Fever open season Friday

March 22, 2006 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Tri-Cities Fever News Release


Kennewick, WA - 03/22/06. The defending Indoor Bowl V Champion Tri-Cities Fever will play host to the Billings Outlaws at 7:05pm Friday night March 24 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.

This is a Pacific Conference North Division match-up between two teams expected to serious playoff contenders. Billings finished last season just 5-9 in the regular season and lost in the first round of the playoffs, however, they have a new coach and have brought in several key new players to make a serious run at Indoor Bowl VI. They brought in Head Coach Heron O'Neal to lead the team this season. O'Neal was the defensive coordinator for the Wyoming Cavalry last season.

With top players from the likes of Everett, Wyoming, and Rome (GA.) joining some of their top returning talent, Billings has put together an all-star roster for 2006. They already have one win notched in their belt with last weeks 56-20 drubbing of the Wyoming Cavalry. They come into the Toyota Center with one of the NIFL's most dangerous quarterbacks in Chris Dixon. Dixon showed his dual-purpose abilities of passing and running while leading the Outlaws over Wyoming. He passed for 188 yards and five touchdowns while running for 35 yards on just five carries. Include Billings top returning receiver and NIFL All-Star B.J. Charlton, along with former NFL and AFL receiver Robert Reed and former NFL running back Ali Culpepper, and the Billings offensive is potent.

Defensively the Outlaws boast linebacker Travis Slater and devensive back Jaquan Brackenridge from Everett, left over defensive lineman Anthony Bonner, defensive back Joey Longoria and defensive lineman Scott Young and kicker Pete Garces from Wyoming.

The Tri-Cities Fever under Head Coach Dan Whitsett will start their title defense Friday night. Last season the Fever went 13-5 overall and won three straight playoff games on the road including wins over undefeated teams Everett and Odessa on their way to the championship.

Captain of the defense and hometown hero Ron Childs returns to lead a revamped Fever defensive squad. With just three returning starters back on that side of the ball, the Fever look to improve on their 2005 performance. Newcomers Elton Seals, Emery Beckles, Perry Jackson and Terrance Turner will blend with returning Antar Brame and Thomas Ford to help shore up a defense that finished near the bottom of the League in most statistical categories last year in the regular season. Michael Hodges returns to his defensive end position, but he will have new company next to him. Nose Guards Kevin Lowe and Patrick Girardi (who doubles as an offensive lineman) and defensive end Romaine Smith will shore up the d-line.

Offensively the Fever will have to face life without quarterback Doug Coleman who retired and took a coaching position in the Intense Football League. The new quarterback Friday night will be DeMarcus Morris from Houston, Texas. Morris has three years experience in the NIFL and spent three weeks with the Fever last season before finishing the year out with Corpus Christie. His back-up will be Lemuel Adams from Phoenix, Arizona. The teams leading rusher and second leading receiver returns in Jarvis Dunn. He will move over to receiver full-time and that will open the door for Paris Moore to take over running back duties. Moore backed-up Dunn last season and was also a special teams force. Newcomers in the receiving corps are Quincy Jackson and George Carter. Jackson played at Alabama with Shaun Alexander before spending time in the NFL, AFL, XFL, and CFL. He has seven years of professional football experience. Carter was an All-American at Linfield College and spent some time in the CFL last season with Montreal. Up front the offensive line returns Josh Jelinek, but the other two spots will be taken over by newcomers Aaron Retzlaff (center) and John Donatto (right guard). Retzlaff comes from the University of Wisconsin at River Falls, while Donatto spent his college days at Midwestern State (TX.), prior to playing two seasons of Indoor ball. Patrick Girardi (Columbia University) will also see some time on the offensive line to go along with his nose guard duties.



National Indoor Football League Stories from March 22, 2006


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.

OurSports Central