BlueCats Playoff Run Starts Saturday
July 13, 2006 - United Indoor Football Association (UIF)
Evansville BlueCats News Release
EVANSVILLE, IN: The UIF's regular season has come to a close and the first round of the UIF playoffs are set to begin this Saturday night. For the second year in a row, the Evansville BlueCats finished the regular season in second place in the UIF East division with a (7-8) record. The BlueCats will take the #5 seed in the upcoming UIF playoffs, marking the second playoff appearance in team history. Last season, the Sioux Falls Storm won the championship after starting the playoffs as the #5 seed against the Omaha Beef in Omaha. The BlueCats begin the 2006 playoffs in the same position with the same first round opponent. Evansville will travel to face the #4 seed Omaha Beef (8-7) for the third time this season.
The BlueCats and Beef split their two regular season contests in 2006, with the home team winning both of the previous meetings. Omaha won back on April 9th, and Evansville won on June 24th.
Six teams are eligible for the 2006 playoffs. The seeding for the UIF playoffs are as follows: 1) Sioux Falls Storm, 2) Lexington Horsemen, 3) Rock River Raptors, 4) Omaha Beef, 5) Evansville BlueCats, 6) Sioux City Bandits. Sioux Falls and Lexington receive a bye in the first round.
Evansville BlueCats running back Dale Jennings is team's all-time leader in rushing yards, touchdowns, and games played. This season he's rushed for 393 yards and 18 touchdowns. He's also second on the team in pass receptions. He's caught 39 passes for 281 yards and 3 touchdowns and 542 kick return yards and one more touchdown. He needs only 6 more pass receptions to become the BlueCats all-time leader in career pass receptions. He ranks 3rd in the league with 1,250 all-purpose yards and is 6th in rushing. His 22 touchdowns this season is good for 4th best in the league, and is a new career high, one better than last years total of 21.
Wide Receiver Levander Segars leads the team with 43 pass receptions this season. His 43 catches have gained 421 yards and 11 touchdowns. He ranks 13th in the league in receptions and 9th in receiving touchdowns.
Quarterback Aaron Leak has made nine starts as the BlueCats quarterback. He's thrown for 1,216 yards and 20 touchdowns this season.
The defense has many individual players ranked among the league leaders. Linebacker John Winchester has ranked at or near the top of the league leaders all season long and finished the season with 112.5 tackles. He also finished the season 4th in the league with 19 tackles for loss. Vernon Turner ranked second on the team with 72.5 tackles this season. He leads the team with 5 interceptions, 9 pass break ups, and 3 fumble recoveries. Last week against the Storm, Turner made 9 tackles, an interception, and recovered a fumble that he returned 15 yards for a touchdown, arguably one of the best single game performances by a any defensive player this season. Oddly enough, he was not chosen as Defensive Player of the Week. Defensive end Demoine Adams leads the team and ranks 6th in the league with 6 sacks in only 10 games in 2006. Tarron Acuff has had the best season of his career ranking 3rd on the team with 45.5 tackles and providing consistent play and leadership at defensive back. Joel Stubblefield has made 12.5 tackles for loss this season on the defensive line.
Kicker Ton-Ton Luzayadio has been invaluable to the BlueCats offense and special teams. He leads the league in points scored this season with 174 and has broken nearly every BlueCats kicking record. This season he has scored the second highest point total in league history behind only last seasons UIF MVP, former Sioux City running back Fred Jackson. He also holds the league record for most points in a season by a kicker and most field goals in a season. He's also in hunt for best extra point and field goal percentage.
Evansville will face a very tough opponent in the Omaha Beef in the first round of the playoffs. This season marks Omaha's 7th consecutive season in the playoffs as well as the 7th consecutive season with a home playoff game. Omaha's defense and rushing offense are among the very best in the league. Omaha ranks 2nd in the league in scoring defense and rushing defense and 3rd in total defense. They've also given up fewer first downs than any other team in the league. Their rushing offense ranks 2nd best in the league this season. Omaha has won their last two games and four of their last five. Omaha's most recent loss was against Evansville.
Be sure to tune in to ESPN Radio 94.9 this Saturday night to catch all of the fabulous indoor football action as your Evansville BlueCats take on the Omaha Beef in the first round of the United Indoor Football playoffs. Kickoff is set for 7:05pm. For the complete Evansville BlueCats 2006 schedule, please visit the website at www.evansvillebluecats.com.
United Indoor Football Association Stories from July 13, 2006
- BlueCats Playoff Run Starts Saturday - Evansville BlueCats
- UIF Round One Playoffs Broadcast Schedule - UIF
- Beef Return to Post Season for Seventh Year in a Row - UIF
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