Destroyers Host Carolina On Sunday
February 7, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Buffalo Destroyers News Release
(BUFFALO, NY)- Buffalo Destroyers head coach Ron Selesky looks for his first career Arena Football League head coaching victory as his team hosts the Carolina Cobras this Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at the HSBC Arena.
Buffalo (0-1) is atop the Eastern Division despite a loss last week to Grand Rapids. All four teams in the East stand at 0-1.
The Destroyers are led by the tandem of QB Jeff Loots and OS Gunnard Twyner who hooked up eight times for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Twyner finished with a game high 204 all-purpose yards while Loots finished with a game high 246 yards and five touchdowns last week.
DS Dwaine Carpenter and DS JoJo Polk are in the top three in the AFL in tackles after week 1. Carpenter is second after he had nine tackles last week, while Polk is third with eight tackles. OL/DL Silas Demary is coming off a strong season opener as he had two tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. On Sunday, Demary will be facing his former team. Demary was a 2001 All-rookie selection with Carolina and joined the Destroyers last season after being released Carolina.
"We had some big plays on defense last week, we recovered a fumble and turned it into a touchdown and JoJo (Polk) broke up a pass that was almost a touchdown," said Selesky. "Now the challenge is to take that next step and create a few more big plays on defense.
Buffalo has re-signed OL/DL Jerry Sharp and waived FB/LB Dwayne Woods. Sharp, a nine year AFL veteran, played with the Destroyers last season and will be in the lineup on Sunday.
This will be only the second time in the team's history that Buffalo has played a home game on a Sunday. The last Sunday home game was ironically against the Cobras on June 17, 2001. Carolina won that game 53-44.
Sunday's game is also "Hunter's Game of Hope". The Destroyers and the Hunter's Hope Foundation are raising money to help fight Krabbe Leukodystrophy. Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly and his family will attend the game. Destroyers owner Mark Hamister will present the Kelly family with a check at halftime for the money raised for the Hunter's Hope Foundation.
Country singer Steve Holy will perform following the game. The concert is a joint venture of the Destroyers and WYRK 106.5 FM.
The game can be heard on 107.7 FM WNSA with Jim Brinson and Bob Trimble.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 7, 2003
- Gladiators Make Four Roster Moves - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Brown Approaches 2,000 Point Mark - AFL I
- Destroyers Host Carolina On Sunday - Buffalo Destroyers
- 'Birds Seek Back-to-Back Road Victories to Open Season - Albany/Indiana Firebirds
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