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Portland Hosts Jacksonville for the First Time

July 7, 2015 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Portland Thunder News Release


PORTLAND - The Portland Thunder (3-10, 1-3) host the Jacksonville Sharks (7-6, 1-3) for the first time this Saturday from the Moda Center. Kickoff is set for 7:00pm PDT. Fans can listen on 750AM THE GAME starting at 6:30pm, and also watch live on CSNNW, ESPN3, or the WatchESPN.com app.

A rematch of the Thunder's first ever victory, this is the second meeting between Portland and Jacksonville. The Thunder found themselves in a back and forth game in the 'Sunshine State' on April 26, 2014, with both teams consistently holding serve, scoring on nearly every possession, until a third quarter Bryce Peila pick-six turned the game on its head. The interception return gave the Thunder a two score lead that proved enough to hold off a late Sharks charge, and Portland emerged from north Florida with their first win, 69-62.

The Thunder enter this weekend's game similarly to the way they entered their foray with the Sharks last season, on the heels of a close loss to a conference opponent. Portland fullback John Martinez had a career game, scoring four rushing touchdowns against Las Vegas on June 28, but it wasn't enough to prevent a last second, one yard touchdown run by Outlaws back-up QB Dennis Havrilla from breaking the Thunder's hearts, as the Outlaws stole a 48-46 victory.

"I felt like we were clicking on offense. I thought we moved the ball well. We were scoring on one play (drives)," Thunder quarterback Kyle Rowley said following the game. "Everyone has to focus on playing smart when we have a lead. Maybe they're (Las Vegas) not on the one yard line (at the end) if we keep our composure."

Further development of composure and poise is the main initiative on the minds of the coaching staff as the Thunder head into their first game of the final quarter of the 2015 AFL season.

"They're learning to focus on themselves," head coach Mike Hohensee stated, regarding the current emphasis. "Jacksonville is obviously very good team, but we need to zero in on fixing ourselves right now. We're making great plays, but losing out on the spoils with personal foul calls. We are taking this stance on personal responsibility now, so that when the do-or-die moments of the next few weeks inevitably come, those moments won't be too big for us to handle."

Thunder WR/KR Duane Brooks still sits on the verge of tying the single season kick return touchdown record. Kept out of the endzone each of the last two games, Duane still leads the league in both return yardage and return touchdowns, with 1584 yards and six scores respectively.

The Sharks have a potential record breaker of their own. DL Joe Sykes is one sack away from tying his own single season sack record of 16.0, set in 2012 as a member of the San Jose SaberCats. Sykes, who signed with Jacksonville from San Jose this past offseason, appears three times now on the AFL's top five single season sack listing.

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