L.A. Avengers sign four linemen as mini-camp opens tomorrow
December 27, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release
LOS ANGELES -- As preparations continue for the start of the 2005 season, the Los Angeles Avengers have signed offensive/defensive linemen Asi Faoa, Bernard Riley, Richard Seals and Tony Wragge, head coach Ed Hodgkiss announced today.
All four will be Arena Football League rookies next season. They will join 31 other players for "mini-camp," which begins tomorrow (Dec. 28) at the newly renovated Avenger Training Facility at West Los Angeles College. "Mini-camp" includes five practices over the course of three days. The Avengers will take a break on New Year's Day and open training camp on Jan. 2.
The 2005 season kicks off on Jan. 30, as the Avengers head to Las Vegas for a Western Division showdown with the Gladiators at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Avengers will play their home opener versus the Georgia Force at STAPLES Center on Feb. 4.
Faoa (6-foot-4, 275 pounds) is one season removed from a five-year career at UCLA. He finished with 42 tackles, 5.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and two quarterback sacks for the Bruins. Faoa started at linebacker in the 1999 season opener as a true freshman. He played in the next two contests, before being sidelined with back problems for which he was granted a medical hardship year. In 2000, Faoa made the switch from linebacker to defensive end. As a junior in 2002, he played in all 13 games and finished with 24 tackles, three for losses and two sacks. As a senior in 2003, Faoa played both end and tackle, and was the co-winner of UCLA's Jerry Long "Heart" Award.
A three-sport star and student body president at Magnolia High School in Anaheim, Calif., Faoa earned letters in football, basketball and track & field. On the gridiron, he played on both sides of the ball and had 94 tackles, nine sacks and three forced fumbles as a senior in 1998. Faoa also was named the "Most Valuable Player" of the basketball team, averaging 15.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, and earned All-CIF honors in the shot put. The Orange County Register selected him as its "Male Athlete of the Year" for all sports in 1998.
Born on Jan. 24, 1981, in Orange, Calif., his full name is Asiolefolasa Asoau Faoa. His hobbies include sumo wrestling, Polynesian dancing and working out.
Riley (6-2, 315) signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 2003 NFL Draft, but was released prior to the start of the regular season.
A four-year letterman at USC, he played in 40 games as a nose tackle and defensive tackle, starting 19 of them. Riley finished his Trojan career with 76 tackles and nine for losses. He also blocked two field goals (one versus Iowa in the 2003 Orange Bowl), recovered two fumbles and had an interception.
As a senior at Los Alamitos (Calif.) High School in 1998, Riley was selected to the USA Today All-USA first team and Parade Magazine All-America list after making 114 tackles (49 solo), 29 for losses, nine sacks and five pass deflections despite playing with a broken finger and separated shoulder. He also played linebacker and fullback for the Griffins, who went 12-1 in 1998. As a junior, he had 107 tackles (57 solo), 19 for losses, nine sacks and four deflections, in addition to rushing for seven touchdowns as a goal-line fullback. During his sophomore year, Riley once had four interceptions in a single game.
Born on Jan. 12, 1981, in San Jose, Calif., Riley lived in the Bay Area until his sophomore year in high school. His father, Bernard Sr., was a starting offensive guard at Oregon in 1975. Riley and three of his USC teammates received national attention for coming to the aid of a USC student who fell out of her apartment window on Sept. 1, 2000, and became impaled on the spikes of a security fence.
Seals (6-3, 305) was picked by the New York Jets in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft (218th overall selection), but was released at the end of the preseason and later signed to the practice squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Prior to the 2001 season, Seals was signed by the New Orleans Saints, who allocated him to NFL Europe, where he was a starting defensive tackle for the Frankfurt Galaxy. He participated in training camp with the Saints in 2001 and 2002, before being signed to the Buffalo Bills' practice squad. Seals spent the past two training camps with the Bills as an offensive guard.
A four-year letterman at the University of Utah, Seals had an outstanding senior season in 1999, finishing with 36 tackles, nine sacks and a blocked field goal. As a redshirt freshman in 1996, he began the season as a tight end, but was switched to defensive tackle and finished with 25 stops and two sacks.
Seals was a two-sport star at James Madison High School in Houston, Texas. He was an offensive lineman and tight end, who once scored on a 75-yard reception. An uncommon athlete, Seals was also a high jumper on the track & field team and had a personal-best leap of 6-foot-4.
Born on March 18, 1976, in Houston, Seals is the half brother of NFL Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson. His father played football at Prairie View A&M.
Wragge (6-4, 320) spent two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. After signing with the team as a free agent following the 2002 NFL Draft, he played in three games during his rookie year, starting one game at right guard. Wragge spent most of the 2003 season on the Cardinals' practice squad. He remained with Arizona until being released on Sept. 5, 2004, just prior to the start of the regular season.
At New Mexico State University, Wragge started 34 consecutive games and earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors twice. He led an offense that allowed only 13 sacks (fewest in the league) and generated 4,324 yards of total offense (360.3 yards per game).
Wragge attended Bloomfield Community School in Creighton, Neb., where he earned All-State honors as a junior and senior. He was also honored as the Northeast Nebraska Athletic Conference "Player of the Year" and was a two-time all-conference pick. In addition, Wragge set Nebraska high school power lifting records with a 580-pound dead lift, 365-pound bench press and an overall mark of 1,400 pounds.
Born on Aug. 14, 1979, in Creighton, Neb., Wragge grew up on a dairy farm. He majored in sports medicine at New Mexico State and is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
The Avengers went 9-7 last season and qualified for the ArenaBowl Playoffs for the third consecutive year. Los Angeles led the AFL in scoring (56.5 points per game) and averaged 12,590 fans at STAPLES Center for eight home games.
Nine-game season ticket packages, which start at $94.50, are on sale now at 1-888-AVENGERS or online at www.laavengers.com. Single-game tickets may be purchased at the STAPLES Center box office, at all Ticketmaster locations, on-line at www.ticketmaster.com and by calling 213-480-3232.
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