BlueCats Visit Defending Champs
July 7, 2006 - United Indoor Football Association (UIF)
Evansville BlueCats News Release
EVANSVILLE, IN: The two hottest teams in the league will meet this Saturday night when the Evansville BlueCats take their four game win streak to Sioux Falls to take on the defending champion Sioux Falls Storm. This game will wrap up the 2006 regular season for both teams with UIF playoffs beginning next weekend. The BlueCats have already secured a spot in the playoffs but their exact seeding will not be known until the conclusion of the Week 16 games and the tiebreaker scenarios are played out. Evansville enters this game on a 4 game win streak while Sioux Falls is unbeaten so far this season.
Last season, the Evansville BlueCats traveled to Sioux Falls on May 21st and played one of the most exciting games of the season. Evansville gave the eventual national champions all they could handle and pushed the game into overtime, where the BlueCats ultimately lost to the Storm in the first overtime game in league history.
Evansville (7-7) is currently tied for the #4 seed in the UIF playoffs with the Omaha Beef (7-7). If the playoffs started this week, Omaha would get the #4 seed and Evansville would be the #5 seed due to the tiebreaker system. The #4 seed will get a home playoff game in the first round and would host the #5 seed. Should Evansville end up with the #4 seed in the playoffs, the BlueCats would get a home playoff game at Roberts Stadium, the first home playoff game in franchise history. For Evansville to claim the #4 they would have to beat Sioux Falls and Omaha would have to lose to Fort Wayne. The top 3 seeds are all clinched and consist of the division winners with Sioux Falls in the #1 spot, Lexington at #2, and Rock River at #3. The #1 and #2 seeds will get a first round bye. Only the top 6 teams will make the playoffs. Ohio Valley (6-8) currently holds the #6 seed, but they have not yet clinched the spot with Sioux City (5-7) and Bloomington (5-7) just one game behind.
The BlueCats defense has been carrying the load during the recent 4 game win streak. Over the last 4 weeks, the BlueCats rank 2nd in the UIF in passing defense, scoring defense, total defense and 3rd in rush defense. On the season, the BlueCats rank 2nd in rushing defense. Evansville leads the league with 13 takeaways over their last 4 games.
The team can boast several potential All-UIF performers on the defense. Linebacker John Winchester has been among the league leaders all season and currently is second in the league with 108 tackles and 19 tackles for loss. Demoine Adams leads the team and ranks 4th in the league with 6 sacks despite only playing in 9 games. Adams also has 12.5 tackles for loss. Vernon Turner is second on the team in tackles and leads the team with 4 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries. AJ Bryant has 3 interceptions in only 3 games since joining the team and Deion Holts has 3 sacks in only 3 games since joining the team. Veteran BlueCats Joel Stubblefield and Tarron Acuff have had the best pro seasons of their career.
Kicker Ton-Ton Luzayadio remains the league's leading scorer with 160 points scored this season. Last week he broke the league record and is now enjoying the single highest scoring season by a kicker in league history. He also owns the league record for most field goals in a season, shattering the old record by over 11 field goals with one week to go. He already owns the BlueCats record book for points, field goals, and extra points, and is now looking to break even more records this week. He could end the season with the highest extra point and field goal percentages, making him the most accurate and most productive kicker of all time.
BlueCats running back Dale Jennings continues to rack up yards and touchdowns at a high rate. He ranks #2 in the league with 22 touchdowns scored and ranks 5th in total scoring and 7th in all-purpose yards. This season he's seen time at running back, wide receiver, corner back, and returning kicks.
The BlueCats put their winning streak on the line when travel to play the Sioux Falls Storm this Saturday night in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This will be the final regular season game for both of these playoff bound teams as the UIF playoffs and the run for United Bowl II start next week. Kickoff for Saturday, July 8th, is set for 7:05pm and can be heard live on ESPN Radio 94.9 in Evansville. For the complete Evansville BlueCats 2006 schedule, please visit the website at www.evansvillebluecats.com.
United Indoor Football Association Stories from July 7, 2006
- UIF Transactions - UIF
- BlueCats Visit Defending Champs - Evansville BlueCats
- Storm to Hold "Jersey Off Their Back" Fundraiser; Hot Harley Nights Parade to Cause Detour to Arena - Sioux Falls Storm
- Final Week of UIF Regular Season Approaches - UIF
- Beef to Close-Out Regular Season vs. Freedom - Omaha Beef
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