Buffalo Destroyers Game Notes

April 1, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Buffalo Destroyers News Release


QUICK FACTS:
TV: None
Radio: None
Web: www.buffalodestroyers.com/warzone.html Live Stats and Scores
Officials: David Lambros (Referee), Al Granado (Umpire), Mike McCabe (Head Linesman), Kent Payne (Line Judge), Rich Wilborn (Back Judge)
Series Record: New York leads 4-2
Coaches: Buffalo, Ron Selesky (3-6, 1st season) New York, Todd Shell (3-2, 1st season)

THE SERIES:

@Buffalo 40 New York 35, June 8, 2002
@New York 69 Buffalo 54, April 28, 2002
@Buffalo 58 New York 51, June 8, 2001
@New York 70 Buffalo 58, April 27, 2001
Iowa 56 @ Buffalo 35, April 22, 2000
@Iowa 49 Buffalo 42, June 12, 1999

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 on the winning track as they travel to Long Island to meet the New York Dragons. The home team has won five of the six all-time meetings.

DESTROYERS NEXT WEEK: Buffalo continues its three game road trip traveling to the Sunshine State to meet the Orlando Predators next Friday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised by the Empire Sports Network.

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: Detroit 34 Buffalo 14 The Destroyers defense held the Detroit Fury offense, which averages over 53 points a game, to 34 points but failed to build on their first half performance falling 34-14 front of 7,197 fans Sunday afternoon at the HSBC Arena.

Buffalo got the first stop of the game, WR/DB Chuck Wesley knocked the ball out of the hands of Fury OS Sulecio Sanford on the Buffalo five yard line and DS Dwaine Carpenter recovered the ball. QB Tim Carey rewarded Wesley for his efforts finding him for a 23 yard touchdown pass. Buffalo also stopped Detroit on their second drive, Carpenter picked off a QB Andy Kelly pass in the end zone as Buffalo led after one period, 6-0.

Detroit got on the board when WR/LB Junior Lord caught a Kelly pass of the net for a touchdown. Buffalo shot right back, WR/LB Cornelius White reeled in an eight yard pass from Carey. Backup QB Chris Sanders and OL/DL Anthony Hicks hooked up for the two point conversion to go up 14-7. Detroit closed the half with a FB/LB Rupert Grant one yard touchdown to tie the game at 14.

Buffalo's defense got another big stop to start the second half. Hicks batted down a Kelly pass on fourth down and four as Buffalo got the ball back but could not convert on the ensuing possession. Kelly threw his second touchdown of the game to Lord as Detroit led 21-14. After a Carey interception, his second of the game, Kelly threw a six yard touchdown to Sanford to extend their lead to 28-14 after the third.

Carey finished 11 of 24 for 123 yards two touchdowns and two interceptions. Sanders, who replaced Carey in the fourth quarter who left with a pulled groin, was five of nine for 55 yards.

OS Jarrail Jackson finished with a game high 187 all-purpose yards. He also led the Destroyers with a game high seven receptions for 53 yards.

Wesley led the defense with a game high 8.5 tackles (eight solo), one tackle for a loss, three pass breakups and one forced fumble. Carpenter tallied four tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery.

LAST SERIES MEETING: Buffalo 40 New York 35 June 8, 2002, HSBC ARENA

The Destroyers snapped a two game losing streak and evened their record to 4-4 after a 40-35 win over the New York Dragons.

The Destroyers struggled on offense in the first half. QB Fred McNair completed only four of his 16 pass attempts for 48 yards. The lone Destroyers touchdown was scored on a nine yard run by FB/LB Jason Bratton, his first of the season. The Dragons scored two touchdowns in the last three and a half minutes of the first half as they led 20-10 at halftime.

The Fleet turned up the heat in the third quarter with McNair tossing two touchdowns and OL/DL Kerwin Hairston intercepted a pass at the five yard line and returned it for a touchdown. The Destroyers led after three periods, 30-29.

McNair added a touchdown run and K Steve McLaughlin hit a 35 yard field goal to put the game out of reach in the fourth.

The Destroyers forced three big turnovers in the game including a fumble recovery by WR/DB Carlos James in the end zone with the Dragons driving and an interception by DS Corey Johnson in the end zone.

James earned Ironman of the Game with three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown to go along with one tackle and a fumble recovery. Bratton rushed for 16 yards as he passed the 500 yard career rushing mark now with 503 career rushing yards.

McNair finished 13 of 34 for 150 yards and two touchdowns. DS Dwaine Carpenter led the defense with 4.5 tackles and one pass defense.

FAMILIAR FACES:

- Buffalo Defensive Coordinator Weylan Harding played two seasons for the Iowa Barnstormers (1995-96). Harding led the Barnstormers with 68 tackles in 1996. Ironically, former Destroyers WR/DB and current Dragon Carlos James was second with 56.5 tackles for Iowa in 1996. James played two seasons in Buffalo (2001-02) and is second all-time in scoring (168), tied for first in interceptions (8), fourth in tackles (76) and fifth in all-purpose yards (1,140).

- Dragons K Pete Elezovic spent part of the 2001 season with Buffalo.

- Dragons DS Corey Johnson played two seasons in Buffalo (2000,2002). Johnson was the leading tackler for Buffalo last season with 70 tackles. He also broke the team record for interceptions in a season with seven and pass defenses with 20.

- Dragons OL/DL Jerry Sharp appeared in seven games for Buffalo this season recording 4.5 tackles and two pass breakups. He also spent the 2002 season with Buffalo.

- Dragons Assistant Coach Derrick Chachere played two seasons with Buffalo (2001-02).

TEAM NOTES:

Loots Out For Season: QB Jeff Loots will miss this rest of the season with a torn ligament in his right thumb (throwing hand). Loots injured his thumb late in the third quarter on week eight 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 three games for Buffalo filling in for the injured Jeff Loots going 46 of 86 for 502 yards seven touchdowns and four interceptions. His start against Georgia week four was his first start since 2000 with the New England Sea Wolves. In 10 career starts, Carey is 172 of 297 (58%) for 2,218 yards, 39 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Colonel Sanders: QB Chris Sanders made his AFL debut last week vs. Detroit going five of nine for 55 yards. Sanders has no problem airing it out. He 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.

Carp Can: With one interception last week vs. Detroit, DS Dwaine Carpenter moved into a tie for first all-time in team history with eight picks. He is currently tied for first with Carlos James (2001-2002). Carp is also tied for first all-time with 27 pass defenses. He is tied with Prentice Taylor (2000-02).

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 has emerged as one of the top rookies in the AFL after making his pro football debut week four @ Georgia posting. He is currently third on the team with 24 tackles, two interceptions and four pass breakups. He has scored touchdowns via interceptions, rushing and receiving.

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 third in the AFL with a +5 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 ninth in the AFL in kick return average at 23.1 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: Four Destroyers players have New York connections. OL/DL Mark Valvo was born and raised in Buffalo. OL/DL Alex Houston played football at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. WR/LB Sir Mawn Wilson attended Syracuse University. OL/DL Hardy Mitchell attended the University at Buffalo.

Championship Experience: Four 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), 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 April 1, 2003


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