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April 5, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


CHARLESTON SWAMP FOXES (0-0) AT NORFOLK NIGHTHAWKS (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2003 - SCOPE ARENA (8,965) 7:00 P.M. ET

An inter-division battle unfolds in Norfolk Saturday night when the Charleston Swamp Foxes, in their first season as a member of the Atlantic Division, meet up with the Nighthawks in the season opener for both clubs. The Swamp Foxes, led by first-year head coach RIK RICHARDS, looked to be improved on offense this season thanks to the acquisition of MAJOR HARRIS at the quarterback position. Out of football since the mid-1990's, Harris hopes to rejuvenate his career in Charleston. The Nighthawks, led by first-year head coach RICK FRAZIER, counter with af2 veteran QB AARON SPARROW, who ranks 2nd all-time with a 122.9 passer rating and was named af2's first-ever Offensive Player of the Year. Sparrow is returning to the af2 after two seasons in the AFL. Defensively, the Swamp Foxes bring back defensive specialist MICHAEL BROWN, who led the team in tackles (58.0) and interceptions (11) last season. This is the sixth meeting between the teams, with the Nighthawks holding a 3-2 edge, including a 42-42 decision in their last meeting on June 22, 2002. Four of the previous five meetings between these teams have been decided by one touchdown or less, including three meetings determined by three points or less. The Nighthawks went 7-3 over the last 10 games of the 2002 season, and are 20-4 all-time at home during the regular season.

ALBANY CONQUEST (0-0) AT RICHMOND SPEED (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2002 - RICHMOND COLISEUM (11,088) 7:00 P.M. ET

The Albany Conquest and Richmond Speed renew their heated inter-division rivalry on Saturday night in Richmond, in the first of back-to-back meetings. The Conquest come in as the defending Northeast Division Champions, after an impressive 13-3 inaugural season that saw the team make it to the conference semifinals. PETE COSTANZA is the new head coach after RON SELESKY was promoted to the AFL. Costanza has added a few newcomers to compliment the core of returners. One of Costanza'a acquisitions is fullback/linebacker RON PERRY, who spent six seasons in the AFL and was twice named to the ALL-AFL defensive team. Highlighting the list of returners to the Conquest is offensive specialist COREY HILL, who caught a professional football record 161 passes last season. For the Speed, led by fourth-year coach RICHARD DAVIS, the biggest change was the departure of QB BOB BEES to the AFL. Despite the loss at QB, several key performers of the past few seasons are back for Davis' squad, including two-time af2 Ironman of the Year KEVIN HARVEY and FB/LB RODNEY SLEDGE, who led the team with eight sacks last year. These teams met twice in 2002, splitting the series with both games coming down to the final minute.

MEMPHIS XPLORERS (0-0) AT COLUMBUS WARDOGS (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2002 - COLUMBUS CIVIC CENTER 7:00 P.M. ET

The Memphis Xplorers and Columbus Wardogs meet for the first time in league history on Saturday at the Columbus Civic Center. Memphis is coached by DANTON BARTO (2nd season) and this week lost their quarterback (CLEO LEMON) to the NFL. To fill the void, the Xplorers traded for Tennessee Valley back-up WES COUNTS, but Counts has since decided not play, so the Xplorers will look to KEVIN CARTY or GARY PEETE to step up at the spot. Columbus is coming off a 4-12 season, but have since hired JOHN FOURCADE as head coach. Fourcade last season led the Florida Firecats to an improbable ArenaCup appearance. Fourcade has retooled the Wardogs roster, adding some of TALLAHASEE'S best from 2002, including WR/DB JAMES DICKERSON and WR/LB MESIAH PORTER. Both Porter and Dickerson are among the top af2 scorers of all-time. This is the only meeting between these two teams this season.

LOUISVILLE FIRE (1-0) AT CAPE FEAR WILDCATS (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2002 - CROWN COLISEUM (8,920) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Louisville Fire looks for win No.2 on the season as they head to Fayetteville, N.C. for their first-ever tilt with the Cape Fear Wildcats. Last week the Fire got past the expansion Cincinnati Swarm, and this week they face the defending Atlantic Division champion Wildcats. WR/DB NORMAN MASON had a big game for the Fire last week, catching 4 passes for 100 yards and three touchdowns, along with one interception that he returned for a touchdown. This week, he'll see if he can do it against his old squad. Mason was third on the Wildcats with nine receiving touchdowns last season. The Wildcats had the best defense in af2 last season, and even though sack-master E.J. BURT has since departed to the AFL, head coach CHRIS SIEGFRIED (2nd season) has managed to keep most of the pieces in place for another deep postseason run. Under center for the Wildcats this season is QB BRYAN SNYDER, who is now with his fifth af2 team. Snyder is fourth on the all-time list with 131 touchdown passes. This is the only meeting between these clubs this season. The Wildcats were 6-2 at home last season, while the Fire went 1-7 on the road.

TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS (0-0) AT FLORIDA FIRECATS (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2002 - TECO ARENA (7,128) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Tennessee Valley Vipers have switched conferences and on Saturday they tangle with one of their new division foes in the Florida Firecats. One of af2's charter members, the Vipers are led by head coach KEVIN GUY (2nd season) and have brought back one of the leagues best arms of all-time in MATT SAUK. Sauk tossed an af2 record 86 touchdowns for the Vipers in 2001 and spent last season in the AFL. One of Sauk's main targets this season will be XAVIER PATTERSON, who is in his fourth af2 season and 50 points shy of 500 for his career. BEN BENNETT, who served as an assistant on the conference champion squad last season, coaches the Firecats this season. QB BRYAN SPARACINO is back under center for the 'Cats and his main go-to guy ANTHONY DIXON has also returned. Dixon, who led the team with 78 catches last season, has played in every Firecats' game in team history. The Firecats won 11 of the 12 times they scored 40 or more points last season, including the postseason. The Vipers are 15-1 on the road over the past two seasons.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (0-0) AT GREENSBORO PROWLERS (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2002 - GREENSBORO COLISEUM (8,350) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers open their second season on the road, as they face the fourth-year Greensboro Prowlers Saturday night. Greensboro, led this season by former Roanoke Steam head coach STEVEN JERRY, ended last season on a 0-5 skid, but did record take both meetings against the Pioneers. CALEB SLOVER will take the snaps for the Prowlers this season and he'll look downfield for ANTOINE CALLOWAY, who is back for his second season. Last year, Calloway was seventh in af2 with 111 receptions. He totaled 1,462 yards and 20 touchdowns. The Pioneers are led by DEAN COKINOS (1st season), who was promoted to the head spot from defensive coordinator just a few weeks ago. At QB for the Pioneers is former New Haven Ninja CHRIS BODEN, who once threw seven scores against the Pioneers. The Pioneers and Prowlers meet again on May 23.

GREEN BAY BLIZZARD (0-1) AT MACON KNIGHTS (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2002 - MACON COLISEUM (7,182) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Macon Knights open the 2003 campaign as host to the expansion Green Bay Blizzard. KEVIN PORTER, who is in his fourth season (3rd w/Macon) and is second on the all-time wins list among active af2 head coaches. The Knights, who had the second best offense in af2 last season, lost QB JOHN RAYBORN to the AFL, but have brought back a trio of key performers from a year ago. OS JACQUES RUMPF leads that list as he led the Knights with 110 catches for 1,244 yards and 30 touchdowns last season. The Blizzard fell to Hawaii last week, but may have found a solid QB in RYAN AULENBACHER. The rookie signal-caller led all of af2 last week with 267 passing yards. He completed 21-of-33 with no interceptions and four touchdowns. OS NICK JOHNSON caught eight of those for 103 yards and two scores. This is the only meeting between Green bay and Macon this season. The Knights are opening the season at home for the third straight season, going 1-1 in the other two season-openers. The next win for the Knights will be Porter's 25th as Knight's coach.

ROCHESTER BRIGADE (0-0) AT MOHEGAN WOLVES (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2002 - MOHEGAN SUN ARENA (7,700) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Mohegan Wolves and Rochester Brigade clash in a Northeast Division contest on Saturday at Mohegan. The Wolves enter their second season with renewed optimism under the direction of new head coach MARK STOUTE. Stoute brings over seven years of experience coaching in the Arena Football ranks. He and his staff have brought in potent mixture of veteran talent and young playmakers, including last year's af2 "Built Ford Tough Man of the Year" award winner JEFF COGELL, former New York Giant defensive back ANDRE WEATHERS, and former New Haven Ninjas ANTHONY COMER. Last season the Brigade, coached by MARK SAUNDERS for the third straight season, earned their first-ever playoff berth. This year the Brigade welcome back MARTINO THEUS, a talented offensive specialist who recorded 160 receptions for 1,753 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2002. Rochester leads the head-to-head series with the Wolves, 2-1 overall. All three games were played in 2002. Mohegan, ironically enough, won the first game at Rochester on April 19, 2002 (54-45) and lost the last two contests on their home turf at Mohegan Sun Arena. All three games were hard fought, with the winner being decided by an average of just 7.3 points. After hosting this Saturday's game, the Wolves will travel to Rochester for games on May 3 and June 7.



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