Philadelphia Soul reach out to af2, sign three
October 9, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release
PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Soul have signed WR Steve Gonzalez and DB Brian Mance from the af2's Manchester Wolves to go along with DL John Fields from the Everett Hawks. As per club policy, terms of their deals were not disclosed.
"We've had a lot of success with players coming from af2," head coach Bret Munsey said. "I feel these three are the elite at there positions and will have a great opportunity to help us win a championship here in Philadelphia."
Fields (6'4", 264, Central Washington) comes to Philadelphia for his first season in the AFL after playing for the Everett Hawks of af2. While with the Hawks, he recorded 25.5 tackles, 7.5 tackles for losses, five sacks, three breakups, two blocked kicks, two safeties, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Prior to playing Arena Football, Fields spent time in the National Indoor Football League.
Gonzalez (6'0", 180, Menlo College) had a stellar 2006 season with the Manchester Wolves of af2, in which he tallied a total of 2,525 all-purpose yards (fourth in the league) and finished with 276 points scored (second in the league). In 15 games played on offense, he collected 1,355 receiving yards (fifth in the league), 118 receptions (fifth in the league) and 45 touchdowns (second in the league). Defensively, he broke up seven passes and intercepted one pass. The New Jersey native was on pace to break all of current Soul teammate J.J. McKelvey's offensive records for the Wolves (47 touchdowns, 1,720 receiving yards, 162 receptions, 334 points) before suffering an ankle injury that kept him out of the last two regular season games and all of the playoffs.
Mance (5'10", 185, Clemson) joins Gonzalez and McKelvey as former members of the Manchester Wolves to sign with the Soul. He also comes to Philadelphia after spending time with McKelvey in college at Clemson where they were teammates. Last season with the Wolves, he tallied 76.5 tackles, four interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, 10 pass breakups and one fumble recovered for a score. On offense, he caught four passes for 39 yards to go along with four returned kicks for 16 yards.
The Soul roster has 20 players with 13 returning players from the 2006 season (WR/DB Mike Brown, DS Roland Cola, DS Clarence Curry, K Todd France, QB Tony Graziani, OL/DL Mike Mabry, WR/LB J.J. McKelvey, OL/DL Dwayne Missouri, DS Eddie Moten, FB/LB Raheem Orr, FB/LB Wes Ours, WR/LB Sean Scott and FB/LB Darnell Small). They also have four players they signed last season during the free agency signing period who entered NFL training camps this season (OL/DL Jason Davis, OS Isaac West, DS Aric Williams and DS Brandon Williams) eligible for Soul training camp.
Season tickets for the Soul's 2007 season are on sale now. Tickets start as low as $96. For more information call (888) PHIL-AFL or log on to www.philadelphiasoul.com. The Soul are entering their fourth season in the AFL and have drawn a League best 387,491 fans combined during the past three years with averaging more than 93% of the building being sold out.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from October 9, 2006
- Dragons add six players to roster - New York Dragons
- Philadelphia Soul reach out to af2, sign three - Philadelphia Soul
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