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Florida Firecats game notes

May 16, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Florida Firecats News Release


QUICK FACTS:

Florida Firecats (4-3, 1-3) @

Mahoning Valley Thunder (3-3, 2-2)

Date: Saturday May 19th 2007

Kickoff: 7:40 p.m. EST

Site: Germain Arena

National Anthem:

Coin Toss: Referee

Officials:

Referee: Mike Pavese

Umpire: Brent Sowell

Head Linesman: Mitch Geier

Line Judge: Jerome Ford

Back Judge: Folayan Kindred

Internet: www.FloridaFirecats.com, www.ABC-7.com & www.NBC-2.com

TV: NONE

Series Record: 1st Ever Meeting

Last Meeting: 1st Ever Meeting

Streaks: FLA - Lost 1; MHV - LOST 3

Coaches: Kevin Bouis (31-7) 3rd Season

Mike Hold (30-30) 1st Season @ MV, 5th overall

THE STAKES: The Firecats need a win to keep pace with the rest of the South Division.

THE SERIES: This is the 1st ever meeting between the 2 franchises.

THE IF's:

If Florida defeats Mahoning Valley, it would ...

- Give Florida their 1st win over Mahoning Valley

- Snap a 2 game home loosing streak

- Give Florida its' 5th Win of the year.

Florida Firecats (4-3, 1-2; Lost 1)

Date Opponent Result Score

3/31 Oklahoma City 7:30 WIN 55-22

4/06 @ Texas 8:00 WIN 54-13

4/13 @ Tennessee 8:30 WIN 61-34

4/21 WB Scranton 7:30 LOST 58-36

4/28 Tennessee 7:30 LOST 39-38

5/05 @ Albany 4:00 WIN 56-51

5/12 @ South Georgia 7:30 LOST 49-38

5/19 Mahoney Valley 7:30

6/02 Alabama 7:30

6/09 @ Tennessee 8:30

6/16 Manchester 7:30

6/23 Albany 7:30

6/30 @ Oklahoma City 8:00

7/07 South Georgia 7:30

7/14 @ Alabama 8:00

7/28 @ Manchester 7:00

Mahoning Valley Thunder (3-3, 2-2; LOST 3)

Date Opponent Result Score

3/31 Tri-Cities 7:30 W 48-40

4/6 @ Albany 7:30 W 64-59

4/21 Cincinnatti 8:00 W 54-20

4/28 @ Manchester 7:30 L 67-49

5/5 Louisville 8:30 L 52-34

5/12 WB/Scranton 7:30 L 56-26

5/19 @ Florida 4:00

5/25 Manchester 8:00

6/2 Cincinnatti 7:30

6/8 @ Green Bay 7:30

6/16 Quad City 8:30

6/30 @ WB/Scranton 7:00

7/7 @ Louisville 7:30

7/13 Albany 7:30

7/21 @ Tenn Valley 7:30

7/28 Green Bay 8:00

HEAD COACH:

Kevin Bouis is set to begin his 3rd year as head coach and 6th year overall with the Florida Firecats. In his 1st 2 seasons at the helm he guided the team to a 27-5 regular season record going 13-3 in 2006 & 14-2 in 2005 (the af2's best record that year). Last year the Firecats captured their 3rd straight South Divisional Championship. 2006 also marked the 2nd straight season that Florida had home field advantage in the playoffs. 2006 also saw the Firecats play in their 3rd straight American Conference Championship game. As the defensive coordinator, Bouis helped coach the Firecats 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 1st 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".

LAST SERIES MEETING: This will be the 1st ever meeting between the two franchises.

LEAGUE TOP 10s: Players from this week's match up who ranked among af2's statistical leaders:

Firecats

Player Rank Category Stat

Chris Morant Rushing 68yd/1TD

Chris Wallace 1 Passing Yards 272 yd/g

Chris Wallace 2 Total Offense 271.4 yd/g

Magic Benton Receiving 103.1 yd/g

Levy Brown T1 Interceptions 6

Chris Wallace Pass Rating 115.28

Levy Brown 1 Tackles 58.5

Quincy Sorrell T9 Tackles 39

Keith Drayton 6 Sacks 5.5

Thunder

Player Rank Category Stat

TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Firecats and Wildcats stack up:

Statistical Thunder Firecats

Category Rank Stat Rank Stat

Scoring Offense 20 45.8 ppg 14 48.3 ppg

Scoring Defense 18 49 ppg 4 38 ppg

Total Offense 9 272 yds/g 6 291yds/g

Total Defense 22 264.5yds/g 4 223yds/g

Pass Offense 2 250yds/g 3 267.3yds/g

Pass Defense 22 246.8yds/g 4 206.6yds/g

Rushing Offense 14 22yds/g 12 23.7yds/g

Rushing Defense 11 17.7yds/g 10 16.4yds/g

Pass Rating 21 85.42 4 114.73

Pass Def. Rating 27 116.5 6 75.7

Kickoff returns 30 10.9yds/ret 25 14.7 yd/ret

MFG Returns 21 12.8yds/ret T24 11yds/ret

Turnover Margin T15 .17 5 1.43

Field Goals T27 1-8 T27 0-3

PAT Kicking 27 .717 11 .789

Sacks By 7 13 T3 16

Sacks Against 21 11 T5 5

First Downs 4 120 2 123

Opp. First Downs 11 102 29 130

Penalties T19 61.7yds/g 6 48.1yds/g

Opp. Penalties 1 79.7yds/g 9 59.7yds/g

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

SOUTH DIVISION

South Georgia 4-2 (1-2)

Alabama 4-2 (1-1)

Tenn Valley 4-2 (1-1)

Florida 4-3 (2-2)

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Bossier-Shreveport 5-1 (3-0)

Rio Grande Valley 5-1 (2-1)

Texas 2-4 (1-1)

Laredo 0-6 (0-2)

Corpus Christi 0-6 (0-2)

CENTRAL DIVISION

Tulsa 6-0 (2-0)

Arkansas 5-1 (2-0)

Oklahoma City 3-3 (0-1)

Lubbock 2-4 (1-3)

Amarillo 1-5 (1-2)

Firecats Milestones:

SCHUTT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD

(selected by media)

Week Opp. Player

1 OKC Ethenic Sands - FLA

3 TV Chris Wallace - FLA

5 TV Chris Wallace - FLA

U.S. ARMY IRONMAN OF THE GAME AWARD

(selected by media)

Week Opp. Player

1 OKC Brent Burnside - FLA

3 TV Brent Burnside - FLA

6 ALB Brent Burnside - FLA

ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD

(selected by media)

Week Opp. Player

1 OKC Levy Brown - FLA

3 TV Levy Brown - FLA

5 TV Levy Brown - FLA

6 ALB Alfred Peterson - FLA

CUTTERS CATCH OF THE GAME AWARD

(selected by media)

Week Opp. Player

1 OKC Magic Benton - FLA

5 TV Chris McKinney - FLA

Drop Back: South Georgia 49, Florida 38

Chavis McCollister caught 16 passes for 178 yards, the final one for 40 yards and a touchdown with :35 seconds left in the game as #8 South Georgia defeated division rival #6 Florida in front of a home crowd of 6,190 at the Albany Civic Center. It was the first time the Wildcats had beaten the Firecats since relocating from Cape Fear to Albany in 2005. With the win, the Wildcats improve to 4-2 on the season, and the Firecats fall to 4-3.

D. Bryant continued his good work, completing 27 of 36 passes for 256 yards and 5 touchdowns, none bigger than his final one to McCollister that put the game away. Bryant connected with Scott Cloman 8 times for 61 yards and 2 scores, and he threw TD passes to James Robinson and Derrick Lloyd as well. Bryant also scored a rushing touchdown for the Wildcats, as did McCollister and Lloyd.

Former Firecat Cory Bailey led all tacklers for the Wildcats with 11. Daryon Brutley picked off a Chris Wallace pass and returned the ball 30 yards, and Matt Jackson also made a key interception for South Georgia. Wallace was 27 of 43 passing for 323 yards and 6 touchdowns, finding Ethenic Sands 9 times for 144 yards and 2 scores. Former Wildcat Chris McKinney caught 11 passes for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Magic Benton hauled in 5 catches for 68 yards.

The game remained close throughout between the two teams. Two critical plays, a fumble by South Georgia running back Derrick Lloyd late in the end zone seemed to give Florida new life with 6:24 left in the game. But after punching out 2 first downs, South Georgia rose to the occasion and held the Firecats to 4 and out with 1:14 left in the game. After 2 straight running plays, Bryant found McCollister with the deep ball for the final score.

South Georgia will be on the road next week at Arkansas, while Florida will be at home to welcome Mahoning Valley.

Look Ahead: The Firecats have a bye week at the midpoint of the season. Florida will host the Alabama Steeldogs on June 2nd.



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