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Buffalo Destroyers Game Notes

March 26, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Buffalo Destroyers News Release


QUICK FACTS:
TV: None
Radio: WNSA 107.7 FM
Jim Brinson and Bob Trimble
Web: www.buffalodestroyers.com/warzone.html Live Stats and Scores
Officials: Bill Athan (Referee), Rick Nelson (Umpire), Tim Podroza (Head Linesman), Thomas Symonette (Line Judge), Rob Vernatchi (Back Judge)
Series Record: Tied 1-1
Coaches: Buffalo, Ron Selesky (3-5, 1st season) Detroit, Al Luginbill (4-4, 1st season)

HEAD COACH: Ron Selesky earned 2002 af2 Coach of the Year honors guiding the expansion Albany Conquest to a regular season mark of 13-3 and the Northeast Division championship. The Conquest also advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2002 Arena Cup playoffs. Selesky compiled an overall record of 19-13 in two seasons in the af2 during the regular season with a 1-1 playoff mark.

Selesky joined the Conquest after leading the expansion Louisville Fire to a 6-10 mark in 2001. Prior to his stint in Louisville, Selesky spent one season as the director of player personnel and assistant coach for the Carolina Cobras. He was the director of player personnel and assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Storm from 1997 to 1999. While Selesky was in Tampa Bay, the Storm compiled a 31-11 regular-season record and earned a berth in ArenaBowl XII in 1998.

Selesky played college football at North Central College (Division III) in Naperville, Illinois, where he was a four-year starter at left offensive tackle. Following his college career, he played in the National Football League for the Minnesota Vikings in 1987 and attended NFL camps in San Diego (1988), Miami (1990) and Detroit (1992).

GAME PREVIEW: Buffalo will look to get back to .500 as they host the Detroit Fury. Buffalo split their two meetings with the Fury in 2002. Both teams won on their home field. Buffalo will also look to get back to the .500 mark at home as they currently stand at 2-3 at home. The Destroyers are also 1-1 when playing on Sunday's this season.

DESTROYERS NEXT WEEK: Buffalo begins a three game road trip against the New York Dragons next Sunday, April 6 at the Nassau Coliseum. The game is scheduled to be on NBC and would be the Destroyers network television debut.

DESTROYERS RADIO NETWORK: The Buffalo Destroyers will have 13 of 16 games broadcast on radio this season. WNSA 107.7 FM in Buffalo will serve as the flagship station for the second consecutive season. WJTN 1240 AM in Jamestown, NY and WSPQ 1330 AM in Springville, NY will pick up all 13 games this season as well.

BUFFALODESTROYERS.com: For all the latest news on the Destroyers, log on to www.buffalodestroyers.com. During games, click on the Warzone for live scoring and stats. LAST WEEK: Las Vegas 50 Buffalo 32 The Destroyers defense held the Las Vegas Gladiators scoreless for over 19 minutes in the second half but could not overcome a 15 point halftime deficit as the Destroyers fell to the Gladiators 50-32 in front of 8,936 fans Sunday afternoon at the HSBC Arena.

Buffalo QB Jeff Loots left the game in the third quarter with a sprained right thumb (throwing hand). Loots was nine of 14 for 130 yards two touchdowns and one interception. Backup QB Tim Carey came in relief to pass six of 14 for 68 yards and two touchdowns.

Las Vegas took a 10 point lead after the first period. Buffalo got on the board early in the second when Loots tossed a 12 yard touchdown to WR/DB Jarrail Jackson as Las Vegas led 10-7. After another Las Vegas touchdown, WR/DB Chuck Wesley ran it in from seven yards out to pull within three at 17-14. Vegas would score 12 unanswered points to take a 29-14 lead into halftime.

Buffalo OS Gunnard Twyner caught three touchdowns in the second half, one from Loots and two from Carey. Twyner finished with four receptions for 69 yards. Jackson led the Destroyers with six catches for 59 yards and one touchdown. He also returned six kickoffs for 122 yards for a team high 181 all-purpose yards.

DS Dwaine Carpenter had a game high 10.5 tackles one interception and one pass breakup. Wesley, DS JoJo Polk and OL/DL Hardy Mitchell each tallied four tackles.

LAST SERIES MEETING: Buffalo 49 Detroit 21 May 11, 2002, HSBC ARENA

Shortly after finding out their best offensive threat OS Lamont Cooper had to miss the game, it was the Destroyers defense that stepped up causing five turnovers en route to a 49-21 victory over the Detroit Fury in front of 7,991 fans at the HSBC Arena.

Cooper was hospitalized after he passed out and lost a significant amount of blood. Doctors believe he has an ulcer, but he will have more tests to determine the exact problem.

The 21 points given up by the Destroyers is the fewest allowed in team history. The previous mark of 23 was set in 1999 vs. Portland. Corey Johnson picked off two passes and Dwaine Carpenter added another. FB/LB Juan Long, who was named Ironman of the Game, forced a fumble in the fourth quarter that was scooped up by OL/DL David Caldwell for a Destroyers touchdown. The Defense also had two sacks, three tackles for loss and six pass defenses.

QB Fred McNair was named game MVP completing 21 of 33 for 237 yards and five touchdowns. WR/LB Kevin Mason caught three passes for 38 yards and two scores. He also had one rush for 34 yards, a Destroyers team record. The Destroyers rushed 16 times for 65 yards. Those 16 rushing attempts are a team record. WR/DB Eddie Brown, WR/DB Bret Cooper, OS Jarrail Jackson and WR/DB Carlos James also caught touchdown passes.

FAMILIAR FACES:

· Detroit WR/LB Thomas Bailey played one season for the Destroyers in 2002. Bailey was Buffalo's fourth leading receiver with 23 catches for 316 yards and seven touchdowns. He added 23 tackles and two interceptions on defense.

SERIES NOTES:

· FB/LB Juan Long earned Ironman of the Game honors in the Destroyers 49-21 win over Detroit May 11, 2002. Long had a career high 21 rushing yards on three carries. He also had two tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and one forced fumble.

· WR/DB Jarrail Jackson made his AFL debut for the Destroyers May 11, 2002 vs. Detroit. Jackson caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. He also had a 20 yard kickoff return to lead the team with 83 all-purpose yards.

· DS Dwaine Carpenter had a game high 7.5 tackles along with one interception and one pass breakup May 11, 2002 vs. Detroit.

TEAM NOTES:

Loots Out For Season: QB Jeff Loots will miss the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his right thumb (throwing hand). Loots injured his thumb late in the third quarter on Sunday vs. Las Vegas on a 37 yard touchdown pass to OS Gunnard Twyner. Loots was nine of 14 for 130 two touchdowns and one interception before the injury. Loots missed two games earlier this season with a separated shoulder suffered in the Destroyers 49-45 win against Arizona on February 14. On the season, Loots is 93 of 157 for 1,233 yards 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. His totals for attempts, completions, yards and touchdown passes are all career highs.

I Can Carey The Load: Backup QB Tim Carey has started two games for Buffalo filling in for the injured Jeff Loots going 35 of 62 for 379 yards five touchdowns and two interceptions. His start against Georgia week four was his first start since 2000 with the New England Sea Wolves. In nine career starts, Carey is 161 of 273 (59%) for 2,095 yards, 37 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Carp Can: With one interception last week vs. Las Vegas, DS Dwaine Carpenter moved into a tie for second all-time with seven picks. He is one away for tying the team record of eight set by Carlos James (2001-2002).

Colonel Sanders: QB Chris Sanders was voted the Associated Press 1995 Texas 5A Offensive Player of the Year at Flower Mound Marcus High School, just outside of Dallas. His 7,519 career passing yards rank 24th in U.S. high school football history. His 4,284 passing yards as a senior in 1995 is the fourth-highest total in U.S. high school football history in any classification.

Hometown Hero: Cheektowaga native and Buffalo State alum OL/DL Mark Valvo played in front of his hometown fans last weekend for the first time since his senior season at Buffalo State 11 years ago. He signed to the active roster from the practice squad March 11 and made his Destroyers debut last week vs. San Jose. Valvo originally signed with Buffalo as a free agent in the off-season while he recovered from partial quadriceps tendon tears in both of his knees, an injury he suffered with the Indiana Firebirds last season. Destroyers team doctor Marc Fineberg examined Valvo and cleared Valvo to practice last month as Valvo was signed to practice squad on February 27.

Double Trouble: DS JoJo Polk picked off San Jose QB Mark Grieb week seven and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown. Week four @ Georgia, Polk returned a kickoff 11 yards for a touchdown.

Otis, My Man: OL/DL Otis Moore, who signed with the Destroyers March 11, currently is tied for sixth place all-time in the AFL with 11 forced fumbles. Ironically, Moore is tied with current Destroyers FB/LB coach Chad Lindsey. Moore is also 10th all-time with 14.5 tackles for loss.

That A Boy, Rook: WR/DB Chuck Wesley made his pro football debut week four @ Georgia posting one tackle and one interception. Week six @ Tampa, Wesley scored his first career touchdown after FB/LB Anthony Hicks intercepted a pass and pitched it to Wesley who ran it in from 19 yards out.

They Can Play "D": The Destroyers forced a franchise record five turnovers week four @ Georgia. WR/DB Jarrail Jackson and WR/DB Chuck Wesley both notched their first career interceptions in the first quarter. WR/LB Cornelius White picked off a pass in the third quarter returning it 31 yards for a touchdown. Buffalo also forced two fumbles. They are tied for third in the AFL with a +7 turnover margin.

1-2 Punch: The Destroyers DS tandem of Dwaine Carpenter and JoJo Polk rank among the league leaders in tackles, interceptions and pass defenses.

Right On Side: Buffalo returned two onside kicks for touchdowns in the fourth quarter week four @ Georgia. With 3:05 left in the game and Buffalo holding a 49-37 lead, OL/DL Ken Bouie picked the ball out of the air returning it nine yards for the touchdown. After another Georgia touchdown, DS JoJo Polk took the onside kick back 11 yards for another Buffalo touchdown.

Not In My House: The Destroyers allowed only 16 points week two against Carolina. That is the fewest points by an opponent in team history. The previous record was set last season (May 11, 2002) when the Destroyers held the Detroit Fury to 21 points.

Getting Defensive: Destroyers DS Dwaine Carpenter was named ADT Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in week two's 44-16 victory over the Carolina Cobras. This is the second time in his career that he was won this award. Carpenter was named Game MVP finishing with 3.5 tackles, an interception and four pass breakups. His total of five passes defensed ties his own Destroyers single game record, which he set last season vs. Toronto.

Dialing Long Distance: Buffalo QB Jeff Loots hit OS Gunnard Twyner on a 49 yard touchdown pass as time expired in the first half against Carolina week two. That touchdown is the longest pass play in team history. The previous mark was 46 yards, which was done twice (Jim Kubiak to Kevin Mason vs. Carolina on May 18, 2001 and Browning Nagle to Chris Perry vs. Los Angeles on July 14, 2000).

Ironman: Buffalo WR/LB Cornelius White was selected Ironman of the Game week two vs. Carolina and week three vs. Arizona. White missed the season opener with a pulled hamstring. In his first two games with the Destroyers, White caught seven passes for 146 yards and four touchdowns. He added eight tackles on defense including 1.5 for loss.

Long and Short: FB/LB Juan Long has rushed for four touchdowns this season. In his previous four seasons in the AFL, Long had two rushing touchdowns.

JJ is Dy-No-Mite: OS Jarrail Jackson is tenth in the AFL in kick return average at 22.4 yards per return. He returned one for a touchdown week two vs. Carolina and another one week seven @ San Jose. He returned another down to the one yard line week three vs. Arizona. All three returns were 55 yards.

Don't Call It a Comeback: On July 15, 2000, DS JoJo Polk, playing cornerback for the af2 Tulsa Talons against the Charleston SwampFoxes, deflected a pass and crashed headfirst into the padded wall that surrounded the 50-yard field. He blacked out. When he came to, doctors told him he would never walk again. Polk had a broken bone in his neck, and doctors said he would probably be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. Polk returned to the field the very next season and led the Grand Rapids Rampage in tackles helping them win the ArenaBowl Championship.

I Love NY: Six Destroyers players have New York connections. OL/DL Mark Valvo was born and raised in Buffalo. OL/DL Terry Grooms played football at Rochester's East High School. OL/DL Alex Houston played football at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. WR/LB Sir Mawn Wilson and OL/DL Jerry Sharp attended Syracuse University. OL/DL Hardy Mitchell attended the University at Buffalo.

Championship Experience: Five Destroyers players have won ArenaBowl Championships. QB Jeff Loots (Arizona 1997, Albany 1999), OL/DL Mark Valvo (Albany 1999), WR/LB Cornelius White (Albany 1999), OL/DL John Summerday (Albany 1999) and DS JoJo Polk (Grand Rapids 2001). OL/DL Ken Bouie won an ArenaCup (af2) championship last season with the Peoria Pirates.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 26, 2003


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