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Las Vegas Gladiators game notes

May 19, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Las Vegas Gladiators News Release


GLADIATORS VS. AVENGERS: THE FACTS


Date: Saturday, May 22, 2004
Kickoff: 7:30 PM PT
Site: Staples Center (Los Angeles, CA)
Officials: Referee: Craig Wrolstad, Umpire: Rick Lowe, Head Linesman: Gary Cavaletto, Line Judge: Rusty Baynes, Back Judge: Scott Helverson



THE GAME CAN BE HEARD...
On ESPN Radio 920 in Las Vegas with Andrew Siciliano handling play-by-play and Mike Pritchard with color commentary.


THE SERIES – GLADIATORS VS. AVENGERS

This will be the third meeting between the Gladiators and the Avengers. The Avengers have taken both meetings between the two organizations including a 62-55 win in Las Vegas on Feb. 14 of this year. In that game, Kevin Ingram knocked away a Clint Dolezel pass in the endzone as time expired.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

If the Gladiators win, it would
· Give the Gladiators a 1-2 record vs. the Avengers
· Give Las Vegas a 8-7 overall record
· Give Las Vegas a 3-5 road record

SCHEDULES


LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS (7-7)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Feb. 6 @ Colorado 6:00 L 42-43
Feb. 14 Los Angeles 12:00 L 55-62
Feb. 22 @ Grand Rapids 12:00 W 51-14
Feb. 29 New Orleans 12:00 W 50-30
March 7 @ Georgia 9:00 AM L 40-55
March 14 Arizona 3:00 W 65-64 (ot)
March 20 @ San Jose 7:30 L 62-79
March 27 @ Orlando 4:30 L 43-60
April 4 Chicago 3:00 L 55-57
April 10 @ Arizona 7:00 L 63-80
BYE
April 25 Detroit 12:00 W 60-34
May 2 Indiana 12:00 W 60-38
May 8 @ Philadelphia 4:30 W 63-35
May 16 San Jose 3:00
May 22 @ Los Angeles 7:30
May 30 Columbus 3:00
All times PST


LOS ANGELES AVENGERS (8-6)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Feb. 8 @ Arizona 12:00 W 51-32
Feb. 14 @ Las Vegas 12:00 W 62-55
Feb.22 San Jose 12:00 L 55-61
March 1 Georgia 7:30 L 52-53
BYE
March 14 @ Grand Rapids 9:00 AM W 48-33
March 21 @ Dallas 1:00 W 60-44
March 26 @ San Jose 7:30 L 52-55
April 3 Austin 7:30 W 81-70
April 10 Colorado 7:30 L 55-57
April 16 Detroit 7:30 W 62-55
April 25 @ Chicago 12:00 W 71-35
May 1 Arizona 7:30 L 42-38
May 9 @ Tampa Bay 12:00 L 55-63
May 16 @ New York 12:00 W 58-53
May 22 Las Vegas 7:30
May 30 Orlando 1:00
All times PST

GLADIATORS VS. AVENGERS
BY THE NUMBERS

Statistical GLADIATORS AVENGERS
Category (2004 Per Game) Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 3 53.8 1 57.1
Scoring Defense 10 49.0 14 50.6
Total Offense 1 297.1 2 281.4
Total Defense 2 244.8 19 282.6
Pass Offense 1 279.7 2 268.6
Pass Defense 1 217.5 19 272.6
Rushing Offense 11 17.4 16 12.9
Rushing Defense 15 27.3 1 10.0
Pass Rating 4 118.1 2 126.6
Pass Defense Rating 3 101.3 15 120.5
Turnover Margin 9 +3 2 +14
Sacks By 8 12 5 15
Sacks Against 1t 4 11 14
3rd Down Conversion % 1 57.0 11 48.0
Opponent 3rd Down Conversion % 7 46.7 9 48.8
Red Zone Offense Scoring Percentage 6 85.3 3 88.4
Red Zone Defense Scoring Percentage 18 88.6 12 84.6

GLADIATORS LAST WEEK

NASH SETS AFL RECORD IN GLADIATORS FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN

Las Vegas, NV, May 16, 2004 – Las Vegas Gladiators' offensive specialist Marcus Nash caught 11 receptions for 117 yards and three touchdowns as Las Vegas won their fourth consecutive game with a 44-35 victory over the San Jose SaberCats at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. With his 11 receptions, Nash set a new single season Arena Football League record with
139 receptions.

Both teams combined for nine turnovers and 21 penalties in the Gladiators victory. The victory for Las Vegas evens their record at 7-7 and drops San Jose to 10-4.

The SaberCats opened the game by scoring the first 14 points, picking off Gladiators quarterback Clint Dolezel three times in the first half, including one that ADT Defensive Player of the Game Barry Wagner took 50 yards for a touchdown. The Gladiators scored on the final play of the second quarter to cut the San Jose lead to 21-12 at halftime.

The Gladiators lost kicker Brian Gowins in the second quarter, when he was tackled against the boards on a botched extra point. Las Vegas was forced to go for two the rest of the game, converting on 4 of 5 two point conversion attempts.

The Gladiators defense held their fourth straight opponent to less than forty points, picking off San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb three times, including two by Dennison Robinson.

Dolezel finished the game 28-of-47 passing for 289 yards with five touchdowns to go along with his three interceptions.

Grieb completed 17-of-26 passes for 192 yards with one touchdown in addition to his three interceptions.

THE COACHES


Frank Haege (Third Season 23-20 regular season, 0-2 in playoffs)
The Las Vegas Gladiators third-year head coach can look back upon his first two seasons in the AFL and boast about his wide array of accomplishments. Haege led the Gladiators to the fourth-best record in the AFL and their first-ever playoff berth in franchise history in 2002.

The 2003 season was the first for the Gladiators in Las Vegas and Haege led them to a second consecutive playoff appearance and an 8-8 record.

In 2002 the Gladiators 9-5 record and first place finish in the Eastern Division of the National Conference was the biggest turnaround in AFL history. The Gladiators finished the 2002 regular season with seven more victories than the previous season.

Haege was named the second head coach of the New Jersey Gladiators on August 23, 2001. Haege brought with him six players and an assistant coach from the Steamwheelers.

Previously, he spent two years as the head coach and director of football operations with the Quad City Steamwheelers (af2) in 2000 and 2001. Haege posted a remarkable 37-1 record, including an undefeated 2000 season.

Haege is in his tenth season in the Arena Football League.



Ed Hodgkiss (Third Season, 27-18, 0-2 in playoffs)

Hodgkiss, one of the brightest offensive masterminds in the Arena Football League, is in his third season as the head coach of the Los Angeles Avengers. In his first two seasons at the helm, he directed the Avengers to a 19-11 record. No head coach in AFL history has won more games in his first two seasons than Hodgkiss, who was the runner-up for the 2003 AFL "Coach of the Year" award.

Last season, the Avengers won a franchise-best 11 games and earned a first-round bye in the AFL Playoffs. Hodgkiss oversaw the league's most efficient offense, which scored 122 touchdowns (most in the AFL) on only 619 total plays (least in the AFL). Particularly lethal through the air, the 2003 Avengers averaged a league-leading 13.8 yards per reception.

Hodgkiss became the head coach of the Avengers on Oct. 5, 2001, and signed a five-year contract extension shortly after a 2002 season that saw him adroitly pilot the team to an 8-6 mark. Prior to joining the Avengers, Hodgkiss had been with the Indiana Firebirds since 1997. He was the team's offensive coordinator for three seasons (1999-2001). In each of those campaigns, Hodgkiss proved to be the architect of one of the AFL's most prolific offenses, ranking among the league leaders in most statistical categories.



2004 SEASON

Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 @ CO Damian Harrell (COL)
2 LA Tony Graziani (LA)
3 @ GR Clint Dolezel (LV)
4 NO Clint Dolezel (LV)
5 @ GEO Leon Murray (GEO)
6 ARI Marcus Nash (LV)
7 @ SJ Marcus Nash (LV)
8 @ ORL Connell Maynor (ORL)
9 CHI Etu Molden (CHI)
10 @ ARI Sherdrick Bonner (AZ)
11 BYE
12 DET Marcus Nash (LV)
13 IND Clint Dolezel (LV)
14 @ PHL Marcus Nash (LV)
15 SJ Marcus Nash (LV)


ADT Defensive Player of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 @ CO Ahmed Hawkins (COL)
2 LA Kevin Ingram (LA)
3 @ GR TJ Hill (LV)
4 NO Marvin Taylor (LV)
5 @ GEO Morris Anderson (GEO)
6 ARI Chameion Sutton (LV)
7 @ SJ Omarr Smith (SJ)
8 @ ORL Doug Miller (ORL)
9 CHI John Moyer (CHI)
10 @ AZ Hunkie Cooper (AZ)
11 BYE
12 DET Marvin Taylor (LV)
13 IND Cornelius Bonner (LV)
14 @ PHL Cornelius Bonner (LV)
15 SJ Barry Wagner (SJ)

Army Ironman of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 @ CO Kevin McKenzie (COL)
2 LA Kevin Ingram (LA)
3 @ GR Dennison Robinson (LV)
4 NO Cornelius Bonner (LV)
5 @GEO Dameon Porter (GEO)
6 ARI Maurice Bryant (LV)
7 @ SJ Rashied Davis (SJ)
8 @ ORL Cory Fleming (ORL)
9 CHI Dennison Robinson (LV)
10 @ AZ Wendall Gaines (AZ)
11 BYE
12 DET Coco Blalock (LV)
13 IND Frank Carter (LV)
14 @ PHL Marlion Jackson (PHL)
15 LV Coco Blaylock (LV)




AFL TOP 10: League Leaders after Week 13
GLADIATORS
Player Rank Category Stat
Clint Dolezel 1 Completions 331
2 Attempts 509
1 Yards 3838
1 Passing Yards Per Game 274.1
3 Touchdowns 80
2 Completion Pct. 65.0
6 Rating 118.0
1 Total Offense 277.4
3t Had Intercepted 11
Marcus Nash 1 Receptions 139
1 Receiving Yards 1634
1 Receiving TDs 42
1 Scoring 276
2 Receiving Yards Per Game 116.7
Frank Carter 9 Rushing TD's 10
Marvin Taylor 3t Interceptions 5
Cornelius Bonner 3t Interceptions 5
Dennison Robinson 3t Interceptions 5
Brian Gowins 6 PAT Kicking Percentage 89.4


MILESTONE WATCH

PLAYER MILESTONE CURRENT NUMBER TO GO
Marcus Nash 47 Touchdowns (AFL Record) 42 5
Dennison Robinson 100 career tackles 94.5 5.5


GLADIATORS' NOTES AND TRENDS


Gotta Start Somewhere
Last Sunday, Las Vegas came away with its first win versus the San Jose SaberCats in franchise-history with a 44-35 come-from-behind victory. The Gladiators were down 21-0 before they scored their first touchdown and outscored San Jose 44-14 to finish the game. The Red & Black are now 2-8 against the Western Conference all-time (1-4 vs. Arizona, 0-2 vs. Los Angeles and 1-2 vs. San Jose). Their other victory came earlier this season against Arizona in overtime when Las Vegas won 65-64.

Nash-ional Anthem
Marcus Nash caught 11 passes for 117 yards with three touchdowns to bring his season totals to 139 receptions for 1,634 yards and 42 TD's. His 139 receptions is now a current Arena Football League record and he is within range of breaking the league record of 46 receiving touchdowns in a season (Mike Horacek 2001, Chris Jackson 2003, Mike Furrey 2003). He has already shattered the Gladiators team records in touchdowns, receptions, receiving yards and points scored (276).

Lotsa Laundry
Last week when the Gladiators played the SaberCats both teams combined to total 21 penalties (LVG-11, SJ-10) to tie a league record (GEO vs. ORL, Apr. 20, 2002) and the two teams also eclipsed the most yards penalized in a game with 170 combined (LVG-93, SJ-77).

Quarterback...?Nah Kicker!!!
In the second quarter when kicker Brian Gowins went down with a sprained foot, the Gladiators were forced to go for two-point conversions for the remainder of the game. They converted on 4-of-5 for and extra 8 points. In addition, quarterback Clint Dolezel, a former all-state kicker in high school, took on the Gladiators kicking duties. In the third quarter, Las Vegas recovered a Dolezel on-side kick.

Welcome Back Joe
Joe Burch returned to action to face the SaberCats last week after missing the previous six games with a fractured eye socket. In his return he recorded his first sack of the season and was inserted back into the starting center position on offense.

Give Me That
In Las Vegas' four game winning streak they have picked off 12 passes (SJ-3, Phila-4, Ind-2, Det-3), tallying multiple interceptions in each contest. In the previous 10 games they had totaled only six INT's.

High Five
Cornelius Bonner, Marvin Taylor and Dennison Robinson are all ranked fourth in the league in interceptions with five. The only players with more interceptions are Orlando's Kenny McEntyre (9), San Jose's Omarr Smith (9) and Colorado's Rashad Floyd (6).

The Specialists
Marcus Nash and Chris Jackson have become two of the leagues most elite players and this week will be their second time going head-to-head. In their only meeting, earlier this season, they were both held to sub-par games as they both had only six receptions each. Nash went for 45 yards receiving with one TD and Jackson had 35 receiving yards with two TD's. Los Angeles came out on top with the victory 62-55.

Centennial
Dennison Robinson is only 5.5 tackles away from tallying his 100th career tackle. On the season he has 30 total tackles to go along with five interceptions, two breakups, one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery. On offense he has 36 receptions for 385 yards with seven TD's. He has also returned 16 kickoffs for 259 yards.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 19, 2004


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