Florida Firecats game notes
August 8, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Florida Firecats News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Manchester Wolves (9-7, 7-5) @
Florida Firecats (13-3, 9-1)
Date: Saturday, August 12, 2006
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. EST
Site: Germain Arena (7,128)
National Anthem:
Coin Toss: Referee
Officials:
Referee: Mike Pavese
Umpire: Brent Sowell
Head Linesman: Mitch Geier
Line Judge: Harold Mitchel
Back Judge: Barry Hendon
Radio: WGUF 98.9FM (Dave Parks)
TV: None
Series Record: 2-1
Last Meeting: Manchester 79, Florida 62 5/20/06
Streaks: Florida (W4), Manchester (W4)
Coaches: Kevin Bouis (27-5) Second season
Ben Bennet (40-24) Fourth Season
THE STAKES: Both teams are fighting against elimination in this do-or-die matchup.
THE SERIES: Manchester is the only team in the league who holds a winning record against Florida. A victory earlier in this season gave Manchester a 2-1 series lead against the Firecats.
THE IFs:
If Florida defeats Manchester, it would ...
- Get Florida to 14 wins on the season.
- Advance Florida to the conference championship game.
- Prevent Manchester from beating Florida twice in the same season.
Florida Firecats (13-3; 9-1; WON 4)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/8 @ Memphis 8:00 L 78-46
4/15 @ Macon 7:30 W 53-40
4/22 Memphis 7:30 W 60-55
4/29 @ Bossier-Shreveport 8:00 W 47-26
5/6 @ Tennessee Valley 8:30 W 76-37
5/13 Birmingham 8:00 W 44-62
5/20 @ Manchester 7:30 L 62-79
5/27 South Georgia 7:30 W 28-64
6/3 Tennessee Valley 7:30 W 33-74
6/17 Macon 7:30 W 54-66
6/24 @ Birmingham 8:00 W 60-26
7/1 Green Bay 7:30 L 48-47
7/8 @ W.B. / Scranton 7:00 W 56-51
7/15 Albany 7:30 W 66-56
7/22 Louisville 7:30 W 62-56
4/29 @ South Georgia 7:30 W 46-50
Manchester Wolves (9-7, 7-5; WON 4)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/7 Green Bay 8:00 L 48-34
4/14 @ Louisville 8:00 W 39-34
4/22 Albany 7:30 W 45-59
4/29 WB Scranton 7:30 L 62-47
5/6 @ Memphis 8:00 L 52-58
5/13 @Albany 8:00 L 61-63
5/20 Florida 8:30 W 62-79
5/27 @ WB Scranton 8:00 W 48-28
6/3 Tulsa 8:30 L 55-42
6/10 @ Quad City 8:00 L 59-62
6/17 @ Tulsa 8:00 W 59-24
6/23 Louisville 8:30 L 59-49
7/7 @ Green Bay 8:00 W 62-58
7/14 WB Scranton 7:30 W 14-45
7/22 @ Albanay 7:30 W 51-50
7/28 Quad City 8:00 W 48-79
HEAD COACH:
Kevin Bouis is set to embark on his 2nd year as head coach and 5th year overall with the Florida Firecats. In his 1st season at the helm he guided the team to a franchise best 15-3 record, the best 05' regular season league record at 14-2, a 2nd straight South Divisional Championship, home field advantage in the playoffs and a berth in the American Conference Championship. As the defensive coordinator, Bouis helped coach the team to an Arena Cup Championship in 2004. That year Kevin's Defense was ranked #1 in total defense, #1 in pass defense, #3 in rush defense & #2 in scoring defense(38.2 pts/g).
Stifling defense has been a signature of the Firecats since Bouis arrived in 2002 when the Firecats finished 5th in scoring defense (38.1 pts/g), 5th in rushing defense and 7th in pass def rating on their way to their 1st arena cup appearance and the American Conference Championship. In 2003 his defense to finished 2nd in scoring defense (39.2 pts/g), 7th total defense and 4th in pass def rating.
He is a former player for the National Indoor Football League's Mississippi Firedogs. He helped his team win two League championships, 2000 and 2001, winning All-NIFL honors. In three seasons with the Firedogs (99-01), Bouis totaled 30 defensive turnovers, 23 interceptions and 7 fumble recoveries. In 2000 and 2001 Bouis led the team in tackles and interceptions. He won the honor of being the IPFL defensive player of the week in 2000. In 1999, Bouis helped the Firedogs qualify for the first round of the playoffs in their inaugural season (9-7). During his tenure with the Firedogs he registered 189 tackles including 81 in 2000.
As a player at the University of Texas El Paso/University of Kentucky, Bouis was furnished with a full scholarship and was a two-year varsity letterman in Football at UTEP, who started as a true freshman and sophomore. He then transferred and completed his college football career at the University of Kentucky.
Bouis holds a B.A. in Education from UK and has an M.B.A. from William Carey College.
Assistant Head Coach OL/DL & FB/LB: Victor Hall "Sack Man" coached with the Firecats in 2003 before returning to the field as a player in 2004. Hall returned to the sideline in 2005 as the Assistant Head Coach. The Auburn grad who was in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings from 1991-1993 and the Indianapolis Colts for the 93-94 season has an Orlando Predators Arena Bowl ring to go along with the hardware he received last year and has the distinction as being the only player to win both an AFL and AF2 championship.
Hall is also an ex-police officer and became the youngest Chief of Police in Alabama at the age of 23. Vic can be seen as an extra through out the Adam Sandler film "The Waterboy".
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Ken Mastrole is in his 2nd year as coordinator after leading the Firecats to the championship as QB in 2004. Coach Bouis' 1st choice for the job played his college ball at Maryland & Rhode Island also had stints with the Chicago Bears in the NFL, The Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe & the Detroit Fury in the AFL.
LAST SERIES MEETING: The Manchester Wolves (3-4) used a total team effort, including six touchdowns from OS Steve Gonzalez and three first half defensive touchdowns, en route to a 79-64 victory over the #1 ranked Florida Firecats (5-2) in front of 6,445 fans on Brady Sullivan Field at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
Gonzalez, the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game, caught 13 balls for 151 yards and six scores to lead the Wolves. D. Bryant had his third consecutive solid effort, completing 23 of 31 passes for 239 yards, and six touchdowns. Bryant also added a pair of touchdowns on the ground in his first win as a starting quarterback for the Wolves. In the win, Manchester broke the franchise record for points in a game, eclipsing the previous mark of 74 set last year against the Macon Knights, while also snapping Florida's five-game win streak.
Sixteen was the magic number for the Wolves defensively in the first half. DS William Haith returned an interception 16 yards for a score, followed by a 16-yard touchdown return by DS Ron Smalls on a Chris Wallace fumble and a 16-yard interception return by DS Brian Mance, the ADT Defensive Player of the game. The Wolves defense, which has struggled in recent weeks, stopped the Firecats offense on five different occasions.
WR/LB Ethenic Sands led the Firecats with eight catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. QB Chris Wallace completed 24 of 42 passes for 306 yards, five touchdowns and the three costly interceptions, while FB/LB Clenton Crossley rushed for 15 yards and three touchdowns.
The Wolves swept the post-game awards, as FB/LB Demetrius Forney took home U.S. Army Ironman honors with his one rushing touchdown and one tackle in addition to WR/DB David Bailey grabbing the Cutters Catch of the Game.
Wolves kicker and nearby Londonderry, N.H., native Charlie MacInnis, had the best performance of his career, connecting on seven of nine point after tries in front of 300 of his close family and friends.
Schutt Offensive Player of the Game: Steve Gonzalez, MAN
U.S. Army Ironman: Demetrius Forney, MAN
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: Brian Mance, MAN
Cutters Catch of the Game: David Bailey, MAN
LEAGUE TOP 10s: Players from this week's match up who rank among af2's statistical leaders:
Firecats
Player Rank Category Stat
Clenton Crossley 2 Rushing 23.8 ypg
Chris Wallace 10 Passing avg/game 244.9 ypg
Magic Benton 7 Reception yds/g 100.8 ypg
Levy Brown 4 Interceptions 8
Chris Wallace 7 Pass Efficiency 113.8
Brittney Tellis 3 Kick Return Avg 21.9 ypk
Magic Benton 4 Scoring 15.5 ppg
Ethenic Sands 10 Scoring 13.6 ppg
Cory Bailey 1 Tackles 7.3 tpg
Quincy Sorrel 2 Tackles 64. tpg
Quincy Sorrel 10 Fumbles forced .19
Clenton Crossley 9 Fumbles recvd .19
Wolves
Player Rank Category Stat
Mark Kimener 4 Rushing 18.3 ypg
Steve Gonzalez 5 Receptions/game 7.87 rpg
Steve Gonzalez 4 All purpose 168.2 ypg
D Bryant 5 Pass efficiency 117.2
Steve Gonzalez 2 Scoring 18.4 ppg
John Gockman 2 Scoring (kick) 8.4 ppg
Marc Bacote 7 Fumbles forced .20
William Haith T1 Passes defended 2.80 pg
TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Firecats and Wolves stack up:
Statistical Wolves Firecats
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 9 53.6 1 59.2
Scoring Defense 13 47.8 10 47.0
Total Offense 7 278.7 11 274.1
Total Defense 8 256.3 10 268.1
Pass Offense 11 245.9 12 242.9
Pass Defense 9 234.4 15 248.4
Rushing Offense 4 32.8 5 31.2
Rushing Defense 8 21.9 7 19.8
Scoring (kicking)
Pass Rating 4 113.5 5 112.9
Pass Def. Rating 3 86.4 9 96.6
Kickoff returns 13 17.8 9 18.2
MFG Returns 11 19.0 15 14.6
Turnover Margin T10 .31 2 1.19
Field Goals 21 .231 T7 .429
PAT Kicking 18 .743 22 .702
Sacks By T17 16 12 24
Sacks Against 1 5 T2 8
First Downs 4 305 14 284
Opp. First Downs T14 293 18 303
Penalties 2 44.9 15 60.4
Opp. Penalties 8 58.2 14 56.4
DROPBACK: The South Georgia Wildcats lost their final regular season game to the Florida Firecats last night, 46-40, on Cooper Tire Field at the Albany Civic Center.
The Firecats were led by quarterback Chris Wallace who finished the night 20-of-29 for 297 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Wallace finished the 2006 regular season with 100 passing touchdowns, both a career and team high. Wallace was named the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game for his performance against the Wildcats. WR/DB Brent Burnside led the Firecats receivers with 97-receiving yards and two touchdowns. Wallace and Burnside connect for a 48-yard touchdown pass for the first score of the game. OS Magic Benton added six catches for 73 yards and two touchdowns and WR/DB Brittany Tellis caught five passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
OL/DL Alfred Petterson guided the Firecats defense with seven tackles, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two sacks. Petterson earned the ADT Defensive Player of the Game. DS Levy Brown and Cory Bailey each had 9.5 tackles on the evening.
Wildcats quarterback Julian Reese was 32-of-44 for 298-yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 20-yards on seven attempts. WR/LB Chris McKinney was named the U.S Army Ironman of the Game as he led all receivers with 15 receptions for 150 yards with two touchdowns and registered four tackles and one sack. OS Jamaal Perry finished with nine receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns and FB/LB James Harris totaled two touchdowns.
Schutt Offensive Player of the Game: QB Chris Wallace - Florida
ADT Defensive: OL/DL Alfred Petterson - Florida
Cutters Catch of the Game: WR/DB Brent Burnside - Florida
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
3 Macon Chris Wallace
4 Memphis Magic Benton
5 Bos-Shv Ethenic Sands
6 TennValley Magic Benton
7 Birmingham Magic Benton
9 So. Georgia Chris Wallace
10 Tenn. Valley Chris Wallace
13 Birmingham Chris Wallace
14 Green Bay Chris Wallace
15 Wilkes Barre Chris Wallace
17 Louisville Chris Wallace
18 S. Georgia Chris Wallace
IRONMAN OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
6 TennValley Brittney Tellis
7 Birmingham Brittney Tellis
9 So. Georgia Clenton Crossley
10 Tenn. Valley Comone Fisher
12 Macon Ethenic Sands
13 Birmingham Ethenic Sands
16 Albany Ethenic Sands
17 Louisville Ethenic Sands
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
3 Macon Quincy Sorrell
5 Bos-Shv Ethenic Sands (co-player)
6 TennValley Levy Brown
7 Birmingham Cory Bailey
9 So. Georgia Quincy Sorrell
10 Tenn. Valley Cory Bailey
12 Macon Cory Bailey
13 Birmingham Levy Brown
15 Wilkes Barre Cory Bailey
16 Albany Cory Bailey
17 Louisville Antonio Dingle
18 S. Georgia Alfred Peterson
Cutters Catch of the Game Award
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
5 Bos-Shv Ethenic Sands
6 TennValley Magic Benton
9 So. Georgia Brittney Tellis
10 Tenn. Valley Magic Benton
12 Macon Magic Benton
13 Birmingham Levy Brown
15 Wilkes Barre Magic Benton
16 Albany Magic Benton
17 Louisville Magic Benton
18 S. Georgia Brent Burnside
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