Firecats Prepare for Season\'s Biggest Game
July 9, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Florida Firecats News Release
Estero, FL- The already intense defense of the Florida Firecats (7-5) has kicked it up a few notches this week for a huge showdown with the Birmingham Steeldogs (9-3), the af2's number one ranked team.
"We've got to develop momentum heading into the playoffs," Cainon Lamb, Firecats receiver/linebacker, said. "We don't just have to win this game; we have to win all of them."
The Firecats have more than just their work cut out for them this weekend as they play host to the league's number one ranked team. With a win, the Firecats could still keep alive their hopes of winning the American South Division. With a loss, the Steeldogs would win the south division.
The Steeldogs take a 3-1 series edge into this weekend's game, which was named the af2 Game of the Week. The Steeldogs knocked off the Firecats by three scores earlier this season in Birmingham.
Watching practice this week, one could easily see that the Firecats' defense realizes how big a game this is. The defense played every down at practice this week like it had the season riding on it. One could argue that this game has similar consequences.
The Firecats have seen virtually half of the team records shattered this season, and this game will have more records on the horizon.
Cainon Lamb is only five receptions away from breaking the Firecats career receptions record of 194. Lamb has pulled in 190 passes in less than two seasons as a Firecat. Firecat linebacker Chris Morant needs only two sacks to break the Firecats' single season record of 7.5. He currently has six sacks.
Defensive specialist Quincy Sorrell, the af2's all-time leading tackler with 258 tackles, currently has 71.0 tackles so far this season. The 71 tackles, which rank second in the af2 this season, is already a personal best. He needs only nine tackles to break the Firecat single season record. The current record is owned by his long time teammate, Roy Stabler, whose 257 career tackles place him as second on the af2 career tackle list.
Offensive specialist Magic Benton, who is in his fourth season as a Firecat, needs only 93 receiving yards to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career.
The big record watch going on in the af2 circulates around fullback Steve Gorrie. Anticipation continues to build as Gorrie closes in on the af2 single season rushing record. The current record is 439 yards by Hawaii's Darnell Arceneux in 2002. Gorrie currently has 386 yards rushing, only 53 yards shy of owning that record. Gorrie has twice ran for better than 53 yards in a game this season.
Gates open Saturday at 6:30, and kickoff is set for 7:40. Come out and cheer the Florida Firecats as they head into their biggest battle of the season!
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