Norfolk Nighthawks Game Notes
June 10, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Norfolk Nighthawks News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Norfolk Nighthawks (5-4) at Albany Conquest (8-1)
Date: Saturday, June 14, 2003
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. EST
Site: Pepsi Arena (13,901)
National Anthem: Miranda Mirabella
Coin Toss: Head Referee
Officials: Ed Kierce (Head Referee)
Broadcast: Internet broadcast via www.albanyconquest.com
Series Record: 1st Ever meeting
Streaks: NOR â LOST 2, ALB â WON 6
THE STAKES: The Norfolk Nighthawks felt the sting of defeat again this past week, as the Charleston Swamp Foxes repaid the Hawks for their first defeat at the beginning of the season. The Swamp Foxes road the arm of QB Johnny Turman and snapped a two-game losing skid with a 68-44 win over the Nighthawks. This second loss in a row puts a severe damper on what had been a euphoric rise to the top of their American Atlantic division. The Nighthawks need to get their offense back on track and that means getting their passer Aaron Sparrow and OS Travis Burns back into their record-breaking form ... which they had been close to up until the past two games.
THE SERIES: This matchup will be the first ever meeting between these two franchises. This game will also be a test of long-distance heart as the Conquest face the Nighthawks in their home dome. The Nighthawks will be facing a team which has one six straight and has lost only one game. Quite an impressive feat in any league, let alone the af2.
THE IFs:
If NORFOLK defeats the CONQUEST, it would ...
· Give NORFOLK a 1-0 all-time lead over the CONQUEST
· Snap NORFOLK's 2-game losing streak
· Give the NIGHTHAWKS a head of steam as they face the CONQUEST at Scope the following weekend
· Get the NIGHTHAWKS back into a competitive stance as they head into the playoffs... the NIGHTHAWKS slipped to two games behind the American Atlantic leading CAPE FEAR WILDCATS
HEAD COACHES: Rick Fraizer brings more than a quarter century worth of coaching experience to the Norfolk Nighthawks in his new capacity as the team's Head Coach. Frazier comes to Norfolk after spending the 2002 season with the Toronto Phantoms of the AFL. Frazier served the Phantoms as their Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator.
Pete Costanza enters his first season as head coach of the Conquest. In 2002, Pete turned around a 0-16 Columbus (GA) Wardogs team and finished 4-12, including having the league's #5 ranked defense. Costanza, a New Jersey native, brings over seven years of arena football coaching experience to the Capital region, which includes stops with the New Jersey Red Dogs, Roanoke Steam, Norfolk Nighthawks, Iowa Barnstormers and the Wardogs. Costanza has coached every position in arena football and will be responsible for calling both the offense and defense for the Conquest in 2003.
FAMILIAR FACES: Albany Head Coach, Pete Costanza, served as Offensive Coordinator for Norfolk during the 2001 season...OS Corey Hill played in three games for Norfolk in 2001, catching nine passes for 117 yards and three touchdowns...QB Ryan Vena was in camp with Hill and Costanza, but was released prior to the start of the season...Albany FB/LB Leroy Thompson also played for Norfolk in 2001, picking up 2.5 tackles and one sack in two games of action.
LAST SERIES MEETING: This will mark the first-ever meeting of these two teams.
FORWARD MOTION: Next week, the Nighthawks will return home to face the Conquest for the second of their two-game double header.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
NIGHTHAWKS: OS Travis Burns: Burns, a 2nd Year player out of Liberty, is amongst the af2 leaders in most offensive categories. He is currently 8th in the league in scoring (122 pts) and receptions (63), 2nd in receiving yards (910) and 1st in All-Purpose yards (1,881). Last season, Burns became just the thirst player in af2 history to amass 1,00 receiving and 100 rushing yards in a single season. Burns has scored 17 of the Nighthawks' 34 passing touchdowns this season, while picking up another two on the ground. He is also averaging 22.3 yards per kick return with one score (57 yds).
CONQUEST: WR/DB Jamie Ware: Ware, playing in his second season with Albany, is enjoying a very fine season on both sides of the ball. Ware, who is one of the most prolific receivers ever to come out of Shippensburg (PA), has more than doubled his offensive output form a year ago, while playing solid defense at his WR/DB spot. Ware is currently the 3rd leading receiver on the team, catching 24 passes for 388 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is also tied for the team lead with three interceptions, to go along with 9.5 tackles, four pass breakups and a forced fumble.
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