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RiverRats Prepare for Erie

May 10, 2007 - American Indoor Football Association (AIFA)
Erie Explosion News Release


The Pittsburgh RiverRats of the AIFA will travel north up I-79 to begin a home-and-home series to be played on consecutive weekends, when they visit the Erie Freeze at the Tullio Arena at the Erie Civic Center on Saturday, May 12.

Pittsburgh enters the contest with a 5-6 record and tied for the fourth and last playoff spot out of the North Division. In their last game, the RiverRats lost on the road to the division-leading Reading Express 57-40. Erie has suffered through a difficult season thus far with a 1-10 record, although 5 of those losses were by a combined 18 points. This will be the first matchup between the two franchises.

In their last game, the RiverRats jumped out to a 20-14 lead late in the first half following a 38-yard fumble return for a touchdown by LB T.J. Carden. But a series of breakdowns on offense and special teams, including several botched center snaps, 4 interceptions, 4 missed extra points, and 2 unsuccessful onside kicks, allowed Reading to take over the game in the second half. QB David Dinkins completed 11 of 29 for 165 yards and 3 touchdown passes and added a touchdown run. WR Marko Thomas had 5 catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. On defense, CB Corey Oaks recorded his team-leading sixth interception of the season.

Placekicker David Abdul has missed the last 6 games due to injury, but is expected to rejoin the team this weekend. However DT Phil Tillman, who has anchored the RiverRats defensive line all season, is questionable with a sore hamstring that forced him to sit out most of the Reading game last weekend.

This game marks the return of David Dinkins to Erie, where he was the starting QB for the last 2 seasons, which included 2 playoff appearances and winning the league's MVP award in 2005. The roster for the RiverRats also includes cornerbacks Reggie Blanchard and Eugene Padgett, both of whom played in the Erie defensive secondary last season, and are also making their first trip to Erie as the opposition.

RiverRats Head Coach Shawn Liotta is anxious to get the series started. "We had some mental breakdowns last week which hurt us, and we just didn't execute the way we know we can. Our guys understand that we need this game to stay in playoff contention, and that Erie, despite its record, isn't going to just hand it to us, especially at home. We need to manage all the emotion and the attention of Dinkins and Blanchard returning to Erie, and just focus. They have dangerous wideouts in Manny Johnson and Darmel Whitfield that we'll need to control, and they've got the veteran kicker in J.R. Cipra, who we saw in Canton, who is a threat to score from anywhere. We're expecting a raucous playoff-type atmosphere up there, but we practiced very well this week, and we'll be ready."

The Pittsburgh RiverRats return home on Saturday, May 19, for their rematch against the Erie Freeze, at the Rostraver Ice Garden Arena in Belle Vernon. For ticket information, the RiverRats can be reached at (724)379-4070 or online at www.pittsburghriverrats.com.

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