GLIFL Week Ten Preview
June 8, 2006 - Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) News Release
Playoff races are heating up in the GLIFL, as Port Huron and Rochester have both clinched playoff berths. A Raiders win against the Pirates coupled with a Marion loss to NY/NJ will also clinch Rochester a home playoff game. Furthermore, former Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien will be making a promotional appearance for the Raiders, with the possibility of suiting up and playing for Rochester in their biggest home game to date. In terms of the playoff picture, Lehigh Valley @ Battle Creek is the biggest game in league history, as the winner will hold the current #3 seed regardless of what happens in Marion. Yes, the GLIFL is coming down to the end of its inaugural season with nothing but excitement throughout the league.
GLIFL PLAYOFF PICTURE
After Week Twelve, the top four teams will be in the GLIFL Playoffs. The #4 will travel to the #1 seed tentatively on the weekend of July 8. The #3 will travel to the #2 seed on the same weekend. The winners will face off for Great Lakes Bowl I on the weekend of July 22 at the home of the higher seed. If Marion clinches a home playoff game in Round One, they'd host on the weekend of July 15 due to arena obligations.
Port Huron (7-0) - Clinched playoff berth, will clinch home field advantage with win in Rochester.
Rochester (5-2) - Clinched playoff berth, will clinch home playoff game in Round One with win and Marion loss.
Battle Creek (3-4) - Cannot clinch playoff berth in Week Ten; will keep current #3 seed with win.
Lehigh Valley (3-4) - Cannot clinch playoff berth in Week Ten; will be current #3 seed with win; will be current #4 seed with loss AND Marion loss; will be current #5 seed with loss AND Marion win.
Marion (3-4) - Cannot clinch playoff berth in Week Ten; will be current #4 seed with win; will be current #5 seed with loss.
NY/NJ (0-6) - Cannot clinch playoff berth in Week Ten; will be current #6 seed regardless of result; will be eliminated from playoffs with loss OR win by less then 50 points AND Battle Creek win.
PORT HURON PIRATES @ ROCHESTER RAIDERS
Saturday, June 10, 2006, 7:05 P.M.
ESL Sports Centre, Brighton, New York
RADIO: None.
TELEVISION: UPN 18 (Rochester), Tape Delay, June 11 8:00 P.M.
COACHES: Brian Hug, Port Huron; Dennis Greco, Rochester
RECORDS: Port Huron (7-0); Rochester (5-2)
KEY PLAYERS:
Port Huron: RB Rayshawn Askew, DL Eddie Bynes, LB John Cousins, DB Ernie Smith
Rochester: QB Matt Cottengim, QB Mark Rypien, RB Reggie Cox, DB Jeff Richardson
WEB SITES:
www.porthuronpirates.com - Port Huron
www.rochesterraiders.com - Rochester
www.glifl.com - GLIFL
PREVIOUS MEETINGS: Port Huron (1-0)
LAST MEETING: 2006 Week Two; @ Port Huron 32, Rochester 29
PRE-GAME NOTES
NOT EVERY DAY A SUPER BOWL MVP SHOWS UP AT A GLIFL GAME: Well, Mark Rypien was present at Rochester's first game, a 71-13 win over NY/NJ. This time, he's been with the team all week working the promotional circuit to help Raiders awareness in the community, as well as awareness for charities Camp Good Days (a local Rochester charity for children) and the Mark Rypien Foundation (a cancer charity). His salary for the game will be donated amongst these charities, which will doubly help with the awareness he's given the community. Rypien will be suited up in a Raiders uniform, but due to the magnitude of this game (a Rochester win by more than 3 points gives them the tiebreaker over Port Huron, and they would only be one game out of the #1 seed as a result), he may not play. Regardless, it's not every day a fan can see a Super Bowl MVP at a professional football game for a ticket not exceeding $20.
PAYBACK? A few near-fights in the first meeting between these two teams lets everyone know how important these games are. The standings show Port Huron and Rochester as the top two teams in the GLIFL, and this could be a second preview of Great Lakes Bowl I. Port Huron used a bruising defense and a fairly effective running game, coupled with a poor Will Bean kicking night, to win the first contest. Bean has been one of the league's best since coming back in Week Five, which means the Pirates will have to find a different way to win the game. Raiders QB Matt Cottengim was effective in the one drive he played in Port Huron (after the Omar Baker injury); he will have to do the same here for four quarters for Rochester to have a chance.
RUNNING ATTACK: Rochester may be known as the best passing team in the GLIFL, but Reggie Cox's over-120 yard rushing day in Lehigh Valley eclipsed the over-100 yard rushing day from Pirates star Rayshawn Askew. The two teams represent the best rushing attacks (and possibly the best offenses) in the league, and will be on display against two of the toughest defenses in the league.
GAME PREVIEW: These two teams do not like one-another. However, both coaching staffs have made it well-known that fighting isn't tolerated. If a player in even this big game lets his emotions overcome his intelligence, Great Lakes Bowl I is the next game they'd be eligible to play in...this league does not tolerate fighting. Regardless, this will be one of the best games of an inaugural season that has had a number of gut-wrenching fourth quarters. Mark Rypien's presence will likely not be a distraction for anyone beyond fans wanting autographs from a Super Bowl MVP...which is certainly understandable. On the field and off, GLIFL fans will get their money's worth here. This is the last meeting of the regular season between these teams.
LEHIGH VALLEY OUTLAWZ @ BATTLE CREEK CRUNCH
Saturday, June 10, 2006, 7:05 P.M.
Kellogg Arena, Battle Creek, Michigan
RADIO: www.battlecreekcrunch.com and www.broadcastmonsters.com, Nate Adams, play by play
TELEVISION: None
COACHES: Jim DePaul, Lehigh Valley; Bob Kubiak, Battle Creek
RECORDS: Lehigh Valley (3-4); Battle Creek (3-4)
KEY PLAYERS:
Lehigh Valley: QB Chad Schwenk, DL Mike Ramos, K Chris Reed, WR Billy Parker
Battle Creek: ATH Eric Gardner, OL/DL Kyle Lackscheide, WR Brian Dolph, WR/DB Herb Haygood
WEB SITES:
www.lv2006.com - Lehigh Valley
www.battlecreekcrunch.com - Battle Creek
www.glifl.com - GLIFL
PREVIOUS MEETINGS: Battle Creek (1-0)
LAST MEETING: 2006 Week Eight; Battle Creek 59, @ Lehigh Valley 53
PRE-GAME NOTES
WHAT IS THE KEY TO THIS GAME? So many things happened in the first meeting in Week Eight that it is hard to gauge "what a team needs to do." Outlawz K Chris Reed must keep his kickoffs in bounds; a free ride to the 25-yard line hampered the Lehigh Valley defense on numerous occasions. Bad pass defense left Brian Dolph open to catch 70 yards worth of Tim Kubiak passes, with a number of first downs. Battle Creek must keep Mark Barionnette from getting big gains on kick returns. The team that fixes the defensive and special teams issues that plagued both sides in their first meeting will be the team that sits as the GLIFL's #3 seed after Week Ten.
WEEKLY ERIC GARDNER UPDATE: Gardner scored another four touchdowns, and added a sixth method of scoring to his repertoire in Week Nine. He caught three touchdown passes from Tim Kubiak against NY/NJ and added a 32-yard touchdown pass. Gardner now has 21 touchdowns on the season.
WHY ARE THEY WINNING? In the team's 1-4 start, Tim Kubiak threw 10 interceptions. In Battle Creek's two-game winning streak, Kubiak has thrown none. Chad Schwenk threw only one in the first meeting between these teams, but it was returned 47 yards for a Herb Haygood touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
GAME PREVIEW: The first meeting was back and forth all game, with a blocked field goal recovered for a Battle Creek touchdown...in the first quarter...being the difference for the Crunch. The second matchup should be much of the same. Battle Creek reportedly will have new turf for this game, which may include some matching parts to the team's unique orange goalposts. Outlawz defender Doug Folger will not make the trip due to an off-field injury, his status for Week Eleven is unknown. This is the last meeting of the regular season between these teams.
NY/NJ REVOLUTION @ MARION MAYHEM
Saturday, June 10, 2006, 7:05 P.M.
Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Marion, Ohio
RADIO: FM, 94.3 FM, Marion, Jeff Ruth, play by play.
TELEVISION: None.
COACHES: Robert Cruz, NY/NJ; Tracy Smith, Marion
RECORDS: NY/NJ (0-7); Marion (3-4)
KEY PLAYERS:
NY/NJ: WR Zikoma Richards, DL Mike Pielech, LB Ed Chan, LB/DB Charod Howard
Marion: DB Karl Rose, OL/DL Paris Long, DB Jimmy Smith, WR/DB Jeremy Werner
WEB SITES:
www.nynjrevolution.com - NY/NJ
www.marionmayhem.com - Marion
www.glifl.com - GLIFL
PREVIOUS MEETINGS: Marion (1-0)
LAST MEETING: 2006 Week Four; @ Marion 81, NY/NJ 32
PRE-GAME NOTES
THAT WAS FUN: Mayhem fans got to witness a then-GLIFL record 81 points scored with the help of a pair of interception return touchdowns. They also watched the team's glaring need for pass defenders, as Collis Martin caught four touchdown passes from Revolution QB Julio Ramirez. Karim McFarlane hopes to continue the passing success against a newfound defense that intercepted three Matt Cottengim passes. This could be another shootout, as McFarlane proved he was up to the task with two second-half touchdown passes against Battle Creek.
WORKING KINKS OUT? NY/NJ has played much better each week, and their run defense has been solid all year. Marion has no trouble running the ball, but has had problems throwing. QB Bobby Corlew is getting the week off to heal from injuries, leaving Ted Sauder and new QB Scott Jeffries to carry the load against the league's worst pass defense. If the Revolution can get pressure on teams, which they have done, their pass defense has had some success. If not...
LAST HOME GAME OF 2006? Marion needs a LOT of help to host a playoff game, but they have to start with a home win in their sixth home contest. The Mayhem Maniacs in the closed end zone have helped the team all season long, especially in the last drive against Rochester. They will be in full force for the team's last home contest of 2006.
GAME PREVIEW: This game was back and forth throughout the first 30 minutes, but Marion's defense clamped down in the second half of their first meeting. McFarlane and backup Kevin Hanratty hope to regain that first half success against the Mayhem to keep the game in reach. Their offense has been very streaky all year long, with occasional very bright spots. It needs to be a bright spot against a Mayhem team that has played much better (barring a 57-26 loss in Port Huron) as the season rolls along. This is the last meeting of the regular season between these teams.
Continental Indoor Football League Stories from June 8, 2006
- GLIFL Week Ten Preview - CIFL
- Outlawz ready for big month - Lehigh Valley Outlawz
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