Bossier "Wings It" at Memphis

April 19, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – They're the early season's most decorated team ... and one of its highest-scoring. On Saturday, the home folks get their first chance to see the revamped Memphis Xplorers (2-0) when they host the Bossier City Battle Wings (1-1) in a game that could determine (at least for now) the team to beat in the National Conference's Central Division.

Memphis has cornered the market on league hardware the past two weeks. WR/DB CARLOS McNEARY earned af2 Week 2 Ironman distinction after a five-touchdown, one-interception performance at Louisville. QB TIM LESTER and OS RUSSELL COPELAND continued the Xplorers' excess by sharing league Offensive Player of the Week honors this past week. They connected on five touchdowns passes (Lester ran for another) as well as the game-winning two-point conversion in Memphis' 49-48 overtime victory at Peoria. The Xplorers (54.5 points per game) have scored more touchdowns (16) than everyone in the league besides Richmond and San Diego. Copeland, a former Buffalo Bill, is the individual league leader in scoring (44 points), receptions (26) and receiving yards (322). Lester's 583 passing yards and 292 total yards per game both rank second in af2.

Visiting Bossier City plays the part of immovable object to the Xplorers' irresistible force. Last week, the Battle Wings limited a Tulsa team that had scored 55 points the week before to just 14. In Week 2, Bossier City went into a place no visiting team has ever won (Quad City) and came within an eyelash (a goal-line fumble on the last play of the game) of upsetting the Steamwheelers. Allowing just 26.5 points per game, Bossier City already has seven sacks, led by CHARLES FOSTER, JR., and CARL WHEELER, who each have a pair. The Wings also have intercepted four passes, one off of New Haven's league high. On offense, QB SHERARD POTEETE is a threat to pass or run. He has 305 passing yards and four TDs to go with 30 yards on the ground. KEVIN STEVENSON (14 catches, 153 yards, 2 TDs) is Poteete's primary target.

The Battle Wings claimed a 44-25 road win in the teams' only previous meeting (5/19/01). The Xplorers travel to Bossier City on Saturday, May 25.

In the top American Conference matchup of the weekend, the first-place Cape Fear Wildcats host the Augusta Stallions Saturday night. A huge opening-night crowd is expected in Fayetteville, N.C., to witness this battle of unbeatens, which pits two exciting QBs against each other. Augusta's GLEN GAUNT lit up the scoreboard in his debut, passing for 306 yards and six touchdowns to be named af2's Week 2 Offensive Player of the Week. VIC PENN has been steady for the expansion Wildcats, completing 34-of-54 passes on the season. Cape Fear's biggest weapon is its stingy defense. In the first two games of the season, the Wildcat ‘D' held opponents to 19.5 points per game and allowed just over 100 yards of total offense. This is the only meeting between these two teams during the regular season.

– MORE – The Jacksonville Tomcats and Columbus Wardogs hook up for the first of two 2002 meetings on Saturday at the Columbus Civic Center in Georgia. Columbus came up short in Florida last week and still is in search of its first-ever win. Jacksonville dropped its opener to Augusta in Week 2 and didn't play last week. Despite losing last week, the Wardogs appear much improved from last season's 0-16 squad. QB JEROME WEAKS had a solid outing, passing for 238 yards and three touchdowns. The Wardogs' defense held Florida to 142 yards of total offense. Jacksonville Head Coach EARNEST WILSON probably will go with QB MARCUS OUTZEN against Columbus. Outzen split time with RASHARD CASEY in the Tomcats' first game and completed 6-of-10 passes for 126 yards and four touchdowns.

The Richmond Speed hosts the New Haven Ninjas on Saturday at the Richmond Coliseum. Richmond (3-0) is off to a sensational start this season, averaging more than 60 points a game while holding opponents under 25. That doesn't bode well for the expansion Ninjas (0-2), who average just 27 points per game. New Haven's best shot at victory is if the offensive line can give QB PHIL STAMBAUGH some protection. Thus far, Stambaugh has been sacked nine times, a league high. Richmond will be without the services of WR/DB TIM JONES and WR/DB SHAWN SCALES. Jones is serving a suspension for his involvement in the Week 2 "scrum" in Roanoke while Scales (Week 3 Built Ford Tough Man) is out for the season after tearing both the ACL and MCL in his left knee.

Arena Football returns to Albany, N.Y., on Saturday as the 2-0 Conquest hosts the winless Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers in a matchup of expansion teams at Pepsi Arena. The Pioneers have spread the ball around on offense so far this season. Besides using two QBs, four different Pioneer receivers have caught touchdown passes. Albany also has used two QBs this season, but one thing that remains consistent is the play of OS COREY HILL. Hill has 23 receptions (second-most in af2) for 181 yards and three touchdowns in two games. DS HENRY "SHAKE" BAKER continues to make opposing QBs shake. Last week, Baker increased his league-leading interception total to four by picking off two passes against Rochester. These two teams will meet twice more this season.

Expansion Fresno (0-2) seeks its first win when it travels to the unfriendly confines of the Peoria Civic Center Saturday. The homestanding Pirates hope to rebound from last week's 49-48 overtime loss to Memphis behind the running of FB/LB ROBERT MEYER, who ranks second in the league with 61 rushing yards. Peoria (1-1) could be in for another shootout against the Frenzy, which comes in averaging 49.5 points per game in its two losses. OS LAMONT WEBB (297 all-purpose yards – 10th in af2) and WR/DB EDDIE KLANESKI (252 all-purpose yards and one interception) give Fresno a potent one-two punch.

They're jockeying for position in the National Conference Southern Division. Tennessee Valley is an odds-on favorite for one of the division's two playoff spots. The other one likely will go to Birmingham or Pensacola, who play each other in Florida Saturday. The visiting Steeldogs come in at 1-1 after last week's in-division win against Mobile. Birmingham's primary weapons are OS WAYNE THOMAS, who is tied for the af2 lead with seven receiving TDs, and QB MONTRESSA KIRBY, who is fifth in total offense (464 passing yards, 56 rushing yards) with 10 touchdowns (nine passing, one rushing). The Barracudas (0-1) come into their home opener knowing multi-purpose threat ROBERT STROMAS (rushing, kick return TDs in the opening loss at Tallahassee) can score from anywhere on the field. BOBBY CLAYTON starts at QB, but JOSH ROGERS is ready in relief after coming off the bench and almost sparking a come-from-behind victory against the Thunder.

– MORE – Arkansas (1-1) hosts Wichita (0-2) Saturday in the second of back-to-back games. The Twisters won 34-13 at Wichita last week, tying the team record for fewest points allowed in a game. The Stealth offense barely has registered on the radar screen – it ranks last in the league with 17.0 points per game due in large part to the team's seven turnovers. The good news is the defense (32.0 ppg), led by WILLIE GRISSOM and ROBERT HALL, has been stout, which gives Wichita hope should the offense get on track. The Twisters feature QB hunter GREG TAYLOR, whose three sacks rank second in af2. DARNELL SMALL, this week's league Ironman, scored TDs rushing and on an interception return last week.

How would you like to make an 8,200-mile round trip to play a team that has won 23 straight home games? That's the task facing the 1-1 Hawaiian Islanders Saturday when they battle the 2-0 Quad City Steamwheelers, two-time defending af2 champs. Defense has done the job in the first two games for QC, posting a game-winning last-second goal-line stand in Week 2 and wreaking havoc at Louisville last week, led by FB/LB FRANK TRENTADUE's sack and two blocked field goals. Hawaii QB DARNELL ARCENEAUX can run away from pressure. Week 1's Offensive Player of the Week is tops in the league with 69 rushing yards and five TDs. DARRELL JONES' 451 all-purpose yards rank third in af2.

In-state rivals collide Saturday when 0-2 Mobile travels to Huntsville, Ala., to face 1-0 Tennessee Valley. The expansion Wizards play the third of four straight road games to start the season, this one against a team coming off a 14-2 year. The battle of all-purpose playmakers ANTOINE FLOWERS (370 total yards for Mobile) and KELLY FIELDS (218 yards in the Vipers' opening win at Arkansas) should be fun to watch. Tennessee Valley WR/DB REGGIE WORTHY sparked the come-from-behind victory over the Twisters with two late TDs and an interception.

The Western Division played "round robin" within the division to start the season, and Bakersfield emerged as the early frontrunner at 2-0. On Saturday, the Blitz hosts Midwest Division foe Louisville. Bakersfield features the triple-threat attack of QB CHAD ELLIOTT (first in total offense with 618 yards), OS STEVE WOFFORD (third with 277 receiving yards; fifth with 448 all-purpose yards) and WR/DB RYAN SLOTH (fifth with 239 receiving yards). Along with Fresno, Louisville might be one of the two best 0-2 teams in af2. The Fire gave unbeatens Memphis and Quad City all they wanted before losing. Scrappy QB MATT PIKE leads the way with 503 passing yards and nine TDs (seven passing, two rushing).

Tulsa and San Diego both enter Saturday's California clash at 1-1, but they've taken different routes to get there. The visiting Talons followed up a big win over Birmingham by scoring a team-low 14 points in last week's loss at Bossier City. The Riptide, which blew a 24-point lead to Bakersfield in Week 2, scored 50 first-half points on its way to a 69-52 win at Fresno last week. QB KANE CLAUNCH and OS/KR MARTY GRAHAM are San Diego's forces to be reckoned with. Claunch has thrown for 511 yards and 11 TDs in his first two starts. Graham leads the league with 656 all-purpose yards, 202 more yards than his closest competitor. Tulsa rides the arm and feet of QB ANTHONY BUICH (366 total yards, 7 TDs) and the hands of OS WES CASWELL (163 receiving yards, 3 TDs).

The Roanoke Steam heads to Greensboro, S.C., for a rare Sunday contest with the Prowlers. The winless Steam is just happy not to be playing Richmond. In its first two games, the Steam was outscored 118-40 by its in-state rival. Roanoke should fare batter against the 1-1 Prowlers, who average less than 40 points a game. In fact, the Prowlers have the worst pass offense in af2, averaging 114 yards per game in the air. Head Coach GARY TUFFORD's bunch will try to improve that mark against the Steam. The Prowlers and Steam will meet one more time this season.

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