Empire Week 17 Preview
June 9, 2016 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Spokane Empire News Release
Spokane Empire vs. the Billings Wolves
(Spokane Empire, Credit: Zach Edwards Photography)
SPOKANE, Wash. - The Empire (11-2) will go on the road in Week 17 to take on the Nebraska Danger (5-8) for their only matchup slated for the 2016 Indoor Football League regular season. Kickoff is set for Friday, June 10 at 5:00 p.m. PT at the Heartland Event Center in Grand Island, NE.
Spokane defeated the Billings Wolves (6-7) last weekend at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena by a final score of 51-41. In the process, the Empire clinched the number one seed in the Intense Conference and home-field advantage for the future conference championship game in July.
Within the United Conference, the Sioux Falls Storm (13-1) have clinched the number one seed while Cedar Rapids (10-4) and Wichita Falls (9-4) battle for hosting rights in the first round of playoffs.
While the United Conference is set with their three representing teams for playoffs, the Intense Conference enters the final three weeks of the regular season with a three-way battle between Nebraska, Billings, and Tri-Cities (3-10) for the second and third positions.
One more win by Billings will clinch them a spot in the playoffs with seeding to be determined. The Wolves final three games feature a road matchup this weekend at Cedar Rapids before then hosting Tri-cities and Spokane for their final two regular season games.
Nebraska has the opportunity to claim the second place position, but a loss to Spokane this weekend would not help their cause. The Danger will finish off their final two regular season games on the road in Colorado and Tri-Cities.
The long shot Tri-Cities Fever are currently trailing Nebraska by two games and would need to win two of their three games, including their final regular season game against the Danger at home, while banking on Nebraska losing out.
Despite locking in their playoff spot, the Empire have no intention so of letting off the gas and want to close out the regular season with a statement.
This week's matchup will feature a damaged Danger squad reeling from six straight losses before their final bye week of the season in Week 16.
As of Thursday's transactions, Nebraska has made a change at quarterback with Jameel Sewall still absent for CFL opportunities. The Danger signed Hunter Wanket, who was released from Tri-Cities, who will be the presumptive starter on Friday against Spokane. The Empire have faced Wanket already during their four games against Tri-Cities earlier in the season, all of which Spokane won.
While the Danger has made changes to their roster, Spokane will also be making a significant adjustment this weekend due to the loss of running back Trevor Kennedy in their Week 16 matchup against Billings (broken leg). Defensive back Josh Ferguson will shift to the starting running back role in his place which has seen limited action at the position this season.
Through thirteen games this season Nebraska has given up the most passing yards per game in the IFL (196.9) but have successfully stopped the run have allowed a league-best 60.5 yards per game. With the loss of Kennedy, Spokane will likely look to their playmakers on the edge for and the hot hand of quarterback Charles Dowdell, who leads the league with 56 passing touchdowns.
This Friday's game will be live on AM 700 ESPN radio Spokane with Larry Weir on the call. The pregame show will begin thirty minutes before kickoff (4:30 p.m. PT). The game can also be viewed online via IFLLive.TV.
Images from this story
 Spokane Empire vs. the Billings Wolves (Zach Edwards Photography) |
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