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Rochester Brigade Game Notes

April 4, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Rochester Brigade News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Rochester Brigade (0-0) vs. Mohegan Wolves (0-0)
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2003
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Mohegan Sun Arena (7,564)
National Anthem: TBA
Coin Toss: TBA
Officials: William Gosselin, Referee Michael Delaney, Umpire Stephan Toal, Head Linesman Anthony Solomine, Line Judge Derwin Williams, Back Judge
Radio: WYSL 1040 AM
Series Record: Rochester leads 2-1
Last Meeting: Brigade 28, Wolves 18 at Mohegan 7-19-02
Coaches: Mark Saunders (11-21, 3rd Season) Mark Stoute (0-0, 1st Season)

THE STAKES:

This is the first game of the season for both teams.

HEAD COACH:

Mark Saunders is entering his third season as the Rochester Brigade head coach with a combined mark of 11-21 during the regular season. After turning things around at the end of his first season, the team finished on a two-game winning streak, a 4-12 record for the team's inaugural year. In his second season as the head coach of the Brigade Saunders led the team to a 7-9 mark and the teams first ever birth in the post season. Saunders brings an abundance of football knowledge and recruiting experience to the Brigade organization, and looks to build upon the success he has encountered the last couple of years and lead the Brigade to another successful season in 2003. During the 2002 season Saunders turned around the teams offense, which led the league in total offensive plays (770), second in rushing attempts (209), fourth in total rushing (40.9 yds/g), third in pass completions (341) and fourth in pass completion percentage (60.8).

In addition to championing the Brigade on the field, off the field Saunders has become a key attribute in the community. Over the past season he has visited numerous schools, youth football teams, high schools and a variety of other youth organizations providing advice about the importance of education, team work and staying on the right path in life. Saunders and the Rochester Brigade will continue to expand their roles in the Rochester community.

Saunders comes to the Brigade after spending the past eight seasons on the North Carolina A&T Aggies coaching staff. He had two stints as an aide with the Aggies, winning the Black College National Championship in the 1999 season. Saunders coached the running backs during the 1990 campaign before moving to Illinois State for one season. While at Illinois State, Saunders coached Toby Davis who set a single season rushing record. Before coming to N.C. A&T in 1990, Saunders served as a graduate assistant for one season at the University of Virginia, where he coached the defensive line. During his tenure in the ACC, the Cavaliers participated in the 1989 Kick-Off Classic and Citrus Bowl. Saunders also had the privilege to coach the 1997 Buchanan award winner, Chris McNiel. The Buchanan award goes to the Top Defensive player in Division I-AA annually, and he also sent two Defensive Linemen to participate in the 1997 Hula Bowl from North Carolina A&T. Saunders has had the privilege of working with NFL players Maurice Smith who is currently a running back with the Atlanta Falcons, and Michael Basnight who played for Cincinnati and is currently with the Houston Texans during his tenure at A&T.

THE SERIES:

The Brigade leads the all-time series against the Wolves, 2-1. All three of the games were played last season.

SERIES NOTABLES:

This will be the fourth meeting between the Brigade and Wolves and the first meeting in 2003. The Brigade took the series last season by winning two games.

FAMILIAR FACES:

Brigade Kicker Charles Eger played the first five games of the 2002 season with the Mohegan Wolves. This will be Eger's third season with the Brigade. He played for Rochester in 2001 and 2002.

LAST SERIES MEETING:

The Rochester Brigade defeated the Wolves 28-18, clinching a playoff birth. Brigade QB Matt D'Orazio passed for 181 yards and two touchdowns. With 1:00 minute remaining, Rochester OS Martino Theus caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from D'Orazio to finish off the Wolves. The catch made Theus the af2's single season record holder for receptions, with 149 catches on the year. ADT Defensive Player of the Game Lamonte Coleman added 2.5 tackles.

Catch Me, If You Can: Martino Theus is the Brigade's all time leader in receptions (176), and receiving yards (1,753). He had a career high 195 receiving yards vs. New Haven 5/3/02 and tied a team high four touchdown in a game with four @ Greensboro 6/15/02. He has registered at least 100 receiving yards in 11 of his 22 career games with Rochester. In 2002, he ranked second in the league in receptions (160), receiving yards per game (109.6) and receiving yards (1,753) and led the team in all-purpose yards (1,991).

My Turn: Jason Visconti takes over the QB duties this season after being the backup to Matt D'Orazio who is now with the AFL's Buffalo Destroyers. In seven contests last season, Visconti completed 17 of 36 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns. He played the entire second half the final game of the season against the New Haven Ninjas, where he completed 15 of 28 passes for 201 yards and three scores, including a long pass of 41 yards for a score.

Double-Trouble: Derek Baker returned to the Brigade for his second season in 2002 after leaving the AFL's Buffalo Destroyers practice squad. In his return, Baker was converted into a two-way player and was one of the best in the league. Playing in just seven games on the season, he quickly learned the defensive side of the game and registered 24 tackles (22 solo), two interceptions and seven pass breakups. Offensively, he continued to dominate on the field, catching 49 passes for 617 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also rushed the ball six times for two additional scores and returned 18 kickoffs for 295 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown. He was named the Game IRONMAN on three separate occasions and was the arenafootball2 league IRONMAN of the week on June 29, against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers. In the playoffs, Baker registered three catches for 57 yards with a score, returned four kickoffs for 98 yards and registered two tackles and two pass breakups.

Top Of The Line: Antonio Dingle returns to Rochester after spending time in training camp with the AFL's New York Dragons. He played his first season of Arena Football with the Brigade last season after spending time in the NFL and NFL Europe. Dingle was drafted in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and was later claimed off of waivers by the Green Bay Packers, where he played nine games and registered six tackles. He was later claimed by the Carolina Panthers and allocated to the Scottish Claymores of the NFLEL, where in 2000 he was a member of the Claymores' defensive "Hounds" that provided the backbone of the league's number one ranked defense. He started all ten regular season games that year and competed in the World Bowl 2000, while racking up 24 tackles and tied for the team lead with seven sacks. For the Brigade, he played in 15 games registering 20.5 tackles and leading the team with 9.5 sacks. He also registered 6.5 tackles for a loss of yards and forced four fumbles. Dingle was named the team's Built Ford Tough Player of the game on three occasions.

East On I-90: Buffalo native Teddy McDuffie makes his af2 debut with the Brigade this season. He spent the majority of the 2002 season on the practice squad of the AFL's Buffalo Destroyers. McDuffie made a great impact in the secondary for the University of Buffalo Bulls after spending three seasons at Temple University. In his one and only season for the Bulls, McDuffie led the team with 98 tackles (57 solo) one fumble recovery and forced fumble as well as two interceptions. McDuffie was also a three-year lettermen at Temple and in his final season tallied an impressive 75 solo stops with 86 total tackles. In his three-year Temple career, McDuffie made 176 tackles and had three forced fumbles with one interception. In his sophomore season he had a career high 14 tackles against the national powerhouse Miami Hurricanes. McDuffie is also one of only eight true freshmen to ever start a game for Temple University.

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