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July 9, 2008 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Albany Firebirds News Release


2008 Record:

4-9 (3-3 Home, 1-6 Road) - Streak: Lost 1 - Third Place, East Division, American Conference

Week 14 Recap:

The Manchester Wolves broke a tie game by scoring 23 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Albany Conquest 50-33 Friday night at Verizon Wireless Arena. Albany won the coin toss and elected to kickoff first. Manchester made them pay as QB James Pinkney took the first offensive snap of the game and found WR Bradley Chavez wide open deep down the field for a 27-yard TD pass and a 7-0 lead. On Albany's first possession, DE Larry McSwain sacked Albany QB Dan Cole, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Chavez and returned 20 yards for a touchdown and a 13-0 lead. The Conquest then escaped a fourth down situation as Cole went deep to WR Antwun Williams for a 42-yard TD pass and a 13-6 game after the first quarter.

WR Steven Savoy opened the second quarter with a three-yard pass from Pinkney and a 20-6 lead, but the Conquest turned the tides soon after. Cole linked up with WR Vernard Abrams for a 12-yard TD pass to cut the lead in half, then Albany's defense came up big as DB Roland Minor recorded his third interception in as many games. The Conquest took the interception and turned it into points as Cole finished a long drive with a one-yard run as the first half ended, tying the game at 20-20.

Each team scored once in the third quarter as Savoy caught a 13-yard pass to regain the lead, but Abrams countered with his second of the game to tie the game at 27-27. Manchester blew the doors off the game in the fourth quarter, out-scoring Albany 23-7 as they took a 50-33 victory. Pinkney connected with Chavez for a 23-yard TD pass, WR Emery Sammons scored on a 3-yard run, FB Lamar Bryant ran in a touchdown from eight yards out and the Wolves defense sacked Cole in the end zone for a safety. Albany's only score of the final quarter was a 17-yard TD reception by Abrams, his third TD catch of the game.

Week 16 Preview:

After enjoying their second bye week during Week 15, the Conquest are back in action as they travel to Kentucky for the second time in 2008. This time Albany is headed to Louisville to square off with the Fire (7-6), who currently occupy the eighth and final playoff spot in the American Conference. If the Conquest wish to keep even a faint hope of making the playoffs alive Saturday's game at Freedom Hall is a must win. In spite of their 1-6 road record this season, the only way Albany can be mathematically eliminated from post season contention this week is by losing to the Fire.

Louisville is coming off one of the most heart-breaking losses of the season, a 42-41 road shocker to the Mahoning Valley Thunder (3-10) on June 27th. Tied at 28-28 after three quarters, the teams traded scores before the Thunder went ahead by seven (42-35) with 27 seconds left in regulation. Fire Backup QB Aaron Marshall entered for the first time in the game, completed two short passes and then on his third snap broke away for a 22-yard run for a touchdown with nine seconds left on the clock. Needing just an extra point to send the game into overtime, Louisville was flagged for a delay-of-game penalty and the kick was pushed back five yards. Fire kicker Danny Kight's 23-yard PAT attempt was blocked by Mahoning Valley DE Mike Lane; giving the Thunder a stunning upset victory.

The Conquest offensive line took another blow in Manchester when starting tight end Leo Sullivan suffered a leg injury in the fourth quarter, an injury that will keep him out of the lineup for at least the next two games. Albany did receive some good news at the return of tight end Jacob Hobbs. Hobbs has not played for Albany since Week 6 vs. Tennessee Valley because he attended the New York Giants NFL Rookie/Free Agent Minicamp in May and was signed to a contract. Hobbs had been working out with the rest of the Giants during their off-season training sessions in East Rutherford, NJ, but was released on June 23.

Week 16 Schedule:

(All games are broadcast LIVE on af2TV free streaming video at www.albanyconquest.com)

Saturday, July 12 - 7:05 pm - Freedom Hall - Louisville, KY

@ Louisville Fire (7-6) - Streak: Lost 1

Second Place, East Division, American Conference

Louisville has had an up-and-down type of run so far this season. Since going 6-3 through the end of May, the Fire have dropped three of their last four games, including a 42-41 loss to the Mahoning Valley Thunder (3-10) in Youngstown, Ohio on June 27th. Louisville's final three games are no evening cruise; after hosting Albany this week the Fire must travel to Midwest Division-leading Green Bay (9-4) and then return home to close out the regular season against the Peoria Pirates (4-9) who could be positioned to play the spoiler roll. Leading Passer: Matt Bassuener (#10) - 12 GP, 143-for-253, 1,568 yards, 16 TDs, 10 INTs, 74.4 QB rating. Leading Rusher: Matt Bassuener (#10) - 12 GP, 68 carries for 304 yards, 18 TDs, 4.5 yards per carry. Leading Receivers: Ricard Lenhart (#12) - 12 GP, 84 catches for 989 yards, 13 TDs, 11.8 yards per catch & Lonnell Dewalt (#8) - 13 GP, 83 catches for 948 yards, 15 TDs, 11.4 yards per catch. Leading Tackler: Dominic Ross (#4) - 10 GP, 42.0 tackles (38 solo, 8 assisted), 7 Pass Break-Ups. Conquest Player of the Week: (Week 14)

Clarence Curry - DS #3 & Roland Minor - DB #2 1 Interception Each

Albany's secondary turned in a very strong performance in Manchester, anchored by safety Clarence Curry and defensive back Roland Minor. Minor recorded an interception for the third consecutive game and Curry's first pick of the 2008 season won the Cutters Catch of the Game award. The Conquest starting secondary accounts for 10 of the team's 12 interceptions this season: DB Brandon Taylor (6), Minor (3) and Curry (1). On the year Curry ranks third on Albany with 39.5 tackles in 10 games played, while has 8 passes defended (3 INTs, 5 break-ups) in five games played.

Conquest Arrows:

- GLIMMER OF HOPE - The Conquest's playoff hopes took a major hit with their Week 14 loss to Manchester, but they are not extinguished just yet. At 4-9 Albany needs to win their three remaining games and have some help of the other teams in contention for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference: Peoria, Manchester, Louisville, Iowa and Quad City. The Conquest need either Quad City or Louisville to lose all three of their remaining games and have Manchester lose two of three (including a head-to-head game with Albany on July 18th). Furthermore they need Iowa and Peoria to each drop at least one of their final three games.

- WINNING WITH A COIN TOSS? - The importance of the coin toss is sometimes overshadowed, but the Conquest should know how key the first offensive series can be. Albany has won the coin toss in 10 of their 13 games this season, and have deferred possession to the second half every time, but they have a 3-7 record when winning the toss. When Albany wins the toss and allows the opposing team to score seven points on the opening drive their record is 0-6. However, if the Conquest win the toss and then allow 6 points or less in their opponent's first possession they have a 3-1 record.

- THROWING OVER 3,000 - QB Dan Cole threw for 222 yards against Manchester in Week 14 and in doing so became the fourth quarterback in Conquest franchise history to record 3,000 passing yards in a single season. Cole's 3,064 yards this season ranks fifth on Albany's All-Time single-season list, although he needs 889 yards to catch his 2007 teammate Ryan Hart (3,953 yards) for the fourth highest mark. Former Conquest QB Ryan Vena (now with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) holds the franchise's top two single season passing yards efforts with 4,520 yards in 2006 and 4,462 yards in 2003.

- IN ELITE COMPANY - WR Antwun Williams caught six passes for 89 yards and one touchdown on June 27th against Manchester. The effort put Williams over the 1,000 receiving yards mark for the season; he has 1,042 yards in 12 games played. Williams is one of seven Albany wide receivers to post 1,000 or more yards in a single season. He needs 200 yards to equal his 2007 mark (1,242), but he is 782 yards shy of Corey Hill's single season franchise record (1,824 set in 2002). With 81 catches this season, Williams is also closing in on the 100 receptions mark. He needs to haul in 19 more balls in Albany's final three regular season games to accomplished the feat for the sixth time in team history; he had 110 catches for Albany in 2007.

- ROOKIE SPARK SET TO RETURN - WR Chris Bocage is slated to return to the lineup this week and could be the spark that the offense is looking for. Bocage is the team's leading kick returner, he had a team-high 13.8 yards per catch and he ranks second in the entire af2 in all-purpose yards per game (211.0). He suffered an injury during Albany's Week 10 road trip at Mahoning Valley and has missed the last four games.

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