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Florida Firecats game notes

May 4, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Florida Firecats News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Florida Firecats (2-2) at Columbus Wardogs (1-3)
Date: Saturday, May 8, 2004
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. EST
Site: Columbus Civic Center
National Anthem:
Coin Toss: "Head Referee"
Officials: (Referee) (Umpire) (Head Linesman) (Line Judge) (Back Judge)
Radio: ESPN 770 AM (Dave Leval)
TV: None
Series Record: Florida 4-0
Last Meeting: Florida 48 COLUMBUS 44
Streaks: Florida W1, Columbus L2
Coaches: Florida/ Ben Bennett (12-9; 0-1 playoffs, 2nd Season)
Wardogs/ John Fourcade, 5-15 (2nd Season)


THE STAKES: The Firecats are currently one game behind Birmingham for first place in the South Division. Columbus is on a two-game skid, and they are two games behind the first place Steeldogs.

THE SERIES: Florida has won all four of the previous meetings between these two teams. Last season, the Firecats came only a couple of minutes shy of shutting out Columbus en route to a 40-7 win. The second meeting was much closer with Florida edging Columbus 48-44.

THE IFs:
If Florida beats Columbus:
· Give Florida a 5-0 series record with Columbus
· Give Florida their second road win in 2004
· Give Ben Bennett a 13-9 record as a head coach
· Give Florida a 3-2 record for the season.
· Give Florida a 3-2 record against the American Conference.
· Give Florida a 2-0 record in the South Division


FLORIDA (2-2, Won 1)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/104/174/245/1 BOSSIER-SHREV@MEMPHISCAPE FEAR@MACON 7:308:007:307:30 WLLW 46-3154-5155-3558-23
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
5/8 @ COLUMBUS 7:30 W1 FLO 4-0
5/14 @ BIRMINGHAM 7:30
5/22 @ TENNESSEE VALLEY 7:30
5/29 MEMPHIS 7:30
6/4 @ MACON 7:30
6/12 COLUMBUS 7:30
6/19 @ CAPE FEAR 7:30
6/26 MACON 7:30
7/3 BYE
7/10 BIRMINGHAM 7:30
7/17 LAREDO 7:30
7/26 @ COLUMBUS 7:30
7/31 TENNESSEE VALLEY 7:30

COLUMBUS WARDOGS (1-3, Lost 2)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/104/174/235/1 @WB/SCRANTONCAPE FEAR@BIRMINGHAM@CAPE FEAR LOSTWONLOSTLOST 33-3862-5245-7721-60
Date Opponent Series
5/8 FLORIDA FLO 4-0
5/15 @MACON
5/21 @BOSSIER
5/29 BOSSIER
6/5 BIRMINGHAM
6/12 @FLORIDA
6/19 MACON
6/26 OKLA CITY
7/10 @LOUISVILE
7/17 @PEORIA
7/26 FLORIDA
7/31 MEMPHIS

HEAD COACHES: In his first season as head coach, Ben Bennett was able to finish the 2003 season coaching the Firecats to winning seven of their last eight regular season games and a playoff birth. Columbus head coach John Fourcade was head coach of the Firecats in 2002.

LAST SERIES MEETING: Florida edged out Columbus 48-44 in Estero, Florida.

SERIES NOTABLES: Florida has been the victor in all four of the two teams' previous encounters.

FAMILIAR FACES
Columbus head coach John Fourcade was the head coach of the Firecats in 2002. Wardog WR/LB Anthony Dixon, FB/LB Johnny Frost, and WR/DB Terrell Sutton all used to be big contributors to the Firecats. Firecat DS was defensive MVP for the Wardogs last year.

OUT WITH THE OLD- IN WITH THE NEW (RECORDS)
Firecat WR/LB Cainon Lamb tied current Wardog Anthony Dixon's Firecat touchdown reception record of 42 last week. Lamb should claim sole possession of the record in this game. Firecat FB/LB Steve Gorrie broke current Wardog Johnny Frost's Firecat single game rushing record last week against Macon. Gorrie ran nine times for 57 yards, and he tied the single game touchdown record by scoring three times on the ground. Only four games into the season, Gorrie is only 86 yards short of breaking Johnny Frost's single season record for the Firecats.

FORWARD MOTION: The Firecats continue on their four-game road trip, taking off for Birmingham, Alabama, to play the South Division's first place Steeldogs.

TEAM NOTES/TRENDS:
Penalties: After giving up 376 yards in penalties, the Firecats gave up only 15 yards in penalties last week en route to a 35-point win over Macon.

Top of the Mountain: The Firecats have had the number one defense and pass defense all season, and they once again have the number one offense. Fullback Steve Gorrie leads the league with 135 yards rushing.

LEAGUE TOP 10s:
FIRECATS
Player Rank Category Stat
Cainon Lamb 5 Scoring 66 pts.
Cainon Lamb 5 Scoring TD 10
Cainon Lamb 6 Receptions 33
Ken Mastrole 9 Passing Yards 240.2/g
Steve Gorrie 1 Rushing Off. 135
Dante Booker T-4 Tackles for Loss 3.5
Chris Morant 10 Rushing Off. 50
Cainon Lamb 8 Kickoff Returns 24.6
Ken Mastrole 6 Pass Rating 11.8
Ken Mastrole 9 Total Offense 243.5
TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Florida Firecats and Columbus Wardogs stack up:
Statistical FIRECATS WARDOGS
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 13 47.5 21 40.2
Scoring Defense 7 40.8 23 56.8
Total Offense 1 287.8 20 230.8
Total Defense 1 179.5 15 246.8
Pass Offense 12 237.5 19 223.0
Pass Defense 1 152.8 4 195.0
Rushing Offense 2 50.2 23 7.8
Rushing Defense 21 26.8 26 51.8
Scoring (Non-Kick) 15 170 21 130
Scoring (Kicking) 19 20 3 31
Pass Rating T-4 111.8 15 100.5
Pass Def. Rating T-5 92.4 T-5 92.4
Kickoff Returns 3 24.4 26 14.0
MFG Returns T-19 11 23 0.0 yds.
Turnover Margin 20 -0.75 14 +0
Field Goals 20 .200 1 .714
PAT Kicking 10 .773 1 .889
Sacks By 22 3 25 1
Sacks Against 2 2 18 6
First Downs 6 72 13 59
Opp. First Downs 2 42 19 64
Penalties 25 396 13 56.5
Opp. Penalties 8 213 19 280
Red Zone Off. 15 70.4% 6 81%
Red Zone Def. 14 75% 23 84.2%


FIRECATS INJURY REPORT:
Pos. Name Status
OL/DL B. Greenaway Out
DS D.Washington Questionable

THIS WEEK'S QUOTES:

QB Ken Mastrole on last week's big win: "We came out with a new attitude. When we play as a disciplined team, the sky is the limit."

FB Steve Gorrie on leading the af2 in rushing: "I know it is an individual stat, but I look at it as a team stat. Without the three lineman in front of me doing their job, I'm not going anywhere."














PLAYERS TO WATCH:
QB Ken Mastrole: Ken Mastrole has a vast professional resume, starting his career with the Chicago Bears and the NFL Europe's Amsterdam Admirals. Mastrole threw for 2,284 yards and 55 touchdowns last year in only 11 games for the Firecats.

WR/LB Cainon Lamb: Cainon returns to the Firecats after being the number one receiver last year. He caught 110 passes for 1,297 yards and 32 touchdowns last year. He is currently tied with Wardog Anthony Dixon for the team touchdown reception record of 42.

WR/DB Anthony Snead: Snead comes to the Firecats after spending 2003 with the Columbus Wardogs. At Columbus, he caught 90 passes for 1,140 yards and 17 touchdowns.

FB/LB Chris Morant: Morant has been a beast on defense this season. He has six tackles, a sack, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, two pass breakups, and a blocked field goal.

DS Quincy Sorrell Sorrell returns to the Firecats after a solid 2003 season. Sorrell had 54 tackles, 2 interceptions, and two forced fumbles last year.

OS Magic Benton Benton caught 77 passes for 821 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2003.

FB/LB Steve Gorrie Gorrie spent a few years with the AFL's Florida Bobcats. He is a former Division II Player of the Year, and he began his pro career with the Cincinnati Bengals. Gorrie currently leads the af2 with 135 yards rushing.

OL/DL Comone Fisher Fisher had 23 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries in 2003 for the Firecats.

OL/DL Victor Hall Hall is #9 all-time in sacks in AFL history. He was the OL/DL coach for the Firecats last year. Hall recently decided to come out of retirement to return the game.

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