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Central Valley Coyotes game notes

May 18, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Central Valley Coyotes News Release


(Fresno, CA) – The Coyotes travel to Honolulu, Hawaii in Week 8 to take on the West Division leading Hawaiian Islanders at the Neal Blaisdell Arena. The Coyotes are coming off of their first win of the season, while the Islanders had a bye last weekend. This weekends game will start a five-game divisional stand for the Coyotes, if Central Valley is to get back into the West division hunt, they will have to do it on the road in Hawaii. Saturday's contest will mark the 8th meeting between the two clubs. Central Valley currently leads the all-time series at 4-3.

Central Valley placed their hopes and dreams in the hands of rookie quarterback Kyle Biggs last weekend. In Biggs first career start, he completed 17-of-30 passes for 255 yards with 6 TD's and no interceptions. Biggs' main target on the night was offensive specialist Kenyatte Morgan, who hauled in 8 receptions for 132-yards and four touchdowns.

The defensive unit stepped up big against he Dorados last weekend. Defensive end Ricky Leung-Wai racked up a single-game franchise high three sacks for a loss of 15-yards. His performance was good enough to earn ADT Defensive Player of the Week honors as selected by the af2. Leung-Wai had plenty of help in the secondary as VonKeith Spencer picked off his fifth consecutive pass, along with newly acquired defensive back, Darnell Lacy who intercepted his first pass of his career. Halakilangi Muagututia rounded out the secondary leading both teams in tackles with 10. Muagututia was selected as ADT Defensive Player of the Game.

The Coyotes are surrounded by a lot of new faces on the field as well as in the front office. After current Operator and CEO the Tachi-Yokut Tribe, moved the Bakersfield franchise to Fresno, CA, their first move was to hire former San Diego Riptide Head Coach Cree Morris. Morris will lead the 2004 Coyotes into the season on the quest for the 2004 ArenaCup.

THIS WEEK'S PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Monday, May 17 --Players off--

Tuesday, May 18 6:00 p.m. Open Practice at Exhibit Hall One

8:00 p.m. Coach Morris available to media

Player's available coming off the field

Wednesday, May 19 6:00 p.m. Open Practice at Exhibit Hall One

8:00 p.m. Coach Morris available to media

Player's available coming off the field

Thursday, May 20 6:00 p.m. Open Practice at Exhibit Hall One

8:00 p.m. Coach Morris available to media

Player's available coming off the field

Friday, May 21 --Travel Day--

Saturday, May 22 7:30 p.m. Coyotes at Islanders

Sunday, May 23 --Travel Day--

Monday, May 24 3:00 p.m. Coach Morris Press Conference

HEAD COACHES

Cree Morris takes over at the helm of the Central Valley Coyotes franchise, after spending the past two seasons with the San Diego Riptide. Morris will have the tasks of leading the Coyotes back to the West Division title, and getting the franchise past the first round of the playoffs. Morris has surrounded himself with an incredible coaching staff in assistant head coach, Fred Biletnikoff Jr., defensive coordinator Doug Murray and line coach Sean Kelly.

As the Riptide's first head coach and former Orange Glen High School quarterback Cree Morris, has playing

experience with the NFL, Arena Football League and the World League. Morris also played collegiate football with San Diego State and St. Mary's College.

Morris, 32, led Orange Glen to a 12-1 record his senior year in 1988, finishing second in the state in passing with over 3,000 yards and 30 TDs. He was named Palomar League Offensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-CIF and Honorable Mention All-State.

He spent three years at San Diego State, where he had the rare distinction of throwing Darnay Scott his first collegiate touchdown and handing Marshall Faulk his first collegiate carry in the same game — a 49-13 win over Cal State Long Beach on 9/8/1991.

In 1992, Morris transferred to Division II St. Mary's College in Moraga, California, where he earned a B.A. in Health, Fitness and Recreation with an emphasis on teaching. In two seasons with the Gaels, he threw for 3,451 yards and 24 TDs, as well as six rushing scores. He is listed 16 times in the school's all-time record books after leading them to consecutive winning seasons in just 15 starts.

He participated in the training camp of the Los Angeles Raiders in 1994. In April of 1995, Morris signed with the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League, however, the St. Louis Rams invited him to their training camp. In 1996, Morris spent a season in the World League of American Football with the London Monarchs.

The following year, Morris began his two-year Arena career spending a year and half with the Arena League's San Jose SaberCats (1997-98) and finishing his career with the Iowa

Barnstormers (1998).

Following his playing career, Morris focused on bringing Arena football to the San Diego area.

He has served as an assistant coach at John Swett High in the Bay Area (1994), his alma mater Orange Glen (1997-98) and Castle Park High (2000-01).

He's married to Stephanie, who he has been dating since they were 12. On December 8, they had their first child, Noah Trey.

The 2004 season marks Cal Lee's second go around as head coach of the Hawaiian Islanders and judging by his first season of an 11-7 record and a West Division Championship, more excitement is yet to come.

Lee is a prep football icon in Hawaii, building perhaps one of the most dominant football programs in the state's history. Lee brought St. Louis School to national prominence and has already made an early impression with Islanders fans.

Lee's name is most synonymous with the Run & Shoot offense, a system that has helped him to 18 Interscholastic League of Honolulu Championships, 14 Prep Bowl Championships, and the inaugural Hawaii High School Athletic Association State Championship.

Many of his athletes have gone on to Division I college football programs and at one point, three St. Louis graduates could be seen as starting quarterbacks for their schools-- Timmy Chang (Hawaii), Jason Guesser (Washington State) and Darnell Arceneaux (Utah).

The veteran coach admitted last season that he needed some time to adjust to the arena game, but credits his experienced coaching staff for making the transition easier. Nevertheless, a little change in the football game isn't going to stop the go-getting Lee.

"It's a challenge no matter what you do or whenever you are beginning something," Lee says. "But I think you need challenges and you need things to be different in order to grow. You make mistakes but that's how you grow as well."

Although the rules of the game have changed, Lee hasn't changed his coaching style. He is best known for his aggressive, but calm demeanor and philosophy.

"I don't think there's much difference in philosophies," Lee says. "You're still blocking and tackling but the rules are different."

Turning a satisfactory team into a champion is what Coach Cal knows best. If his Islanders are a mirror image of his legacy at St. Louis School, Hawaii should be prepared for another football powerhouse.

CENTRAL VALLEY VS. HAWAII – SERIES HISTORY

This weekends contest will be the eighth match-up all-time between the Central Valley Coyotes and the Hawaiian Islanders. The last time the two teams met was in Week 1 of the 2004 regular season, with the Islanders winning, 68-35 in Fresno. The Coyotes lead the series, 4-3.

Series History to Date:

2002 - Blitz, 52-32 (at Hawaii)

Blitz, 56-48 (at Bakersfield)

Islanders, 49-35 (at Hawaii)

2003 - Blitz, 58-43 (at Bakersfield)

Islanders, 50-48 (at Hawaii)

Blitz, 75-61 (at Hawaii)

2004 - Islanders, 65-38 (at Central Valley)

At A Glance:

 Kenyatte Morgan leads the Coyotes with 579 yards receiving. The Montana State product has hauled in 45 passes and 10 touchdowns through six games for the Coyotes. Mike Miller leads the Islanders this season with 19 catches for 274 yards and four touchdowns.

 The Coyotes' offense is currently ranked 19th in the af2, their passing attack is ranked 18th and their ground game checks in at 15th. The Islanders enter this weekends contest with the 4th best offense in the league. They are ranked 8th in the pass and 7th in rushing offense.

 Return specialist Kenyatte Morgan leads the af2 with 548 kick return yards for the Coyotes. Morgan has returned two kickoffs for TD's, and averages 22.8 yards per return. The Islanders Eddie Klaneski handles the return duties for Hawaii. Klaneski has returned 8 kickoffs for 142 yards, averaging 17.8 yards per return.

 Central Valley is ranked 18th in the league in total defense, holding their opponents to 267 yards per game. They are ranked 6th against the run and 21st against the pass. Hawaii is ranked 15th in the league in total defense, allowing 264 yards per game. They are 17th against the pass and 15th against the run.

 Defensive end Ricky Leung-Wai leads the Coyotes' pass rush with 4 sacks in six contests this season, while Vai Notoa has two sacks for Hawaii.

COYOYES/ISLANDERS CONNECTIONS

There is only one player that has direct connections between the Coyotes and Islanders organizations. Islanders' fullback/linebacker Tiki Sagapolutele played for current Coyotes Head Coach Cree Morris in San Diego with the Riptide in 2003. Sagapolutele and Central Valley quarterback Kyle Biggs both attended New Mexico Highlands.

THE LAST TIME: CENTRAL VALLEY VS. HAWAII

COYOTES 35, ISLANDERS 68 – MARCH 27, 2004 – SELLAND ARENA

Despite posting 292-yards of total offense Saturday night, the Coyotes couldn't pull out the victory, falling 68-35 to the Islanders in front of 3,750 fans at the Selland Arena. Central Valley showed numerous signs of excitement as well as similar signs of inexperience in the season opener. Central Valley will head into their Bye Week as the rest of the af2 teams will play their Week 1 contests.

Offensively, offensive specialist Kenyatte Morgan led the way for all receivers grabbing 8 receptions for 111-yards and two touchdowns. The Coyotes first touchdown of the season came early in the second quarter when rookie quarterback Jose Fuentes hooked up with rookie wide receiver LaMonte Jones on a 45-yard TD pass. Fuentes would then connect with Morgan on a 31-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds remaining in the half.

"We made some mental mistakes out there tonight, but we also made a lot of good plays," Coyotes head coach Cree Morris said. "Game one is over, and now we know what it's going to take to be number one. We'll go back evaluate the game film, make adjustments and then begin to prepare for Bakersfield ."

On their first offensive series, Islanders quarterback Darnell Arceneaux rushed three times for 17-yards and completed 3-of-4 passes including a 12-yard pass to brother Anthony Arceneaux for a TD. They piled up 347 total yards Saturday night, compared to just 292 yards for Central Valley . Islanders quarterback Darnell Arceneaux was particularly sharp, connecting on 18-of-26 passes for 277 yards, with six passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown.

By contrast, Coyotes quarterback Jose Fuentes, threw for 223 yards on 19-of-32 passing, with four touchdowns and three interceptions through three quarters. Kyle Biggs relieved Fuentes in the fourth quarter, and completed 3-of-6 passes for 33 yards.

Central Valley's defense played with enormous desire as Hawaii controlled the ball for 40:51 compared to Central Valley 's 29:12. Defensive specialist VonKeith Spencer led the way defensively for the Coyotes recording 4 tackles (two solo) and several pass deflections. Veteran defensive specialist Halakilangi Muagututia grabbed the only interception for the Coyotes returning it 5-yards.

"Anytime there's a situation like this you can't look at your teammates," Coyotes linebacker Kevin Nelson said. "You have to check yourself first. If everybody checks himself, then I think we'll be alright. Nobody did anything out there tonight where they can sit back and say they aren't the problem. I think everyone can do something to improve, and that's what we have to do. Each and every one of us."

The Coyotes will head into their Bye Week as the rest of the af2 will open up their seasons. Central Valley will return to action April 10th, as they take on the Bakersfield Blitz at the Selland Arena. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

LAST WEEK: HAWAII AT SAN DIGEO

ISLANDERS 55, RIPTIDE 54 – MAY 8, 2004 – SAN DIEGO SPORTS ARENA

Darnell Arceneaux's only rush of the game was not an official stat but it proved to be the game-winner as he leaped into the end zone for a two-point conversion giving the Hawaiian Islanders heart pounding 55-54 overtime win before a stunned crowd of 3,743 at the San Diego Sports Arena. The win gave Hawaii (4-2) a half game lead over idle Bakersfield (3-2) in the af2 West Division. San Diego drops to 1-4.

Arceneaux, ranked third in af2 in rushing with 86 yards through five games, will officially have 0 rushes for 0 yards in the game, but it was his leadership that guided Hawaii through a very tough week for the team.

Hawaii top defensive player Eddie Klaneski and leading touchdown receiver Anthony Arceneaux did not make the trip due to injuries suffered last week at Bossier-Shreveport. To make the situation tougher, the coaching staff chose to bench their top two receivers in Mike Miller and Aaron Smith. Miller led the Islanders with 19 catches while Smith had 18.

It was also Hawaii's first meeting between Hawaii head coach Cal Lee and his long-time friend in San Diego's Mouse Davis, who virtually invented the run and shoot offense and also helped Lee through his first season.

But Lee had several secret weapons.

Joining the Islanders this week were former University of Hawaii standouts Nate Jackson, Craig Stutzmann and Joe Correia. Each had significant playing time and contributed to the win.

"I don't care what anyone says about arena ball, this is the real deal," said Stuzmann following the game. "It's hard work and it's real football."

"This is what I've been waiting for," Jackson said. "This is why I play this game."

Jackson was Hawaii's leading receiver with 6 catches for 86 yards and on defense had four assists. Stutzmann caught 2 passes for 19 yards while Correia provided some key pass rushes that led to incomplete passes.

Early in the game, it looked as if Hawaii and San Diego were trading touchdowns throughout the first half. Each team scored on their first four possessions with San Diego scoring their fifth touchdown right before the half to take a 34-27 lead.

Hawaii closed the margin to one point when Keiki Misipeka scored on a 2-yard run but Kimo Naehu's extra point kept the Riptide ahead 34-33. Former University of Hawaii receiver Dwight Carter scored the second of his three touchdowns in the third quarter, an 8-yard pass giving San Diego a 41-33 lead. Nian Taylor, who caught 4 passes for 57 yards, caught his third touchdown pass of the game with 5-seconds left in the third quarter closing the gap to 41-40.

San Diego's Matt Guardia scored on a 3-yard run but kicker Kevin Burton missed the extra point giving the Riptide a 47-40 lead. But Hawaii failed to score on their next possession and when they failed to get a first down, San Diego took over with the ball on the Hawaii 11. What could have been the deathblow to Hawaii turned into a golden opportunity as a short San Diego field goal bounced off the upright giving the Islanders another chance. On the next play, Channon Harris caught a 25-yard pass from Arceneaux and with the extra point, Hawaii tied the game 47-all with 4:02 left.

"I knew we needed to get in the end zone, but when I got caught up I was just going for the pass interference," said Harris on that touchdown. "When I looked up I saw that I had a shot at it and I was able to get under the defender and grab the ball for the score. Honestly it happened so fast it surprised me when I ended up with it in the end zone."

Both teams each had a final possession to win it in regulation. Hawaii had their last shot but Naehu's 45-yard field goal was wide right.

Hawaii's first overtime game in their history proved to be another nail-biter. The af2 overtime rules give both teams the opportunity to have one possession and the team with the most points wins.

San Diego took the offense first and scored on their second play in the OT when Carter caught a 20-yard pass from Klaunch. The extra point gave the Riptide a 54-47 lead.

Hawaii began their possession when Stutzmann took the kickoff to his own 12-yard line. A key third down play to Jackson continued the drive into San Diego territory. On Hawaii's fifth play of the drive, Harris caught a 21-yard pass giving Hawaii the choice to go for the tie or the win.

"We figured we were here long enough so it was time to go for the win and go home," Lee said "Our defense came up with the big stop when they had to."

Arceneaux, who finished the game completing 21-of-38 for 282 yards and 6 touchdowns, dropped back to pass but found no receiver. He then dashed to his right and extended the football over the goal line for the win.

"This is how you win as a team," Arceneaux said. "Everybody did their job and even though we couldn't get the pass off, everybody kept working their guys and it opened it up for me to take it in."

"I knew that everybody had my back. That's why this was such a great team win. I may have had the ball in my hands the last play but it was a team effort to get it over the goal line."

"I always feel confident when Darnell has the ball in his hands," said offensive coordinator Vince Passas. "He's a gamer. We called a pass play, but Nian got caught up in the middle and so Darnell had to roll out. The good thing is that everybody kept working to get open and occupied their guys giving Darnell a shot at getting in for the conversion."

LAST WEEK: CENTRAL VALLE VS. RIO GRANDE VALLEY

COYOTES 42, DORADOS 31 – MAY 15, 2004 – SELLAND ARENA

Having only completed 12-of-22 passes in three appearances this season, rookie quarterback and former Fresno City College standout Kyle Biggs, helped guide the Coyotes to their first victory of the season with a 42-31 win over the Rio Grande Valley Dorados in front of 3,658 fans at Selland Arena.

In his first career start Biggs completed 17-of-30 passes for 255 yards and 6 touchdowns passes with no interceptions.

"I felt like I had nothing to lose out their tonight," Said Biggs. "I just went out their and acted like a little kid and played catch with my receivers tonight. This win was for the whole [Tachi-Yokut] tribe. They've stuck behind us through the whole thick and thin, and the win tonight was all for them."

Biggs completed 5-of-6 passes on the opening drive to setup the opening score for the Coyotes. He found fullback/linebacker Marshall Blount wide open on the right sideline for a 17-yard TD. The Coyotes and Biggs would never look back from then on.

Central Valley's defense stepped up their game tonight forcing two interceptions, three sacks and one forced fumble.

The Coyotes defense forced a four-and-out and the Dorados opening possession when ADT Defensive Player of the Game Halakilangi Muagututia (10 tackles, 8-solo and 3 pass deflections) hit Rio Grande Valley wide receiver Jimel Cofer, causing him to drop the ball on 4th-and 2.

"I'm honored to receive the award, but I'm happier that as a team we got a win," said Muagututia. "If it wasn't for our defensive line and linebackers, then I wouldn't have been able to make the plays I did out here tonight, so the award should really go to our entire defense."

The Coyotes took over on downs at their own 24-yard line, but sputtered on their drive forcing kicker Justin Levine to attempt a 34-yard field goal. The field goal attempt missed left and the Dorados took over on possession.

Rio Grande Valley drove down to the Central Valley 4-yard line as time expired in the 1st quarter, giving the Coyotes their first shutout quarter in the first half on the year.

Dorados quarterback Will Burch (10-of-18 for 100-yards, 2 TD's and 2 interceptions) found receiver Donte Wells in the back of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown to get Rio Grande Valley on the board. The Dorados missed the PAT and the score stood at 7-6 in favor of the Coyotes.

The Coyotes offense began their next drive at their in 18-yard line. Biggs hooked up with receiver LaMonte Jones (3 receptions for 53 yards and 2 TD's) on a 27 yard pass which brought Central Valley down to the Dorados 5-yard line. The Coyotes offense had the door shut on them, as defensive pressure and two incomplete passes forced a turnover on possession.

Central Valley answered right back on defense as defensive end Ricky Leung-Wai tackled quarterback Will Burch on the second play of the drive, for the first of his three sacks on the night. The following play defensive specialist VonKeith Spencer picked off Burch at the Dorados 23 yard line, giving Spencer his 5th consecutive interception in five games.

"I didn't think he was going to make the throw," said Spencer. "As the defensive line got pressure and he rolled out, he actually got hit as he was throwing it, so the pass was short and I was able to come up and make the interception. I don't know what the defensive line ate before the game tonight, but they better keep eating it before every game."

It only took the Coyotes offense two plays to find the end zone as Biggs hooked up with offensive specialist Kenyatte Morgan (8 receptions for 132 yards) on a seven yard pass for his first of four touchdowns.

"I guess it was just my night tonight, Biggs delivered the ball and I went up their and tried to make some plays," said Morgan. "I thought I needed to come out this game and make some plays and get the crowd and my teammates into the game to get us going. I took it upon myself, at least this week to get my teammates going and bring us closer together to help us get this win tonight. I'm happy of the outcome and I'm also ready to go to Hawaii next week."

Newly acquired wide receiver/defensive back Darnell Lacy intercepted a Burch pass on the third play of the Dorados next drive giving the offense the ball back on their own three yard line.

A couple of penalties and a sack would bring out kicker Justin Levine again to attempt a 65-yard field goal that hit the scoreboard and gave Rio Grande Valley the ball on their own 20-yardline.

With 39 seconds remaining in the half, Burch connected with Mike Duncan on a seven yard pass for a touchdown. The two-point conversion try would fail, and the score was 14-12.

Central Valley's offense scored again on a 28-yard, 4-play drive that was capped off by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Biggs to Morgan.

The defense would hold the Dorados offense to end the half with the score at 21-12.

Rio Grande Valley received the ball to open the second half, starting their drive at their own five yard line. Backup quarterback Abel Gonzalez replaced Will Burch, completing 4-of-5 passes on his opening drive taking the Dorados down to the Central Valley three. Another Leung-Wai sack would force Rio Grande Valley kicker Eric Houle to attempt a 24-yard field goal which missed right.

The Coyotes would score again in the third quarter on a tipped pass by a Dorados defender which fell into the hands of LaMonte Jones for a touchdown.

The Coyotes would end the third quarter with a 35-12 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Rio Grande Valley scored two unanswered touchdowns to cut the lead to 17 points. Kyle Biggs stepped up finding Kenyatte Morgan in the end zone on a 29-yard pass.

The Dorados would find the end zone one more time on the night, but time was not on Rio Grande Valley's side, as an onside kick attempt was recovered by the Coyotes to seal the victory, 42-31.

"It was just great for the kids to get that taste of victory," said Head Coach Cree Morris. "The kids really had a good week of practice and we had guys step up all game tonight. The defense played an outstanding game, defensive coordinator Doug Murray called a great game tonight and he deserves a lot of credit for the win."

COYOTES WEEK 8 GAME NOTES

DOING THINGS BIGGS WAY: Rookie quarterback Kyle Biggs stepped up in a big way on Saturday against the Dorados. In his first career start, he completed 17-of-30 passes for 255 yards and six touchdowns. He floated on the field with a certain sense of confidence in his eyes. His fierce competiveness and love of the game helped guide Central Valley to their first win of the season.

CAN YOU SAY MUAGUTUIA: Central Valley defensive specialist Halakilangi Muagututia had a breakout game last weekend against the Rio Grande Valley Dorados. Muagututia racked up 10 tackles (8-solo) and three pass deflections to help the Coyotes to their first win of the season. For his contributions Muagututia was selected at the ADT Defensive Player of the Game. He is currently the second leading tackler on the squad with 22.5 tackles.

THERE'S A NEW MARSHALL IN TOWN: Fullback/linebacker Marshall Blount continues to impress the Coyotes coaching staff. In only his sixth game of the season, he has racked up four touchdowns, three on the ground and one receiving. With Kevin Nelson going down with an injury, Blount has had to pick up the load of the ground game and continue his dominance on the defensive side of the ball. He is currently third in tackles for the Coyotes with 13.5

A QUARTERBACKS NIGHTMARE: Defensive end Ricky Leung-Wai broke his own record last weekend racking up 3 sacks for a loss of 15-yards. His performance on Saturday helped him win ADT Defensive Player of the Week honors. Leung-Wai pushed his career total in sacks to 20.5 moving him to 8th all-time in the af2.

KENYATTE'S COUNTDOWN TO 3,472: Offensive specialist Kenyatte Morgan continues his run at the af2 all-purpose yards record. He tallied 228 all-purpose yards last weekend at Selland Arena to push his total on the season to 1,406. Morgan has to gain 2,067 yards if he wishes to surpass current record holder Ira Gooch. In order to accomplish this task Morgan must gain at least 207 yards in the Coyotes next ten games.

THE SPENCER FILE: Coyotes defensive specialist VonKeith Spencer has been an emotional leader for the defensive unit this season. Spencer has tallied 25 tackles (18-solo), leads the team in interceptions (5) and pass deflections (9). He is currently ranked 2nd in the af2 in interceptions. Spencer also spends once a week with centralvalleycoyotes.com to talk about the 2004 season.

COYOTES POINTS: Defensive specialist VonKeith Spencer recorded his fifth interception of the season last week...Marshall Blount recorded his first career receiving touchdown...Darnell Lacy tallied his first interception of the season...Justin Levine converted all of his extra point opportunities..

COYOTES IN THE RANKINGS: The following is a breakdown of the Coyotes af2 Week 3 rankings.

Category NC Ranking af2 Ranking

Total Offense 10 18

Rushing 4 13

Passing 4 15

Total Defense 9 18

Against Rush 4 6

Against Pass 11 21

CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES POSITION OVERVIEW

QUARTERBACKS (1), RETURNING STARTERS (0):

After leading the Coyotes to their first victory of the season Kyle Biggs has secured the starting quarterback position for the remainder of the season. Biggs has tallied 372 yards on 29-of-52 passing with 8 TD's and two interceptions. Biggs has also carried the ball into the endzone once for a touchdown. With Biggs at quarterback, the Coyotes bring a very intelligent quarterback who can read defenses quickly and throw the deep ball. If the Coyotes are to have success with Biggs this weekend he will have to be smart with the ball and read what the defense is doing.

FULLBACKS/LINEBACKERS (2), RETURNING STARTERS (0):

The ground game for the Central Valley Coyotes has stepped up big during the 2004 season. Leading rusher Marshall Blount has gained 59-yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns. Blount, a rookie tallied his three touchdowns in one game against the Bakersfield Blitz, April 10, 2003. The three touchdowns set a new franchise record. Blount is a strong, physical fullback who has the breakaway speed to get by the secondary. Defensively he brings footwork, which allows himself to shed blocks and make tackles. Rookie, Kevin Nelson joins Blount in the backfield having recorded 12 yards on 5 carries this season. Nelson is a bruiser type fullback that can also make you miss in the open field. He is very good out of the backfield which takes pressure off the receiving corps. Defensively Nelson has adapted to the arena game quickly, he seems to always be around the pile for a tackle and has the height to knock down passes.

OFFENSIVE SPECIALIST (1), RETURNING STARTERS (0):

Kenyatte Morgan brings a lot of arena football experience to the Coyotes franchise. Having played in the Arena Football League with the Grand Rapids Rampage and the Los Angeles Avengers, Morgan has defined himself as a go-to receiver in crunch time. He currently leads all Coyotes receivers with 45 receptions for 579 yards and 10 touchdowns. Morgan is currently ranked 8th in receptions in the af2.

WIDE RECEIVER/LINEBACKERS (3), RETURNING STARTERS (0):

Howard Maxwell joined the Coyotes this off-season after sitting a year out. He spent beginning of the 2002 season with the now defunct Fresno Frenzy and was later picked up by the Tennessee Valley Vipers. Maxwell has grabbed 13 receptions for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns. Defensively Maxwell brings leadership to a defense that only has four players with arena experience. He has tallied 8.5 tackles (6-solo) through six games. Rookie Marvin Brown joins Maxwell at wide receiver/linebacker, prior to injuring his arm in Week 3, Brown had hauled in 9 receptions for 85 yards and one touchdown. He also was leading the defense in tackles prior to the injury with 12 tackles (6-solo). He is a raw athlete who has had the ability to study under the tutelage of Maxwell bringing his game to the next level.

WIDE RECEIVER/DEFENSIVE BACK, (2), RETURNING STARTERS (0):

Former Fresno High School standout LaMonte Jones is the 2nd leading receiver on the Coyotes hauling in 22 receptions for 333-yards and 6 touchdowns. Jones is by far the fastest offensive threat Central Valley posses', he has incredible upper body strength which helps him to get out of his breaks quick and get by his defender. The Coyotes will utilize his speed to throw the deep ball and to run screens. Defensively Jones will fill in at defensive back, his speed and footwork allow him the ability to break on balls and recover a step or two on a receiver. Fontez Jefferson is another newcomer to the Coyotes and the arenafootball2 league. He spent last season in the NIFL showcasing himself as a premier defensive back. Jefferson has appeared sparingly in games this season but has provided extra depth to the offense and defense.

DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS, (3), RETURNING STARTERS (0):

Veteran VonKeith Spencer leads the way for the Coyotes on defense, he has racked up a team leading 25 tackles (18-solo) and a team leading 5 interceptions and 9 pass deflections. Spencer is currently 2nd in the af2 in interceptions and 15th in the league in tackles. He is a fearless defensive specialist who seems to play with a lot of emotion. Halakilangi Muagututia is another experienced defensive specialist, who brings an all around solid defensively style to the Coyotes. He has amassed 22.5 tackles (17-solo), one interception and 10 pass deflections so far. Muagututia is can also play receiver if need be. Rookie Jermaine Smith rounds out the secondary for the Coyotes. Prior to joining Central Valley, Smith was a standout corner at the University of Washington. He injured his knee in training camp and is now just getting back to 100%.

OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, (6), RETURNING STARTERS (1):

Ricky Leung-Wai is the only player to have spent all three years with the Coyotes franchise. He is the all-time leading sack leader for the franchise and posted 9.5 in 2003. This season Leung-Wai looks to build on the 2003 season and help the young rookies develop into premier stars. Leung-Wai is joined by Zach LaMonda who spent the past two seasons in San Diego with Coyotes Head Coach Cree Morris. At center and nose guard LaMonda will look to plug up the middle on defense and protect the quarterback on offense. Having worked with quarterback Wesley Phillips in San Diego, the two have developed a synergy on offense. Nathan Frowsing is a rookie out of St. Mary's College and will look to bolster the offensive and defensive line. What Frowsing lacks in size, he surely makes up for in strength. He has appeared in a relief role in all of the Coyotes games. He has posted 6.5 tackles thus far. Rookie Ailao Issako has turned his play up in recent weeks, his had great footwork and has the ability to drop back and protect the pocket. Rookies Robert Theus Jr., Kamaloni Manu and Sandy Pua round out the remainder of the line. Each has been used sparingly this season.

KICKER, (1), RETURNING STARTERS (0):

Justin Levine will handle the kicking duties for the Coyotes this season. He joined the team in Week 5 and has since connected on 1-of-7 field goals and has converted 10-of-14 extra point opportunities.

2004 COYOTES TEAM NOTES

FRESNO BOUND: The original Bakersfield Blitz franchise was purchased by current Coyotes Operator and CEO George Chung along with the Tachi Yokut Tribe earlier this December. Chung and the tribe then decided to relocate the franchise to Fresno, naming the team the Central Valley Coyotes. The Coyotes retain all stats from Bakersfield and continue their third season in the af2.

MAKING THE JUMP: The Central Valley Coyotes have been fortunate enough to progress three players to the Arena Football League. Former wide receiver/defensive back Ryan Sloth is now with the Columbus Destroyers, current franchise leading tackler J'Sharlon Jones is with the Philadelphia Soul and current quarterback Johnny Turman is with the Indiana Firebirds.

WILD, WILD WEST: In 2004 the West Division was realigned back to its original format in 2002, which featured the San Diego Riptide, the Bakersfield Blitz, the Hawaiian Islanders and the Central Valley Coyotes. Each franchise in the West will play all divisional opponents four times (twice at home, and twice on the road). This will make for an interesting season in the West with each divisional game being important.

HOME AND AWAY: The Central Valley Coyotes have posted a 10-7 record at their home venue. In post-season the Coyotes have a record of 0-1. On the road though, the franchise has not done so well in the win column tallying a 7-8-1 record in the regular season and 0-1 in the post-season.

OFFENSE:

THE DYNAMIC DUO: With the acquisition of lineman Zach LaMonda to compliment Ricky Leung-Wai as the lineman duo for the 2004 season it will not mark the first time the two paths have crossed. The two have battled over the past tow years as divisional rivals as LaMonda played for the San Diego Riptide the past two seasons. With the veteran leadership on the line the offense should look to put up numbers in 2004.

STACKING UP THE ROOKIES: Come opening day the Coyotes will have a total of 16 rookies on the squad. Some of the new face rookies include fullback/linebacker and former Fresno State Bulldog JaJuan Huddleston, quarterback Jose Fuentes, wide receiver/linebacker Marvin Brown and wide receiver/defensive back LaMonte Jones.

CREE ‘A' TING OFFENSE: Coyotes head coach Cree Morris looks to lead the Coyotes franchise to the top of the offensive charts. Last season while in San Diego, Morris had the third ranked offense in the National Conference. Morris averaged 248.2 yards per game.

DEFENSE:

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: Central Valley's 2003 defense finished the season third in the af2, its second straight season finishing in the top-10 in the league in total defense. The Coyotes led the league in pass defense and were third in the league in run defense.

COYOTES 2004 OPPONENTS AND SCHEDULE NOTES

The af2's realignment of the West Division in 2004 ensures that each team in the division will face their opponent four times, twice at home and twice on the road. The following breaks down the Coyotes 2004 schedule.

HOME GAMES:

 The Coyotes will host Peoria after defeating the Pirates in Week 14 of the 2003 season, 45-35 in Bakersfield. Peoria currently leads the all-time series 2-1.

 The Rio Grande Valley Dorado's make their first trip to Fresno, CA as an expansion team for the 2004 season. The Dorado's are led by head coach Gary Gussman.

AWAY GAMES:

 The Central Valley Coyotes will travel to the town that Farve built as they take on the Green Bay Blizzard. The two teams last met in Week 8 of the 2003 regular season with the Coyotes grabbing the victory 38-31 in Green Bay.

 The Coyotes head south to Oklahoma City to take on the Yard Dawgz in Week 12. Oklahoma City also joined the af2 as an expansion team in 2004.

DIVISION GAMES:

 Bakersfield Blitz – They will make their first trip to the Selland Arena since joining the league as an expansion team in 2004. This will be the first meeting of the original Bakersfield Blitz (now the Central Valley Coyotes) and the new Bakersfield Blitz.

 San Diego Riptide – The team heads into the 2004 with their former head coach on the opposite side of the box. Central Valley Head Coach Cree Morris will square off against his former team in Week 3. San Diego leads the series 3-4.

 Hawaiian Islanders – The 2003 West Division champions look to build on their breakout season last year. Though the Coyotes were able to win the series between the two teams last season, Hawaii held strong towards the end of the season. Central Valley leads the series 4-3.

A LOOK AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK

Central Valley will return back home on May 29 to take on the Bakersfield Blitz. Kickoff is salted for 7:30 p.m.

# # #

THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED

TEAM

OVERTIME GAME

Bakersfield 54, Peoria 60 at Centennial Garden, May 18, 2002

AT LEAST 400 TOTAL YARDS

By Blitz: 433 vs. Tulsa, July 27, 2002

By Opponent: N/A

60 POINTS

By Blitz: 75, at Hawaii, July 27, 2003

By Opponent: 65, vs. Blitz, April 10, 2004

INDIVIDUALS

100 YARD RECEIVING GAME:

By Coyotes: Kenyatte Morgan (8-132) vs. Rio Grande Valley Dorados, May 15, 2004

By Opponent: Randall Lane (10-170) at Green Bay Blizzard, May 8, 2004

300 YARD PASSING GAME:

By Blitz: Chad Elliott (25-37-356) vs. Tulsa Talons, June 21, 2003

By Opponent: Darnell Arceneaux (18-26-301) vs. Hawaiian Islanders, March 27, 2004

5-TOUCHDOWN PASSING GAME:

By Blitz: Chad Elliott vs. San Diego Riptide, May 31, 2003

By Opponent: Kane Claunch at San Diego Riptide, April 23, 2004

6-TOUCHDOWN PASSING GAME:

By Coyotes: Kyle Biggs vs. Rio Grande Valley Dorados, May 15, 2004

By Opponent: Chris Greisen at Green Bay Blizzard, May 8, 2004

8-TOUCHDOWN PASSING GAME:

By Blitz: Chad Elliot vs. Hawaii, June 22, 2002

By Opponent: N/A

2-RUSHING TOUCHDOWN GAME:

By Blitz: Steve Wofford vs. Fresno, June 1, 2002

By Opponent: Keiki Misipeka vs. Hawaiian Islanders, March 27, 2004

3-RUSHING TOUCHDOWN GAME:

By Coyotes: Marshall Blount vs. Bakersfield Blitz, April 10, 2004

By Opponent: N/A

3 FIELD-GOALS MADE GAME:

By Blitz: Jon Baker vs. Green Bay, May 24, 2003

By Opponent: N/A

DEFENSE

INTERCEPTION RETURN FOR A TOUCHDOWN

By Blitz: Eric Mahanke at Louisville Fire, June 7, 2003

By Opponent: Delvin Myles vs. Bakersfield Blitz, April 10, 2004

FUMBLE RETURN FOR TOUCHDOWN

By Blitz: Oscar Grajeda vs. Louisville, June 7, 2003

By Opponent: Rico Curtis at San Diego, April 23, 2004

AT LEAST TWO INTERCEPTIONS:

By Blitz: J'Sharlon Jones (3) at Quad City, July 6, 2002

By Opponent: Brent Browner (4) at Quad City Steamwheelers, July 6, 2002



arenafootball2 Stories from May 18, 2004


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