Potential conference title preview in Big D this Saturday

Published on March 2, 2005 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release

NEW YORK – Rookie QB CLINT STOERNER (6-2, 210, Arkansas) and the AFLWA's No. 3 Dallas Desperados (4-1) find themselves in an important early-season National Conference battle when QB ANDY KELLY (6-3, 220, Tennessee) and the No. 1 New Orleans VooDoo (4-1) come to the American Airlines Center this Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on FSN-Southwest and INHD.

NBC games will feature the San Jose SaberCats (1-3) traveling to TD Waterhouse Centre to face the Orlando Predators (4-1), while the New York Dragons (3-1) head to Wachovia Center to play the Philadelphia Soul (2-3) – both at noon ET on Sunday. NBC studio host AL TRAUTWIG and analyst GLENN PARKER will be in the studio for halftime commentary and postgame wrap-up interviews.

Stoerner, Offensive Player of the Week for Week 5, is an emerging star, completing 90-for-142 passes (63.4%) for 1,276 yards with 25 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He has one of the league's best trios – WILL PETTIS (6-0, 200, Midwestern State), JASON SHELLEY (6-2, 192, Central State-OH) and BOBBY SIPPIO (6-3, 215, Western Kentucky) – at his disposal. The three standouts have combined for 80 receptions, 1,141 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Kelly, who will be starting his record-setting 125th consecutive game, has completed 153-for-221 passes (69.2%) for 1,569 yards with 32 touchdowns and three interceptions. He is on pace for a career record 102 touchdown passes. His arsenal of receivers include the League's top triple threat – AARON BAILEY (5-11, 190, Louisville), THABITI DAVIS (6-3, 210, Wake Forest) and JACQUES RUMPH (5-8, 180, Carson Newman). The trio has tallied 122 receptions for 1,338 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Record-setting QB AARON GARCIA (6-1, 195, Sacramento State) leads the surging New York Dragons (3-1) when they head to Wachovia Center to play QB TONY GRAZIANI (6-3, 210, Oregon) and the Philadelphia Soul (2-3) in an Eastern Division showdown on Sunday at Noon ET on NBC. Philadelphia interim head coach JAMES FULLER will make his AFL debut and will look to emerging two-way star WR/LB SEAN SCOTT (6-2, 200, Millersville) to face off against Week 5 U.S. Army Ironman of the Week WR/LB MIKE HORACEK (6-2, 200, Iowa State).

San Jose WR/DB BARRY WAGNER (6-3, 225, Alabama A&M) makes his return to TD Waterhouse, where he earned six Ironman of the Year and two MVP awards, when the defending champion SaberCats face QB JOE HAMILTON (5-10, 190, Georgia Tech) and the Orlando Predators (4-1) on Sunday at noon ET on NBC.

Wagner travels back to Orlando with a new title under his belt—the all-time AFL receptions leader. He didn't have much to say about breaking the record on Feb. 20 at Los Angeles, though. "Records are meant to be broken," Wagner said. "It doesn't mean anything right now. They aren't important if we don't win."

Hamilton, who is 13-6 as a starting quarterback, will look to outshine former Offensive Player of the Year, San Jose QB MARK GRIEB (6-3, 208, Cal-Davis). Grieb, who is 54-18 as a starter, has completed 66.1-percent of his passes, connected on 25 touchdowns and tallied a 112.8 passer rating.

Games slated for Week 6 include: Austin at Las Vegas on Friday; New Orleans New Orleans at Dallas (FSN-Southwest-*11:30 p.m., INHD) on Saturday; San Jose at Orlando (NBC, The Score-Canada), New York at Philadelphia (NBC, NASN-Europe), Grand Rapids at Tampa Bay, Columbus at Georgia, Nashville at Chicago, Los Angeles at Arizona (AFL Net-www.arenafootball.com) on Sunday. The Colorado Crush have a bye week.

ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE WRITERS' ASSOCIATION (AFLWA) POLL
RANK TEAM RECORD VOTES (FIRST PLACE)
1 New Orleans VooDoo 4-1 94 (7)
2 Orlando Predators 4-1 88 (3)
3 Dallas Desperados 4-1 82 (2)
4 Georgia Force 4-1 80 (2)
5 New York Dragons 3-1 50
6 Colorado Crush 3-2 48
7 Tampa Bay Storm 2-2 24
8 Los Angeles Avengers 3-2 20
Also receiving votes: Las Vegas Gladiators 15, Chicago Rush 2 and Philadelphia Soul 1.

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 2, 2005

• Potential conference title preview in Big D this Saturday - AFL I
• Race for career TD record heats up in week six - AFL I
• Preds sign Anthony Bright to practice squad - Orlando Predators
• Barry Wagner returns to Orlando - San Jose SaberCats
• Force QB Kubiak out for remainder of the season - Georgia Force
• Kats To Hold Faith and Family Night On March 12 - Nashville Kats
• Crush's Floyd named AFL's Defensive Player of the Week - Colorado Crush
• Rattlers Release Hunkie Cooper - Arizona Rattlers
• AFL on NBC moves to noon kickoff for weeks 6-8 and 10 - AFL I
• Tampa Bay Storm game notes - Tampa Bay Storm

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.