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Destroyers Weekly

March 24, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Columbus Destroyers News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio - After playing three of the first four weeks on the road, the Columbus Destroyers will host four of the next five games on their 2008 schedule on Huntington Field at Nationwide Arena. The Destroyers (1-3, 0-2) will face the Orlando Predators (2-2, 1-1) on Saturday, March 29. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (ET). Below is a look ahead at this week's opponent, practice schedule, team news and notes, broadcast information and a preview of Week 6.

FIRST LOOK, THE ORLANDO PREDATORS: The two-time ArenaBowl champion Orlando Predators will make their first visit to Huntington Field at Nationwide Arena since 2006. The Destroyers overall record against the Predators is 1-5. Orlando is led by, AFL Hall-of-Fame quarterback, Head Coach Jay Gruden. Gruden ranks eighth on the League's all-time head coaching victories with 75.

Quarterback Shane Stafford leads the Predators offense. The seven-year AFL veteran quarterback set Orlando franchise records for passing yards (4,317) and touchdowns (76) last season. This season the University of Connecticut graduate, leads all AFL quarterbacks with a 125.5 rating, is fourth in completions (103) and yards (1,167) and second in the League with 24 touchdown passes.

Among Stafford's targets are two of the top-10 reception leaders in the AFL, T.T. Tolliver (fourth with 35) and Ron Johnson (tied for fifth with 34). The two have combined for 845 yards receiving and 15 touchdowns. The Predators' ground attack is led by fullback Marlon Moye-Moore. He leads the AFL with seven rushing touchdowns.

The Predators are tied for last in the AFL with a minus-4 give-away/take-away ratio.

LEWIS FINDING THE MARK: Destroyers kicker Mark Lewis is the reigning AFL Kicker of the Year. Last season with the Austin Wranglers, the Florida International University graduate, made 110-of-118 extra point attempts (93.2% third in the AFL), 15-of-25 field goal attempts (60% third in the AFL) and tallied 155 points which ranked second among AFL kickers and set a career high.

Now in his second season with the Destroyers (2006), he has converted 19-of-23 point after attempts. After beginning the season 0-for-5 on field goal tries, he has converted his last three attempts, including last Friday's 35-yard game winner against the Utah Blaze. The kick is the first game-winner of his five-year AFL career.

THE FOUR HORSEMEN: The Destroyers offensive front of Howard Duncan, Jason Hilliard, Will Rabatin and Harold Wells (formally known as "The Four Horsemen") have started the last 20-consecutive regular season games (spanning 983 offensive plays), the longest current streak in the AFL. The three have surrendered only 15 sacks in that span, including a franchise all-time low 13 in 2007.

The Dallas Desperados and Kansas City Brigade have allowed the fewest quarterback sacks since last season (7) and Columbus ranks fifth in the AFL.

ON THE AIRWAVES: This week's contest between the Destroyers and Predators can be heard on your home for Destroyers football, WNNK 107.1 FM with the broadcast tandem of Todd Walker (play-by-play) and Rob Blackman (color commentator) on the call. Tune in at 6:30 p.m. (ET) as the Destroyers pre-game show gets underway with a one-on-one interview with Destroyers Head Coach Doug Kay, player interviews and insider information.

WEEK 6 - TAMPA BAY STORM: Five-time ArenaBowl champion, Tampa Bay Storm, makes their first visit to Columbus since the 2006 season on Saturday, April 5. Kickoff on Huntington Field at Nationwide Arena is set for 7 p.m. (ET). The Storm are led by the all-time winningest coach in AFL history Tim Marcum (192 career victories). The Destroyers and Storm will meet for the eighth time, with Tampa Bay leading the series 5-2. Columbus defeated the Storm in the 2007 National Conference Wild Card Round 56-55 on June 30. Destroyers' quarterback Matt Nagy scored a one-yard touchdown run with 0:07 remaining in the fourth quarter to give Columbus its first-ever playoff victory.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS: The Destroyers will play host to the Orlando Predators on Saturday, March 29 at 7 p.m. The first 6,000 fans in attendance will receive a Rally Towel courtesy of ADT. In addition, the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a 2008 Bombshells poster presented by A.D. Farrow Co. Harley-Davidson. Fans can also purchase tickets for All You Can Eat Night. The all-you-can-eat package includes hot dogs, bratwurst, popcorn, peanuts (bagged) and a 22-ounce Pepsi product, for only $30.

TICKET INFORMATION: The Destroyers 2008 home schedule features seven Saturday night games and one Monday night contest. For a limited time, fans can purchase two season tickets, two AFL replica footballs and two Destroyers hats for ONLY $222. The package can be purchased by calling (877) COLS-AFL. Single game tickets start at just $15 and are on sale now at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, ticketmaster Ticket Centers, ticketmaster.com and all FSN Ohio Blue Line team stores located at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, Chiller Easton, Chiller Dublin and Chiller North. Groups of 10 or more are eligible for group rates by calling (614) 246-HITS.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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