Sports stats



Birmingham Steeldogs game notes

June 13, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Alabama Steeldogs News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Birmingham Steeldogs (5-5)
at Memphis Xplorers (8-2)
Date: Saturday, June 17, 2006
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. CT
Site: Desoto Civic Center (8,400)
National Anthem: TBA
Coin Toss: TBA
Officials: Referee: Todd Dunaway, Umpire: Mark Baynes,
Head Linesman: Lark Jones, Line Judge: Chris Jamison,
Back Judge: Brad Freeman
Radio: WAPI-1070 AM (Matt Coulter and Roger Shultz)
TV: None
Series Record: BHM leads 3-2
Last Meeting: MEM, 62-32, June 18, 2006 @ MEM
Streaks: Birmingham W1, Memphis W3
Coaches: Ron Selesky (24-18; 1-1 playoffs, 3rd Season
Overall; 5-5, 1st Season in Birmingham)
Danton Barto (42-32, 4th Season)


THE STAKES: The Steeldogs take another shot at their second road victory of the season Saturday night in Southaven, against the defending league champion Memphis Xplorers. The Steeldogs are scrapping with three other 5-5 American Conference teams for (if the season ended today) the final two playoff spots. Winning big games down the stretch is critical for the Steeldogs, who have come up short too often away from home. Memphis is rolling after a hiccup in Albany, Ga., nearly a month ago. The af2's champs in 2005, Memphis is looking to secure the South Division title and a No. 1 seed in the American Conference playoff chase.
THE SERIES: The Steeldogs used to dominate the series, dating back to a 67-39 home victory in 2001. Birmingham suffered their first loss to the Xplorers last season, 60-24 at the BJCC. That was followed by a 62-32 Memphis win at home months later. The Steeldogs still lead the overall series 3-2.
THE IFs:
If Birmingham defeats South Georgia, it would...
- Put the Steeldogs back over .500 for the season
- Break a two-game losing streak to Memphis
- Give the Steeldogs their first road win since April 29
- Keep the Steeldogs alive in the 2006 af2 playoff race


BIRMINGHAM (5-5, 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 L 34-40
6/10 SOUTH GEORGIA 7:00 W 42-35
6/17 @ Memphis 7:00 --- BHM 3-2
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
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

MEMPHIS (8-2, Won 3)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/1 @ Tenn Valley 7:30 W 47-25
4/8 FLORIDA 7:00 W 78-46
4/15 TENN VALLEY 7:00 W 56-21
4/22 @ Florida 6:30 L 60-55
4/28 MACON 7:00 W 62-26
5/6 MANCHESTER 7:00 W 58-52 OT
5/13 @ South Georgia 6:30 L 48-41
5/20 BOS-SHREVEPORT 7:00 W 67-32
5/28 @ Amarillo 3:00 W 34-27
6/3 @ Stockton 9:00 W 73-54
6/17 BIRMINGHAM 7:00
6/24 SOUTH GEORGIA 7:00
6/30 @ Macon 6:30
7/8 @ Louisville 6:00
7/15 AMARILLO 7:00
7/22 @ Birmingham 7:00

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.

DANTON BARTO, MEMPHIS XPLORERS
Barto is entering his fifth season as the Head Coach of the Memphis Xplorers. His career regular season record stands at 42-32 and 3-1 in the postseason. He is the winningest active coach in af2 since the start of the 2003 season. In each of the four seasons under Barto, the Xplorers have improved on the previous season's win total. Last season, he was named the af2 Coach of the Year as he led the Xplorers to their best season in franchise history; a 13-3 regular season mark, a Midwest Division title and the 2005 ArenaCup Championship. In 2004, Memphis won ten games and earned their first trip to the playoffs, before falling to the eventual champion Florida Firecats on a last second field goal miss. Barto was promoted from defensive coordinater to the head coach position prior to the 2002 season and won his first three games in what turned out to be a 5-11 season. Coach Barto is still considered a University of Memphis legend; he currently is the only player to be named to the All-American team three different years. He is still ranked number one in career tackles for the University of Memphis with 473. Coach Barto also enjoyed a 5-year professional career in the CFL and AFL leagues. Coach Barto currently resides with his wife Rachel and their 7-year-old son Will in Bartlett, Tennessee.

LAST SERIES MEETING: June 18, 2005: Memphis pounded Birmingham, 62-32, at the Desoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss.

SERIES HISTORY:

STEELDOGS 67 Xplorers 39 July 21, 2001
Steeldogs 51 XPLORERS 36 June 14, 2003
STEELDOGS 44 Xplorers 27 April 10, 2004
Xplorers 60 STEELDOGS 24 April 23, 2005
XPLORERS 62 Steeldogs 32 June 18, 2005

LEAGUE TOP 10s: Steeldogs players who rank among af2's statistical leaders:
STEELDOGS
Player Rank Category Stat
Kerry Wright 7th All-Purpose Yd/G 162.6
Kerry Wright 7th Yards/Catch 15.3
Kerry Wright 2nd Receive Yds/G 111.7
Kerry Wright 7th MFG Rtn Yds 4-63
Kerry Wright 5th MFG Returns 4
Terrell Browden 8th Rush Yards 115
Ryan Hawk 8th Pass Yds/Comp 12.6
Alex Walls t-3rd Field Goals 6-19
Alex Walls 5th Field Goals Attp 19
Alex Walls t-5th Field Goal Pct 31.6
Alex Walls t-3rd Field Goals Made t-3rd
Bobby Keyes t-7th Interceptions 6
Bobby Keyes t-3rd INT Returns 6-10

TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Steeldogs and Xplorers stack up:
Statistical BIRMINGHAM MEMPHIS
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 16th 43.2 3rd 57.1
Scoring Defense 4th 42.4 1st 39.1
Total Offense 10th 270.9 4th 290.4
Total Defense 4th 237.4 19th 288.8
Pass Offense 13th 238.2 6th 262.9
Pass Defense 4th 217.3 17th 249.6
Rushing Offense 3rd 32.7 7th 27.5
Rushing Defense 9th 20.1 23rd 39.2
Pass Rating 15th 92.4 1st 126.2
Pass Def. Rating 9th 96.2 4th 91.0
Kickoff Returns 23rd 12.7 11th 18.3
MFG Returns 17th 9.9 3rd 26.8
Turnover Margin t-5th +8 8th +5
Field Goals 10th 6-19 (.316) 15th 2-7 (.286)
PAT Kicking 17th 38-52 (.731) 6th 63-76 (.829)
Sacks By 8th 17-90 t-6th 19
Sacks Against t-9th 12-63 8th 9
First Downs t-15th 173 5th 186
Opp. First Downs 6th 161 17th 194
Penalties t-8th 77-514 18th 65.8
Opp. Penalties 12th 84-557 17th 76-537

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

DROPBACK: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Ryan Hawk completed four of six passes for 43 yards, including a game-winning, 23-yard touchdown strike to Allyn Sheffield as the Birmingham Steeldogs defeated the South Georgia Wildcats, 42-35, in front of 5,803 fans at the BJCC Arena on Saturday night.

Hawk, relegated to a back-up role for the first time since the season began, came off the bench late in the fourth quarter to spark the Steeldogs rally. Birmingham, who had led by as many as 17 points in the second half, became mired in a disastrous series of events in the fourth quarter. After a Dan Burnett field goal, Steeldogs' quarterback Robert Kent was sacked in the end zone for a safety, pulling the Wildcats to within 34-29 early in the final period..

Later, Wildcats' quarterback Julian Reese fired an 18-yard touchdown pass to Chris McKinney, to put South Georgia on top, 35-34, with one minute to play. That's when Hawk led a two-play, 30-yard drive, culminating in the Sheffield touchdown reception to put Birmingham on top for good.

The win evens the Steeldogs' record at 5-5. South Georgia falls to 1-9.

Steve Sills, a first time offensive specialist, led Birmingham's receiving corps with eight catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. He was awarded the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game award. Sheffield caught three passes for 34 yards, including the game-winning score, while collecting 4.5 tackles defensively. He was named the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game. His game-winning reception was voted the Cutter's Catch of the Game.

Deon Deboise rounded out the Steeldogs' award sweep, taking home the ADT Defensive Player of the Game award. His sack of quarterback Julian Reese on South Georgia's final drive all but sealed the Steeldogs' fifth victory of the season.

Robert Kent started his first game at quarterback for the Steeldogs, finishing 14 of 25 for 152 yards and three touchdowns before giving way to Hawk. South Georgia's Julian Reese finished 24 of 38 for 210 yards and three scores. Chris McKinney led all receivers with 13 catches for 110 yards and three touchdowns.

FORWARD MOTION: Birmingham hosts the second of three "Barber's Dairy Faith Nights with the Steeldogs" next Saturday night (June 24) when the Florida Firecats come to town.

KEY DATES IN TEAM/LEAGUE HISTORY:
JUNE 14, 2003: Birmingham capped off a three-game winning streak with a 51-36 win at Memphis.

SCHUTT 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)
9 Everett Brian Baker (EVE)
10 SGA Steve Sills (BIR)

U.S. ARMY 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)
9 Everett Milton Myers (EVE)
10 SGA Allyn Sheffield (BIR)

ADT 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)
9 Everett John Fields (EVE)
10 SGA Deon Deboise (BIR)

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

arenafootball2 Stories from June 13, 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