Empire Week 13 Preview
May 13, 2016 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Spokane Empire News Release
Spokane Empire in Action
(Spokane Empire, Credit: Paul Morgan Photography)
SPOKANE, Wash. - The Empire (8-1, 6-1) will go on the road in Week 13 of the 2016 Indoor Football League season and take on the Sioux Falls Storm (9-1, 6-1) at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota this Saturday, May 14th with a 5:00 p.m. PT kickoff.
This weekend's game will be available live on AM 700 ESPN radio Spokane with Larry Weir on the call and the pregame show beginning at 4:30 p.m. The game can also be viewed online via IFLLive.TV.
The Week 13 matchup will feature the first-ranked teams from each conference and the first of two games slated between the two franchise in the regular season. Spokane will play host to the Storm on Saturday, June 18th for the Empire's final regular season home game at the Spokane Arena.
Saturday's storylines stretch beyond the matchup of the perennial giant Sioux Falls franchise and the IFL newcomer, but not so new franchise, in the Spokane Empire. As each team battles to hold the top spot within their respective conference with plans to host a conference championship, the two remaining games between the teams could very well determine the number one overall seed and host city of the United Bowl Championship this July.
In terms of the matchup on the field, while the two teams take slightly different paths to production, the end result is two of the most evenly matched teams statistically in the IFL.
Sioux Falls holds the edge in offensive points per game at 59.9 points per game with Spokane right behind them at 59.4. Defensively, the teams are in the middle of the pack as the Empire has allowed 46.9 points per game (ranked fourth) and Sioux Falls 47.5 (ranked fifth).
Solid quarterback play has laid a strong foundation for each franchise this season as Sioux Falls' Lorenzo Brown is ranked fourth in the IFL with 190.4 yards per game of total offense. Spokane quarterback Charles Dowdell is ranked fifth with 188.4 yards per game.
One of the contributing factors this season to the strong quarterback player has been each team's ability to protect their signal callers. Spokane has allowed only five sacks through nine games while Sioux Falls has given up only 12 (ranked fourth) in their ten contests. The teams will face a step up in their opponent's ability to get into the backfield this week as Sioux Falls has recorded 2.0 sacks per game (ranked second with 20 total sacks) while Spokane has registered 19 sacks in their nine games (ranked third).
A test for the Storm's rush defense this week, which is ranked fourth in the IFL allowing 76.2 yards per game, will be the Empire's rookie running back sensation Trevor Kennedy. Through Spokane's first nine games, Kennedy has posted a league-high 188 total points. His 31 total touchdowns this season (25 rushing) has produced an average of 20.9 points per game this season.
On the other side of the coin, the number one ranked Spokane rushing defense that has allowed only 59.8 yards per game on the ground will face off against the league-leading Storm who average 111.8 rushing yards against their opponents.
Next week, the Empire will return to Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena to face off against the Tri-Cities Fever for the final time during the 2016 regular season on Friday, May 20th with a 7:00 p.m. PT kickoff. The Week 14 game is Hometown Heroes Night presented by Barton Boys Heating & Air Conditioning and AM 700 ESPN radio Spokane. The first 5,000 fans receive fan clappers courtesy of Barton Boys, plus its Happy Hour with $1.50 OFF select drinks at arena concessions from doors (6:00 p.m.) to kickoff. There will also be a ticket special for next Friday's game with a B.O.G.O deal on single game tickets for community members to celebrate the men and women that assist in our local communities each and every day. Use promo code "HERO" via www.TicketsWest.com, at the arena box office, or by phone at 1-800-325-SEAT (7328) to receive the ticket discount.
Images from this story
 Spokane Empire in Action (Paul Morgan Photography) |
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