Destroyers Kickoff 2003 Season Saturday
January 31, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Buffalo Destroyers News Release
(BUFFALO, NY) - The Buffalo Destroyers are set to get the 2003 campaign underway Saturday night as they play host to the Grand Rapids Rampage at 7:00 p.m. at the HSBC Arena.
Destroyers head coach Ron Selesky makes his Arena Football League head coaching debut on Saturday night. In 2002 with the Albany Conquest of af2, Selesky amassed a 13-3 record and Northeast Division championship earning af2 Coach of the Year honors.
Its important for us to get off to fast start, said Selesky. Winning games early in the season makes things a lot easier down the road. It all starts with Saturdays game.
Also making a debut will be QB Jeff Loots. The eight-year AFL veteran saw action in six games last season, but Saturdays game will be his first as a starter in a season opener. Loots set a Destroyers season and career record in 2002 with a 61.4% completion percentage.
Buffalo will look for their first ever victory against the Rampage on Saturday. Grand Rapids leads the all-time series 3-0, but has only won those three games by a combined eight points.
Commanding the huddle for the Rampage will be QB Clint Dolezel. As last year s top passer, Dolezel led the league in completions (339), attempts (505), and passing touchdowns (79). In two career games against Buffalo, Dolezel passed for 515 yards, 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Also making his Destroyers debut, DS JoJo Polk will help lead the way on the defensive side of the ball. Polk spent the last two seasons with Grand Rapids, recording 42 tackles and seven passes defended in 2002. After recovering from a neck injury suffered in 2000 with the Tulsa Talons of af2, Polk was presented with the AFLs Most Inspirational Award in 2001 as a member of the Rampages ArenaBowl XV championship team.
You have to take every game seriously in this league, said Polk. Grand Rapids is a good team so were going to come to play.
Saturdays game will be on radio at 107.7 FM WNSA. In the southern tier, the game can be heard on 1240 AM WJTN in Jamestown and 1330 AM WSPQ in Springville.
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