Cobras Head to Canada to Take on the Phantoms
July 2, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Carolina Cobras News Release
RALEIGH, N.C. (July 2, 2002)- The Carolina Cobras will look to break a five-game slide when they travel to Canada to take on the Toronto Phantoms Thursday night at the Air Canada Centre. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. (ET).
Carolina (4-7) comes into the contest having dropped its last five games in a row after beginning the 2002 season by winning four of its first six. The Cobras are coming off a 52-48 loss last week at the hands of the Orlando Predators. Carolina is currently the No. 12 seed in the 2002 playoff hunt. Twelve of the 16 AFL teams will make post season play. The Raleigh-based team is one game behind Southern Division leader Orlando, and is tied with the Tampa Bay Storm and Georgia Force for second place in the division.
Carolina will take a 3-2 (.600) road record into the Air Canada Centre against a Phantoms team that has lost five of its last seven games, including their last three at home. Toronto (5-6) has defeated Carolina in each of the previous two meetings between the clubs (both meetings took place during the 2001 season).
The Cobras offense will face a tough test this week as they take on the AFL's No. 4 ranked defense (252.7 total ypg). The Phantoms are first in scoring defense (43.2 ppg) and No. 2 in pass defense (229.6 ypg) as well. So far this season, the Cobras have surpassed the 50-point barrier only once, a 55-54 win at Georgia April 26. Carolina does head into the game with the league's No. 4 ranked rushing offense, led by third-year pro Marrio Grier (30 carries, 113 yards, 7 TDs).
Carolina will start John Fitzgerald at quarterback this week, but back-up Aaron Sparrow could see time as well. Sparrow was the Cobras opening-day starter before getting injured in the second half of a week 1 loss versus Dallas. Since getting a clean bill of health to return to the playing field prior to the Cobras Week 9 game against Georgia, Sparrow has seen action in every game.
Thursday's game against Toronto can be heard live in the Raleigh-Durham area on WRBZ 850 The Buzz Sports Radio with Gary Hahn and Tony Haynes on the call.
The Cobras will stay on the road next week as they travel to Buffalo to take on the Destroyers on Friday, July 12, 7:30 p.m. at the HSBC Arena.
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