Fever Ready to Kick off 2016
February 19, 2016 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Tri-Cities Fever News Release
The Tri-Cities Fever is less than 24 hours away from its 2016 season opener. The Fever kicks off its 12th season of indoor football at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday night when it takes on the Spokane Empire at the Toyota Center.
There are storylines a plenty for game. Former Fever coach Adam Shackleford is back in the Tri-Cities as new coach of the expansion Empire. He spent six seasons as the head of the Fever, leading the team to the IFL championship game twice.
On the other side of the field is his former defensive coordinator Ryan Lingenfelder who is now the head coach of the Fever.
This will be the first of four meetings between the two teams and friends this season.
The last time these teams from the two cities met on turf when was the Fever was a member of the arenafootball2 league against the Spokane Shock.
The Fever left the af2 in prior to the 2010 for the Indoor Football League where Shackleford coach Tri-Cities for six seasons. Spokane moved on to the Arena Football League when it was there until last season.
So here we are. A rivalry restored or at least a new beginning.
This time last year, Shackleford was walking off the turf at the Toyota Center with his 100th career victory after leading the Fever to a 30-17 victory over the Billings Wolves.
The Fever has won four straight season opening games at home. In the four straight victories, the Fever has outscored its opponents 245 to 115.
Last year was the closest margin of victory for the Fever in a home opener. The previous closest game was a 70-44 win in 2012 over the Everett Raptors. Two of the four years the Fever has started the season with a home victory they have gone on to the league championship game.
Lingenfelder looks to lead the Fever back to the IFL playoffs for the first time since 2013. The Fever finished last season with an 8-6 record, winning its final five games of the season.
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Indoor Football League Stories from February 19, 2016
- Empire Week 1 Game Preview - Spokane Empire
- Preview: Cedar Rapids Titans vs. Green Bay Blizzard - Cedar Rapids River Kings
- Fever Ready to Kick off 2016 - Tri-Cities Fever
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