Regular Season Wraps Up This Weekend
Published on June 22, 2010 under Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) News Release
LAKE CHARLES, LA (JUNE 22, 2010) - The Southern Indoor Football League enters its final weekend of the regular season with its top two teams, the Albany Panthers (8-2) and the Columbus Lions (7-3), pitted against one another along with the "I-10" rivalry between the Louisiana Swashbucklers (5-5) and the Lafayette Wildcatters (5-5) deciding who finishes third overall in the final standings.
This past weekend with their 66-15 road victory over the Greenville Force, the Albany Panthers uncorked those bottles of champagne as their third win over the Force clinched home-field advantage throughout the 2010 playoffs. Clinching home-field is important considering the inter-SIFL record for home teams is 18-5, even more so as the Panthers finished the regular season 6-0.
This Saturday, Albany wraps up the regular season with their inter-state foe the Columbus Lions ending their current four game road game stretch. Now they can sit a little more comfortably as the road to the 2010 SIFL championship will have to come thru Albany, GA. The first playoff game in Albany will take place on Saturday July 10th at 7:30 p.m.
Also clinching a home playoff spot were the Columbus Lions in their 58-55 defeat of the Lafayette Wildcatters. The Lions rode into the Cajun Dome and become the first club to come out of Lafayette with a road victory. Even though they clinched a home playoff game, the Lions will be looking to avoid being swept by the Panthers and create some momentum as they venture into the playoffs. Before doing so, Columbus will have to re-write their previous two losses in which the offense has struggled against the Albany defense only averaging 192 yards/game while giving up eight turnovers.
In their current two-game winning streak, the Lions seem to be peaking at the right time averaging 324 yards in that streak with a lot of that being attributed to the spark provided by wide receiver Lonnell Dewalt. Offensive Player of the Week for Week 13, in two weeks Dewalt amassed 15 receptions for 284 yards and nine touchdowns. Thanks to the resurgence on offense, the Lions home playoff date for the first round has been set for Thursday July 8th at 7:30 p.m.
The "I-10" rivalry will reach its peak this weekend when the Lafayette Wildcatters head into Lake Charles looking to complete the season sweep of the Swashbucklers. Only problem is Louisiana currently boasts one of sport's longest home winning streaks at 33 games. The winner of this game will decide who finishes third or fourth overall in the regular season standings and choosing who will have to either travel to Albany or Columbus. After this game, both will be heading to Georgia as the winner will head to Columbus and the loser to Albany.
In order to complete the sweep, the Wildcatters will have to improve upon a pass defense that desperately missed defensive back Clarence Pendleton this past weekend. In their loss to the Lions, the Catters defense allowed 338 yards of offense and collected no turnovers. Lafayette's pass defense was integral part in their June 5th victory over Louisiana as Buc's quarterback Freddie Harrison struggled only completing 15 of 32 passes for 195 yards.
For Louisiana, Saturday will be the end to a disappointing 2010 regular season. After having last weekend off, the Bucs game on Saturday in the Smugglers Den will have a playoff atmosphere as it will mark the last home game of the season. With the playoffs comes new life and the Bucs will have the chance to defend their 09 title, unfortunately they will have to do so on the road where they finished 0-5. Despite the weary road numbers, when the 2010 playoffs begin the Swashbucklers will have the most playoff savvy club as majority of the players on the roster have been a part of the clubs three consecutive titles.
Playoff atmosphere in the Southern Indoor Football League is abound and will begin this Saturday night when the Albany Panthers travel the Jungle to take on the Columbus Lions for a 7:30 EST kickoff. Thirty minutes later at 7:00 p.m. CT, the "I-10" rivalry between Lafayette and Louisiana will resume with playoff implications on the line.
For more information from around the Southern Indoor Football League, log on to www.southernifl.com.
Southern Indoor Football League Stories from June 22, 2010
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