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Grand Rapids Rampage Game Notes

April 9, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Grand Rapids Rampage vs. Las Vegas Gladiators
Date: Sunday, April 13, 2003.
Kickoff: 3 p.m. (EST).
Site: Van Andel Arena (10,594).
Officials: Pat Garvey (Referee), Paul King (Umpire), Rusty Spindel (Head Linesman), Dana McKinzie (Line Judge), Rick Wilborn (Back Judge).
Radio: WBBL 1340 AM, Joe Parson & Tom Sullivan.
TV: None.
Series Record: Gladiators lead, 1-0
Coaches: Grand Rapids, Michael Trigg (72-67 overall, 10th season). Las Vegas, Frank Haege (15-10, 2nd season).

THE STAKES: The playoff push has begun and these two teams are both on pace to host a first round playoff game, and possibly receive a first round bye. With only five games remaining in the regular season after Sunday's game, both Grand Rapids and Las Vegas need a win to keep pace with the rest of the league's elite. A win also guarantees the victor remains in the top spot of their respective divisions.

THE IFs:

If Grand Rapids defeats Las Vegas it would...
· Give the Rampage a 1-1 regular season series record with the Gladiators.
· Give the Rampage a 4-1 home record in 2003.
· Give the Rampage an 8-3 overall record in 2003.
· Give the Rampage a 4-2 record against the National Conference in 2003.
· Give the Rampage a 3-0 record against the Eastern Division in 2003.
· Give the Rampage a 26-18 all-time regular season home record.

HEAD COACHES:

MICHAEL TRIGG, Grand Rapids Rampage (72-67, 10th Season): Trigg, the only coach in Rampage team history, is in his sixth season with the Rampage and tenth overall as a head coach in the AFL. Last season, Trigg led the Rampage to an 8-6 regular season mark and a fourth consecutive playoff berth. He also became just the fifth AFL coach to reach the 60-win plateau, making him the fifth winningest coach in AFL history. Trigg's history of achievement reached new heights on August 19, 2001 when the AFL's smallest market team won ArenaBowl XV in front of a sold-out Van Andel Arena and a national television audience. For his efforts, Trigg was named the 2001 AFL Coach of the Year.

FRANK HAEGE, Las Vegas Gladiators (15-10, 2nd Season): Haege led the Gladiators to the fourth-best record in the AFL and their first-ever playoff berth in franchise history during his rookie season last year. Before making his AFL debut in 2002, he spent two years as the head coach and director of football operations with the Quad City Steamwheelers (af2) in 2000 and 2001. He posted a 37-1 record, including an undefeated 2000 season in which the Steamwheelers became the first AFL or af2 team to have an undefeated season. Haege won his second-straight championship with the Steamwheelers in 2001. Haege also coached in the AFL with the New Jersey Red Dogs under John Hufnagel in 1997-99, and prior to that was the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Fighting Pike in 1996. In 1994 he served as the Milwaukee Mustangs special teams coordinator and FB/LB coach. RAMPAGE LAST WEEK: Grand Rapids 56, INDIANA 49 (4-5-03) – After leading by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter, the Rampage had to rally late to defeat the Indiana Firebirds, 56-49, in front of 13,023 fans at Conseco Fieldhouse on Saturday night.

Trailing 28-27 at the half, Grand Rapids (7-3) turned two second half Jose Davis interceptions into a commanding 48-28 lead with 10:48 remaining in the game. The Firebirds (4-6) then inserted quarterback Raymond Philyaw, who missed the past five weeks due to injury, to rally the troops. And rally he did, as the veteran quarterback led the Firebirds to three straight scores and a 49-48 lead. Down by one with less than a minute remaining in the game, the Rampage earned their fourth road victory of the season with Clint Dolezel's third touchdown pass of the night to Terrill Shaw, followed by a Dolezel to Willis Marshall two-point conversion.

Dolezel completed 28-of-43 passes for 330 yards and five touchdowns on his way to being named the game's MVP. Shaw led all receivers with nine catches for 131 yards and three touchdowns. Marshall added a rushing touchdown and seven catches for 68 yards and a score.

RAMPAGE NEXT WEEK: The Rampage play host to the Arizona Rattlers, last year's ArenaBowl runner-up, on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

2002 MILESTONES:

· Grand Rapids sets a new team record for regular season attendance with 69,341 total fans attending games during the 2002 season, which includes a team record three sellouts.

· Rampage coach Michael Trigg recorded career regular season victory number 60 against the Georgia Force (6/23). Only four other coaches (John Gregory, Tim Marcum, Perry Moss and Danny White) have reached the 60-win plateau.

· Rampage QB Clint Dolezel moved past Mike Perez for fifth place on the AFL's all-time charts in passing yards (19,995) and sixth place in pass attempts (2,609). In addition, Dolezel also passed John Kaleo for fifth place in completions (1,698) and former teammate Todd Hammel for fourth place in career passing touchdowns (393).

· Dolezel became the first quarterback in AFL history to throw for 70 or more TDs in four different seasons.

· Rampage FB/LB Chris Ryan broke his own team single-season rushing marks in yards (133) and touchdowns (12). He also broke Basil Proctor's four-year old attempts record (49).

· Rampage FB/LB Travis McDonald broke the Rampage's single-season sack record with his 2.5 sack performance against the New York Dragons (7/13). McDonald, who finished with 5.5 sacks on season, moved past Corey Mayfield and Buster Stanley (4.5).

2003 MILESTONES:

· Coach Michael Trigg became just the fifth AFL coach (John Gregory, Tim Marcum, Perry Moss and Danny White) to amass 70 career victories (3/16 @ Dallas).

· FB/LB Chris Avery moved past Chris Ryan to become the Rampage's all-time single-season leader in rushing yards with 132 (3/29 vs. Chicago).

· K Brian Gowins moved past Thomas Bailey to become the Rampage's all-time scoring leader (3/16 @ Dallas).

· Gowins also moved past Remy Hamilton (current Avengers kicker) to become the Rampage's all-time leader in FG attempts (2/16 vs. NY).

· QB Clint Dolezel became just the fourth quarterback in AFL history to amass 400 career passing TDs (2/7 @ Colorado).

· Dolezel also moved past Fred McNair for fifth place on the AFL's career list in passing attempts and became just the fifth quarterback in AFL history to amass 20,000 career passing yards (2/1 @ Buffalo).

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

· Rampage coach Michael Trigg needs one win to pass John Gregory as the AFL's fourth all-time winningest coach.

· OS Terrill Shaw needs 48 points to move past Thomas Bailey for second place on the Rampage's all-time scoring list.

· Shaw also is only 11 TDs away from breaking Bailey's single-season TD record of 37 (1999).

LAST MEETING: Grand Rapids 42, NEW JERSEY 70 (6-8-02) – A disastrous first half by the Rampage led to the team's largest margin of defeat since the final game of the 2000 season, as they fell 70-42 to the New Jersey Gladiators in their first-ever visit to the Garden State.

The Gladiators forced three first-half turnovers and intercepted Rampage quarterback Clint Dolezel three times on the night, leading to 21 New Jersey points. Dolezel, who entered Saturday's action as the AFL's leader in passing yardage, finished 21-of-30 for 302 yards and five touchdowns before yielding to Todd Hammel late in the fourth quarter.

The lone bright spot for the Rampage, WR/DB Willis Marshall tied a career high with three touchdowns and totaled 92 yards on six receptions. His efforts were unable to prevent a 28-point margin of defeat, the team's largest since a 59-17 loss at Oklahoma on July 20, 2000.

FAMILIAR FACES:

· Gladiators QB Todd Hammel played for the Rampage last season, serving as Clint Dolezel's backup.

· Gladiators WR/DB Sean Riley played in two games this season for the Rampage, recording eight catches for 72 yards and a score.

· Dolezel and Gladiators OL/DL Hunter Adams were teammates with the Houston Thunderbears in 1999.

CONSECUTIVE GAME STREAKS:

· QB Clint Dolezel has thrown at least one TD pass in every regular season game played in a Rampage uniform (38 regular season games).

· Dolezel has also thrown at least five TDs in the Rampage's last nine games.

· WR/DB Willis Marshall has caught at least one pass in every regular season game played in a Rampage uniform (31 regular season games).

· OS/WR/DB Terrill Shaw has caught at least one TD in the Rampage's last nine games.

TEAM NOTES: Dynamite Duo: Through ten games this season, Grand Rapids' duo of Terrill Shaw and Steve Smith have combined to catch an impressive 127 passes for 1,605 yards and a league-leading 44 TDs. The speedy receivers could become the first Rampage duo to catch 100 passes apiece since the "Killer B's" (Thomas Bailey - 133 & Michael Baker - 102) did it during the 1999 season.

Terrific Trio: In addition to having one of the best receiving duos, the Rampage's trio of Shaw, Smith and Willis Marshall is arguably the league's best. The trio has combined to catch a league-leading 180 passes for 2,186 yards (4th in AFL) and 53 TDs (3rd in AFL).

Mr. Clutch: Rampage kicker Brian Gowins has a knack for kicking game-winning field goals that dates back to his college days at Northwestern. In his fourth year with Grand Rapids, Gowins has kicked a total of six game-winners, including three this season (Colorado, New York & Dallas).

Home Stretch: Out the Rampage's first 10 games, only four were at the friendly confines of Van Andel Arena. The Rampage finish the 2003 regular season with four of their last six games at home.

Running Man: Primarily used as a defensive weapon in his first two seasons, Rampage FB/LB Chris Avery has filled in quite nicely for the injured Chris Ryan, the franchise's all-time leading rusher. Avery, who has already passed Ryan as the team's all-time single-season rushing leader, leads the league with a 5.7 yards per rush average and ranks second in the league in rushing yards (137). Against Dallas a month ago, Avery set new Rampage records for longest TD run (40 yards) and rushing yards in a game (71).

Michigan Connections: Las Vegas' roster features four players that played their college football in the state of Michigan, including two from the Western Michigan University (QB Jay McDonagh and WR/DB Sean Riley Former University of Michigan standout Chuck Winters (WR/DB) and Northern Michigan receiver and Lapeer, Mich. native Jeremy Wilkinson (WR/LB) round out the Gladiators' Michigan ties.

Picks Become Plentiful Again: After recording a franchise-low six interceptions last season, coach Trigg vowed to change the Rampage secondary. Change he did. And so far, it has paid of as the Rampage have already recorded 11 picks through ten games. Leading the way with three picks apiece are veteran defensive specialists Cecil Doggette and Mark Ricks.

Division Breakdown: Thanks to their win over division-rival Indiana last Saturday, the Rampage maintained their one-game division lead over the Dallas Desperados.

Many More Happy Returns: In 15 total games last season, the Rampage only managed three returns (kickoff, missed FG, fumble or interception) for TDs. Already this season, Grand Rapids has seven returns for TDs:

· Ricky Ross has returned a missed field goal (2/1 @ Buffalo), a fumble (2/7 @ Colorado) and two kickoffs (2/16 vs. New York) for scores.

· Chris Ryan returned a Colorado Crush (2/16) fumble for the first defensive TD of his career.

· Steve Smith has two kickoff returns for TDs (2/28 vs. Carolina, 3/9 @ Georgia).

Rookie Crop: Since the team's inception, the Rampage have had at least one rookie make the AFL's All-Rookie Team. This year's crop features WR/LB Damon Hodge and linemen Jason Gamble and Albert Reese. All three players have NFL experience and have shown the ability to be successful indoors.

RAMPAGE PLAYERS TO WATCH:

QB Clint Dolezel: Arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the AFL, Dolezel has helped lead the Rampage to its Central Division-leading 7-3 record. In 10 games this season, the former East Texas State star has completed 236-of-352 passes (67%) for 2,746 yards and 57 TDs. Dolezel currently ranks among the league leaders in attempts (3rd), completions (3rd), passing yards (3rd) and passing TDs (5th).

OS/WR/DB Terrill Shaw: Shaw looks as if he has regained the magic that earned him ArenaBowl XV MVP honors. Through 10 games this season, Shaw leads the Rampage in catches (69), receiving yards (973) and TDs (27). Shaw, who has caught a TD in the Rampage's last nine games, currently ranks among the league leaders in scoring (T-2nd), receptions (6th), receiving yards (5th) and receiving TDs (T-3rd).

OS/WR/LB Steve Smith: Smith, who caught a team-high 26 TDs in 2002, has picked up where he left off last season, recording 58 grabs for 632 yards and 17 TDs in 10 games. In addition, the 2002 Rampage MVP has added kickoff returns to his arsenal this season. He has returned two kickoffs for TDs (2/28 & 3/9).

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