenge a 41-36 loss in Birmingham during week two.
THE SERIES: The Hawks and Steeldogs series is in its infancy, with the only prior matchup occurring in week two. Birmingham defeated Everett 41-36 on April 8, 2006 in the Steeldogs season opener.
THE IFs:
If Birmingham defeats Everett, it would...
- Give the Steeldogs a winning record for the first time since early May
- Give the Steeldogs a 2-0 series record against Everett
- Give the Steeldogs a 2-3 road record
- Give Birmingham its first victory over Head Coach Tony Wells


BIRMINGHAM (4-4, Won 1)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/8 EVERETT 7:00 W 41-36
4/14 RIO GRANDE 7:00 L 43-44
4/21 @ Louisville 6:30 L 40-62
4/29 @ South Georgia 6:30 W 40-34
5/5 LOUISVILLE 7:00 W 63-60
5/13 @ Florida 6:30 L 44-62
5/20 @ Tennessee Valley 7:30 L 17-21
5/27 MACON 7:00 W 71-30
6/3 @ Everett 9:30 --- BHM 1-0
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
6/10 SOUTH GEORGIA 7:00 Tied 2-2
6/17 @ Memphis 7:00 BHM 3-2
6/24 FLORIDA 7:00 FLA 5-3
7/8 @ Rio Grande 7:00 Tied 1-1
7/15 @ Macon 7:00 BIR 5-4
7/22 MEMPHIS 7:00 BHM 3-2
7/29 TENNESSEE VALLEY 7:00 TV 10-2

EVERETT (1-7, Won 1)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
3/30 BAKERSFIELD L 54-60
4/8 @ Birmingham L 36-41
4/15 @ Spokane L 42-44
4/30 CENTRAL VALLEY L 41-60
5/6 @ Stockton L 40-50
5/12 SPOKANE L 29-58
5/20 @ Tulsa L 49-53
5/27 STOCKTON W 41-40
6/3 BIRMINGHAM --- BIR 1-0
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
6/10 @ Central Valley
6/17 @ Stockton
6/24 CENTRAL VALLEY
7/8 BAKERSFIELD
7/15 GREEN BAY
7/22 @ Spokane
7/29 @ Bakersfield

HEAD COACHES:
RON SELESKY, BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS
Head Coach Ron Selesky is an Arena Football League and af2 coaching veteran. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Columbus Destroyers in 2005 under Head Coach Chris Spielman. Prior to that, Selesky spent the 2004 season on the sidelines for the Carolina Cobras, beginning the year as the team's defensive coordinator before finishing the season as the head coach.

Selesky earned af2 Coach of the Year honors in 2002, guiding the expansion Albany Conquest to a regular-season mark of 13-3 and a Northeast Division title. He spent the 2001 season as the head coach of the Louisville Fire, leading the team to a 6-10 mark.

Selesky spent the 2003 season as head coach and director of football operations for the Buffalo Destroyers, prior to the team relocating to Columbus, Ohio. He also served as the director of player personnel and assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Storm from 1997 to 1999. With the Storm, his teams compiled a 31-11 regular season record and earned a berth in the 1998 ArenaBowl.

TONY WELLS, EVERETT HAWKS

LAST SERIES MEETING: April 8, 2006: Birmingham defeated Everett, 41-36, in the Steeldogs 2006 season opener.

SERIES NOTABLES: This is the second meeting between the Steeldogs and Hawks.

FAMILIAR FACES:

LEAGUE TOP 10s: Players from this week's matchup who rank among af2's statistical leaders:
STEELDOGS
Player Rank Category Stat
Ryan Hawk 10th Total Offense 246.0
Ryan Hawk 6th Total Off. Plays 293
Ryan Hawk 10th Total Off. Yards 1968
Ryan Hawk 10th Passing/Game 244.2
Ryan Hawk 8th Pass Yds/Comp 13.0
Ryan Hawk 3rd Pass Attempts 282
Ryan Hawk 10th Passing Yards 1954
Kerry Wright 4th All-Purpose Yds 162.6 p/g
Kerry Wright 6th Yards/Catch 15.3
Kerry Wright 8th Reception Yards 782
Kerry Wright 4th Rec. Yards/Game 111.7
Kerry Wright 3rd Missed FG Rtns 15.8
Terrell Browden t-8th Rush Attempts 30
Terrell Browden 5th Rush Yards 101
Robert Kent 1st Pass Yds/Comp 14.2
Robert Kent 4th Pass Yds/Att 8.6
Mareno Philyaw 10th Yards Per Catch 14.9
Alex Walls t-3rd Field Goals 5-13
Alex Walls t-5th FGs Attempted 13
Alex Walls t-3rd Field Goals Made 5
Bobby Keyes t-5th Interceptions 5
Allyn Sheffield t-7th Interceptions 3

TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Steeldogs and Hawks stack up:
Statistical BIRMINGHAM EVERETT
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 15th 44.9 20th 36.2
Scoring Defense 6th 43.6 8th 45.8
Total Offense 4th 289.2 17th 220.8
Total Defense 8th 247.8 7th 243.6
Pass Offense 6th 260.1 17th 203.5
Pass Defense 7th 225.4 6th 224.5
Rushing Offense 3rd 29.1 16th 17.2
Rushing Defense t-14th 22.4 10th 19.1
Pass Rating 15th 94.0 19th 87.2
Pass Def. Rating 10th 97.2 21st 117.5
Kickoff Returns 23rd 12.3 17th 16.2
MFG Returns 17th 9.9 10th 17.8
Turnover Margin t-4th +7 19th -7
Field Goals 6th 5-13 (.385) 19th 2-9 (.222)
PAT Kicking 13th 32-43 (.744) 14th 26-36 (.722)
Sacks By t-6th 15-74 t-22nd 4-25
Sacks Against 9th 8-44 t-14th 13-58
First Downs 10th 142 20th 123
Opp. First Downs 7th 133 1st 111
Penalties 6th 60-377 14th 67-475
Opp. Penalties 14th 65-448 9th 66-482

STEELDOGS INJURY REPORT:
Pos. Name Injury Status
WR/DB Donald Amaker Torn ACL Out (Season)
OL/DL Myron Powe Knee Out
OS Kerry Wright Hamstring Out

DROPBACK
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Bradly Chavez caught 11 passes for 155 yards and four touchdowns as the Birmingham Steeldogs pounded the Macon Knights, 71-30, at the BJCC Arena.

With the win, the Steeldogs even their record at 4-4 on the season. Macon drops to 2-6 overall.

Birmingham wasted no time in beginning the rout, as QB Ryan Hawk hooked up with WR/LB Lawrence Story from 32 yards out on the team's first offensive play, putting the Steeldogs on top 7-0.

The Knights coughed up the ball on the first play of their ensuing drive, giving the Steeldogs outstanding field position at Macon's 15 yard line. Two plays later, WR/DB Erick Harris reeled in a Hawk strike in the back of the end zone to put the Steeldogs on top 14-0. The game never got any closer.

Hawk finished 11 of 18 for 174 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. He shared time with Robert Kent, who completed 7 of 13 pass attempts for 80 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed three times for 11 yards and a touchdown.

Chavez, playing in his first game since suffering a knee injury during week two, was the team's starting offensive specialist, replacing the injured Kerry Wright. He caught more passes than any other Steeldogs receiver combined and earned the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game Award.

Birmingham players took home the other three post-game awards. Mareno Philyaw, who caught a 34-yard touchdown pass and collected 4.5 tackles, won the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game Award. The pass reception, which came with 7:22 remaining in the game, was the Cutters Catch of the Game.

Deon Deboise won the ADT Defensive Player of the Game Award, after recording three tackles, two tackles for a loss of 12 yards, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two sacks.

FORWARD MOTION: Birmingham returns home on June 10 for a rematch with the South Georgia Wildcats. Birmingham defeated South Georgia, 40-34, in Albany, on April 29.

PLAYERS/MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

KEY DATES IN TEAM/LEAGUE HISTORY:
JUNE 2, 2000: Birmingham's outlasted the former Tallahassee Thunder, 86-74, in the fourth-highest scoring game in af2 history.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Everett Kerry Wright (BIR)
2 RGV Dwight Counter (RGV)
3 Louisville Brett Deitz (LOU)
4 SGA Mareno Philyaw (BIR)
5 Louisville Kerry Wright (BIR)
6 Florida Magic Benton (FLA)
7 Tn. Vally Chris Gunn (TVV)
8 Macon Bradly Chavez (BIR)

IRONMAN OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Everett Bradly Chavez (BIR)
2 RGV Terrell Browden (BIR)
3 Louisville Terrell Browden (BIR)
4 SGA Chris McKinney (SGA)
5 Louisville Lance Taylor (LOU)
6 Florida Brittney Tellis (FLA)
7 Tn. Vally Johnny Anderson (TVV)
8 Macon Mareno Philyaw (BIR)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Everett Jordan Brumbaugh (BIR)
2 RGV Bobby Keyes (BIR)
3 Louisville Dwayne Lefall (LOU)
4 SGA Jordan Brumbaugh (BIR)
5 LOU Michael Gholar (BIR)
6 Florida Cory Bailey (FLA)
7 Tn. Vally Bobby Keyes (BIR)
8 Macon Deon Deboise (BIR)

• Discuss this story on the arenafootball2 message board...

arenafootball2 Stories from June 1, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Alabama Steeldogs Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central