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Bossier/Shreveport Battle Wings Game Notes

April 26, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Bossier/Shreveport Battle Wings (0-4)
at Rio Grande Valley Dorados (1-2)
Date: Monday, May 2, 2005
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. CST
Site: Dodge Arena (5,500)
National Anthem: TBA
Coin Toss: Head Referee
Officials: Referee - Joe Pester; Umpire - Chad Bowers; Head Linesman - Mark Bovos; Line Judge - Hugo Cruz;
Back Judge - Scott Gasaway
Radio: KWKH 1130 AM (Charlie Chitwood)
TV: None
Series Record: Bossier/Shreveport leads all-time series, 1-0.
Last Meeting: BOS 66, RGV 59 (OT); at Century Tel Center (June 18, 2004)(2,961)
Streaks: Battle Wings W 1
Coaches: Battle Wings - Keith Barefield (5-11, 2nd season)
Dorados - Kevin Guy (42-16, 4th season in af2, 1st at RGV)

THE STAKES: The Battle Wings are in desparate need of a victory and have to go to Hidalgo, Texas to try and get it. At 0-4, Bossier's winless streak at the start of the season is the longest in team history. RGV is sitting at 1-2, but the Dorados haven't exactly been playing the light-weights of af2. Louisville's Fire (#4 in Week 4 Coach's Poll) knocked off the Dorados 56-42 in Hidalgo, then the defending Arena Cup champion Florida Firecats (#1 in poll) put a 62-30 pasting on the D's in Estero. A road win (40-32) at Bakersfield finally got Rio Grande Valley in the right column.

THE SERIES: Rio Grande Valley gave plenty of teams a run for their money last season during the Dorados inaugural schedule and the Battle Wings were no different from the rest. Bossier had to go to overtime before finally knocking off RGV, 66-59, but had a hard-fought three-game winning streak as a result. The Battle Wings lead the all-time series between the two clubs, 1-0, as a result.

THE IFs:
If Bossier/Shreveport defeats Rio Grande Valley, it would ...
· throw the brakes on a four-game losing streak;
· stop an even longer eight-game losing streak dating to June 18, 2004 - the same night the 'Wings last played Rio Grande Valley;
· give the Battle Wings their 25th victory in franchise history;
· be the Battle Wings' 4th win on the road in their last 19 games away from the Century Tel Center.

BOSSIER/SHREVEPORT (0-4) (Lost 4)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/03 MEMPHIS* L 63-24
4/09 TULSA L 61-51
4/16 @ Quad City* L 36-29
4/23 AMARILLO* L 86-66
5/02 @ Rio Grande Val. 7:30
5/07 BAKERSFIELD 7:00
5/14 FLORIDA 7:00
5/21 @ Oklahoma City* 7:30
6/04 @ Albany 6:30
6/11 @ Macon 6:30
6/18 OKLAHOMA CITY* 7:00
6/25 @ Amarillo* 7:00
7/09 RIO GRANDE VAL. 7:00
7/15 @ Bakersfield 9:00
7/23 QUAD CITY* 7:00
7/30 @ Memphis* 7:00

Rio Grande Valley Dorados (1-2)(Won 1)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/9 LOUISVILLE L 56-42
4/16 @ Florida L 62-30
4/22 @ Bakersfield W 40-32
5/2 BOSSIER/SHREVE 7:30
5/7 SAN DIEGO 7:30
5/14 @ Central Valley 9:30
5/21 WILKES/BARRE-SCR 7:30
5/28 @ South Georgia 6:30
6/4 @ Oklahoma City 7:30
6/11 TULSA 7:30
6/18 CENTRAL VALLEY 7:30
6/24 @ San Diego TBD
7/9 @ Bossier/Shreve 7:00
7/16 @ Tulsa 7:00
7/23 OKLAHOMA CITY 7:30
7/30 BAKERSFIELD 7:30
Date Opponent Result Score


HEAD COACHES: The Battle Wings' Keith Barefield is in his second season in the arena ranks with a brand new outlook on the game as well as a brand new staff. Bossier finished 5-11 under Barefield's direction last year, but the winningest football coach in Missouri football history has re-tooled and is ready to jump right into the thick of the af2 championship race....Kevin Guy might be with a second-year franchise, but he's no newbie to the league. Guy coached the Tennessee Valley Vipers to a 39-9 record over the last three seasons, jumping ship for Texas when the Snakes left the league. The 2003 af2 Coach of the Year has had his successes against the Battle Wings, too. Guy's Vipers went 4-0 against Bossier during the 2003-04 seasons - his second and third year at the helm of TV and the only four times he coached against the 'Wings.

LAST SERIES MEETING: BOSSIER/SHREVEPORT 66, Rio Grande Valley 59 (OT) – At the Century Tel Center, the Battle Wings won their first-ever meeting with the expansion Dorados but no without some late dramatics. Bossier's Jason Ball kicked a 28-yard field goal and forged a 59-59 tie as time expired, then Reggie Perkins hauled in a 12-yard touchdown pass from Sherard Poteete in overtime to give the 'Wings their first three-game winning streak since the 2002 season. A pair of current Battle Wings - Caleb Slover and McKinley Bowie, played a huge part in RGV's showing that night, with Slover throwing for 352 yards and seven touchdowns while Bowie hauled in a pair of scoring passes among his five catches for 47 yards.

SERIES NOTABLES: Lots of offense should be expected Monday night if last year's game gives any indication. The two teams combined for 611 yards total offense and added another 392 steps in combined kick return yardage. Both teams committed four turnovers - a pair of fumbles and interceptions each.Bo Smith hauled in six passes for 103 yards - including touchdown grabs of 38 and 24 yards - adding a 54-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown as well.

FAMILIAR FACES: Some might refer to the 2005 edition of the Dorados as Tennessee Valley - West. Head coach Kevin Guy had great success in his three years at Tenn Valley and brought to the Rio Grande Valley a handful of stlawarts from last year's 12-4 Viper squad. QB Josh Kellett leads the pack of former Vipers who jumped ship to remain in the af2. WR/DB Travis McAlpine - like Kellett a player of the week honoree last season - is joined by WR/DB Marquis Floyd and OL/DL Dave Morrill as the other former Vipers on the Dorado squad. McAlpine finished third on the Vipers last year in receiving but held in check somewhat by the 'Wings, totalling only five catches for 71 yards and two TD's. Floyd, who finished second on the squad in tackles last year, also scored a touchdown in each of the two games with Bossier last season - one of those tallies a 12-yard kick-off return in an attempted on-sides kick. Kellett flung the ball for 482 yards in the two games, hitting on 12 touchdown passes.

TOP PERFORMERS:
BATTLE WINGS
Player Rank Category Stat
Bo Smith 4T5344T44 ScoringReceptionsRec. YardsRec. TD'sKO Return YdsKO ReturnsAll-Purpose/Gm 66 pts.253871028913169.0 yds
Joe WesleyQuincy MylesJ'Sharlon JonesBrian HazelwoodTim Hicks T4T1T53T7T2T1T5T111T5T11 SacksFumbles Rec.Passes Def.Kick ScoringFG Pct.FG'sFG AttemptsPAT's MadeYards per PlayYards per RushRushing TD'sRush Yards 2.52530 pts.40.0410177.07.8/carry331
DORADOS
Player Rank Category Stat
State Corrections Required Before Final Edition


TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how BOSSIER and RIO GRANDE VALLEY stack up so far in 2005:
Statistical 'WINGS DORADOS
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 10 42.5 ppg 16 37.3 ppg
Scoring Defense 17 61.5 ppg T12 50.0 ppg
Total Offense 16 216.0 ypg 17 215.3 ypg
Total Defense 20 312.8 ypg 11 256.7 ypg
Pass Offense 16 198.5 ypg 18 182.3 ypg
Pass Defense 20 289.2 ypg 8 213.3 ypg
Rushing Offense 9 17.5 ypg 3 33.0 ypg
Rushing Defense 15 23.5 ypg 20 43.3 ypg
Scoring (TD's) T6 23 TD's 18 14 TD's
Scoring (Kicking) T3 29 pts. 9 20 pts.
Pass Rating 16 89.3 20 73.3
Pass Def. Rating 18 124.5 9 106.3
Kickoff Returns T13 16.7/ret 12 17.2/ret
MFG Returns 11 10.8/ret 7 15.5/ret
Turnover Margin 20 -10 18 -5
Field Goals T2 4 T2 4
PAT Kicking T8 .810 2 .889
Sacks By T9 5 T4 7
Sacks Against 20 10 T3 2
First Downs 11 54 18 44
Opp. First Downs 20 84 T7 47
Penalties 13 191 yds. T3 143 yds.
Opp. Penalties 9 193 yds. 18 136 yds.

BATTLE WINGS INJURY REPORT:
Pos. Name Injury Status

OL/DL Phillips Left Knee LT-IR
WR/DB Parham Hamstring LT-IR
WR/DB Harris Quad Pull LT-IR

BAREFIELD BITES:

Battle Wings head coach Keith Barefield on 86-66 loss to Amarillo: "For some reason, our defensive secondary looked confused and unconfident out there. We looked like we were outplayed and outmanned at times as well. Whatever the combination of the above, we have to fix that. We won't win any ballgames if we don't get any defensive stops."
Barefield on the play of new quarterback Tim Hicks: "That was a pretty fine day for him, considering he's had all of three days to learn our system. I mean, we put 66 points on the board. His running the ball the way he did was a nice sight as well."
Barefield talks about the 0-4 start to the 2005 season: "It's hard to call the surprise a pleasant one. All the little things that can pile up have, and this is what they've amounted to. We're not far from a win, but we sure need to get one. I can't help but feel that coming out on top for the first time will be the key to the good things we expect of this bunch."
Barefield on the Rio Grande Valley Dorados: "Obviously, they're a different team than the one we played last season here. Kevin Guy is a good coach and he brought over from Tennessee Valley some of his better players. He's had our number, too, the past couple of years. They're probably the best 1-2 team in the league right now."

LOOKING FOR SOME BO-MENTUM?: OS Bo Smith, aka "The BOssier Bullet," has already taken over the top spot in Bossier history for career touchdown receptions with 46. He's still closing in on a number of other 'Wing milestones as the season progresses. To move eve further up the charts in a few other statistical categories, Bo needs:
· 4 KO returns to pass Kevin Stevenson for 2nd place on career KO returns list. Smith currently has 47 KO returns in his three season with the 'Wings.
· 388 receiving yards to take over the #1 spot from Stevenson. Entering Monday night's game, Smith is poised to crack the 2,000 yard mark, needing just 95 receiving yards to reach that benchmark.
· 26 more receptions to pass Val Morris for the #2 spot all-time in Battle Wings history. Bo has 125 career receptions and is only 50 catches from passing Stevenson for the top spot all-time.
· 477 all-purpose yards to take over 2nd place from Stevenson in Battle Wings history. Smith enters Monday's game with 3,107 all-purpose steps and is on pace to catch Bossier's all-time leader, Shadrick McAfee (4,542 yards) in the final month of the 2005 regular season.

DROPBACK: Bossier's 86-66 loss to Amarillo is one the 'Wings would just as soon forget, at least on the defensive side of the ball. New quarterback Tim Hicks had a nice debut, throwing for 220 yards and 4 TD's while running for 31 more yards and an extra 3 TD's. The rushing totals put him in the top 10 in several of the league's rushing categories. Defensively, Bossier allowed a new af2-record 474 yards total offense to the expansion Dusters, giving up 13 TD's on Amarillo's 13 possessions.

FORWARD MOTION: The Battle Wings look to leave a winless April far behind them and return to the Century Tel Center for back-to-back games against Bakersfield and defending ArenaCup champion Florida. Bossier would love to have some momentum entering its May 21 game at Oklahoma City, the first of four away games with just one return trip to the CTC over the next seven weeks. The 'Wings will have a pair of off dates in that nearly two month stretch.

PLAYERS/MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

MAYDAY, MAYDAY: The 'Wings are hoping to avoid a little early-May malaise by knocking off Rio Grande Valley. In their previous four seasons, the Battle Wings have lost their first game of May (L 65-59 @ Tulsa 5/8/04; L 33-21 @ Tenessee Valley 5/3/03; L 47-40 @ Pensacola 5/4/02 and L 55-43 @ Quad City). Bossier is 5-12 all-time in the month of May.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAMES:
Week Opp. Player
1234 MEMTULQCAMA Brian Jones, MEMDonovan Morgan, TULBo Smith, BOSJulian Reese, AMA

ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAMES:
Week Opp. Player
1234 MEMTULQCAMA Joe Wesley, BOSKendal Shello, BOSMatt Forbes, QCCharles Davis

U.S. ARMY IRONMAN AWARDS
Week Opp. Player
1234 MEMTULQCAMA Terrence Quattlebaum, MEMAleric Clark, TULJack Walter, Jr., QCD.J. Humphries

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