Fever-Warbirds game preview
Published on May 26, 2005 under National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Tri-Cities Fever News Release
Kennewick, WA- The Dayton Warbirds come into the Tri-Cities this week with the NIFL's number one ranked rushing offense. They are one of the league's top three overall offensive teams along with River City and Everett. they are led by former Ohio State Buckeye quarterback Steve Bellisari who has passed for 1,435 yards and 33 touchdowns and also is the teams leading rusher with 433 yards and another 13 touchdowns. Bellisari usually hands the ball off to former Ohio State teamate Pepe Pearson. Pearson, a 5'11" 220 lbs. running back has rushed for 320 yards and 10 touchdowns. When Bellisari throws the football his favorite target is another former Buckeye teammate, Maurice Lee. Lee has twice as many receptions and receiving yards than any of his teammates. Lee has caught 49 passes for 579 yards and 11 touchdons on the season. He is also a potent kick returner and ranks second overall in the NIFL in all-purpose yards on the season. Another Ohio State and NFL product is on the defensive side of the ball for the Warbirds and his name is Joe Cooper. Cooper will be manning the linebacker position for a defense that is trying to keep pace with their offense.
The Fever defense is coming off two very strong games and welcomed a couple changes in their personnel before the Corpus Christi game last Sunday evening. Safety Levi Madaretti came to the Fever in a trade with the Montana Mavericks for nose guard Karl Liftee. Madaretti is a former BYU Cougar. Also, the Fever signed offensive and defensive lineman Robert Polecki who played his collegiate ball at Idaho State and was an all- conference Big Sky selection after his senior season. The Fever offense continues to be in the top five on the NIFL scoring and passing offense. The defense has steadily improved their overall statistics the past two weeks and are beginning to climb up the charts. Newly aquired receiver Kevin Heard had a strong game at Corpus Christi in his first outing in a Fever uniform. Heard caught six passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Fever leading receiver Mike Rigell had another good game as he caught six passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Every skill position player on the Fever offense scored at least one tourchdown at Corpus Christi. Back-up quarterback DeMarcus Morris scored on the last play of the game as the Fever players and coaches sent him off with a big end zone celebration. Morris has been traded back to Corpus Christi and is being replaced by former Prosser High standout Tali Ena. Ena is now residing in Connell and will be joining the Fever team full time this week. He finished his college football career this past fall at the University of New Mexico.
National Indoor Football League Stories from May 26, 2005
- Maulers at Local Grand Opening - Montgomery Bears
- Dayton coach thinks Pearson will do well - Daytona Beach Hawgs
- Fever sign nose guard - Tri-Cities Fever
- Fever-Warbirds game preview - Tri-Cities Fever
- Renegades Make Several Roster Moves - Rome Renegades
- Reading With the Maulers - Montgomery Bears
- Dayton heads west for two games - Dayton Bulldogs
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