Saturday night af2 playoff matchup

August 13, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

CAPE FEAR WILDCATS (13-4) AT WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (13-3)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 2004 - WACHOVIA ARENA (7,500) 7:30 P.M. ET

If you are looking for drama and intrigue, this is the game for you. When the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers square off against the Cape Fear Wildcats on Saturday it will be the fourth time the two teams have played this season. Two of Cape Fear's four losses have come at the hands of the Pioneers. The Pioneers won the first meeting in Week 8 at home, 48-41. In Week 13 these two clubs met again at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with Cape Fear pulling out their only victory over the Pioneers this season 57-49. Their third meeting this season was for the Northeast Division Championship and a bye in the first round of the playoffs were on the line. This time the Pioneers went down to Cape Fear and defeated the Wildcats 53-46. This win is why the Pioneers had a bye last week and were waiting for Cape Fear to come to them, and not the other way around.

Overall, the Pioneers are just a solid team all around. It starts at the helm with TIM HICKS. On the season Hicks completed 286 of 465 attempts for 3,679 yards and 82 touchdowns with eight interceptions, meaning Hicks threw 10.25 touchdowns to every interception he threw. With limiting turnovers important in the 50 yard game, Hicks is a key reason why the Pioneers are having their best season ever. Interestingly, Hicks wasn't supposed to be the starter this season. The Pioneers brought in a heralded quarterback in MIKE GLUSKI and he was supposed to lead them to their first ever playoff appearance. Well, Gluski struggled in the Pioneers first game against Columbus, and in came Hicks. Hicks led the Pioneers to a comeback victory over the Wardogs and he has been the starter ever since.

In Shakespearean fashion the Pioneers let Gluski go and he ended up with the Wildcats. Gluski led the Wildcats to within one game of the ArenaCup in 2002. He joined the Wildcats when they were 3-3 and stepped in to lead them to an 8-1 record before JAKE EATON started the final game of the season since the Wildcats were locked into their playoff position. Then came Cape Fear's playoff game last week and it wasn't Gluski starting, it was Eaton instead. For the second time this season, and with a second team, Gluski was replaced as the starting quarterback, this time for a playoff game. So instead of the often repeated storyline of a player going against a team that decided they didn't want him, this game features the storyline of a player not being able to get revenge against the team that replaced him because the team he is currently on replaced him as well, despite guiding them to an 8-1 record this season.

Eaton played well last week against Birmingham, completing 18 of 28 passes for 211 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions and a rushing touchdown. He has help with receivers like MATT BURSTEIN and GEORGE WILLIAMS, the Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Week and U.S. Army Ironman of the Week respectively. Burstein caught three touchdowns last week including the final two scores of the game to give Cape Fear the victory. Williams caught one touchdown, returned a kickoff for a touchdown and recovered a fumble on a crucial onside kick in the fourth quarter.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton offense will have their leading receiver J.R. THOMAS back. The Rookie of the Year candidate missed the end of the af2 season with a staph infection, but is ready for the playoff run. The Pioneers have brought in veteran af2 receiver SHON KING to help their receiving corp. King, who has AFL experience, won the 2000 ArenaCup with the Steamwheelers and joined Tulsa late, as he did this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, to win a championship with the Talons last season.

This will be Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's first playoff game in team history. For the Wildcats, this is the first time they have gone on the road for playoff game. They are 3-2 in the playoffs all-time, but all five games were played at the Crown Coliseum. The Pioneers have not lost at home since June 26 when the Wildcats beat them. With all the history these teams now have between them, it's amazing to think they never even played each other prior to this season.

KEY PLAYER

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton OS J.R. Thomas

After missing the final four games of the regular season with a staph infection J.R. Thomas will return to the field to play against the Wildcats. The Pioneers played well without him, but with him they are even better. If Thomas plays well it should get the Pioneers going and on their way to a playoff victory.

EXTENDED SERIES HISTORY

Both members of the 2002 expansion class, the Pioneers and Wildcats never met before this season. After they became division rivals this season they have got the chance to know each other up close and personal, playing three times this season. The Pioneers took two of the three meetings with the third meeting, the only game played in Cape Fear, deciding the division champion. Cape Fear won't worry about these two previous losses if they can pull out the victory over the Pioneers.

ARENACUP PLAYOFFS HISTORY

Cape Fear: Cape Fear has qualified for the ArenaCup Playoffs in each of their previous two seasons. In 2002 they were one game away from the ArenaCup, before losing to Florida 43-29 in the American Conference Semifinal Game. Last season they lost in the first round to the Wolves 50-47.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton: This is Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's first appearance in the ArenaCup Playoffs.

TRENDS AND NOTES

-The Pioneers are the only team to have two players in the top ten in tackles this season, Jamie Hattley is second with 91.0 and Kyle Grove is sixth with 80.5.

-Cape Fear attempted only six field goals during the regular season, by far the fewest in the league.

-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton quarterback Tim Hicks' 118.7 pass rating was number one in the af2 during the regular season.

-Cape Fear averaged only 17.7 yards per kick return, second worst in the league, but WR/DB George Williams did return a kickoff for a touchdown last week though.

-Cape Fear gave up only six sacks during the regular season.

OUT DUE TO INJURY

Cape Fear: QB Brian Baker, OL/DL Paul Mandina, K Derek Avilez, FB/LB Darvell Bivens, QB Chad DeGrenier, OL/DL Brian Huff

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton: OL/DL John Churchill, OL/DL Blaine Mensch, WR/DB Rodney Brown

A LOOK AT THE HEAD COACHES

Chris Siegfried (36-13, 3rd Year, 3-2 Playoffs)

The only head coach the Wildcats have ever had, Siegfried begins the 2004 playoffs looking for his first ArenaCup title. He played in the AFL, CFL the Taipei Dragons of the UFL. He is one of the few af2 head coaches to have played in the af2, playing for the Augusta Stallions in 2000. He served as offensive coordinator in 2001 for the Macon Knights before being named Cape Fear's head coach

Les Moss (13-3, 1st Year, 0-0 Playoffs)

This is Moss' first season as an af2 head coach, but this is far from his first season around Arena Football. Moss served as Assistant Coach/Director of Player Personal for the AFL Orlando Predators. During his eleven seasons Moss helped the Predators to eleven playoff appearances, including ArenaBowl titles in 1998 and 2000.

EXTRA POINT

Matt Burstein caught 43 of Cape Fear's 88 touchdown receptions during the regular season. If the Pioneers can slow down Burstein they will probably slow down the entire Wildcats offense.

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LOUISVILLE FIRE (10-7) AT TULSA TALONS (10-6)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 2004 - TULSA CONVENTION CENTER (7,111) 8:30 P.M. ET

The Louisville Fire have to be feeling good. Last week they win on a miracle play when lineman DERRICK SHEPPARD picked up a missed field goal and returned the ball 10 yards for a touchdown with no time remaining. Sheppard is getting all of the headlines for scoring the touchdown but really DEMETRIUS FORNEY deserves the headlines also. He was the first one down the field but instead of going after the ball he put a big block on Quad City returnman Jeff Hewitt, to allow Sheppard to be able to pick up the ball. Then Forney blocked Tim Dodge as he was pursuing Sheppard, to ensue Sheppard would go into the endzone untouched. With the amazing finish they are now playing the top-seeded Tulsa Talons to reach the National Conference Finals.

Tulsa's appearance in the playoffs, let alone earning the No. 1 seed in the National Conference is nothing short of amazing. Sure they are the defending ArenaCup Champions, but they hardly resemble the team that brought home the trophy last season. Key players like OL/DL BILL CLAPPER, FB/LB JOHNNIE BALOUS, WR/LB AL HUNT and QB CRAIG STRICKLAND all went to the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz. Head coach Skip Foster left to become the head coach of the AFL Austin Wranglers. OS TACOMA FONTAINE followed Foster to Austin. On top of this, top receiver MITCH ALLNER, one of the best players ever to step foot on an af2 field returned to the Talons but was injured after eight games and is out for the season. In those eight games Allner put up 916 receiving yards on 62 receptions, still good for second on the team this season. Besides Allner, the only other two players to return from last season's team are FB/LB CORKY MARTIN and OL/DL JOSH MCMILLAN. Despite playing only eight games, the only receiver who bested Allner's numbers this season was ROBERT REED from Ole Miss. Reed totaled 1,336 yards and 34 touchdowns on 106 receptions this season. The Talons offense also had to deal with a change at quarterback. MICHAEL WALL began the season as the starter, but he was replaced by af2 veteran BOB BEES. While the change was the choice of the team and not due to injury, dealing with a change at quarterback is never easy. Bees brings ArenaCup experience to the Talons, when he guided Richmond to the ArenaCup in 2001 before losing to the Steamwheelers 55-51.

Bees and Louisville's quarterback MATT SAUK have experience against each other. Sauk, who is in his third af2 season, played for Tennessee Valley in 2001 and 2003. In 2001 Sauk's Vipers played Bees' Richmond team in the ArenaCup playoffs to advance to the ArenaCup. Bees came out on top defeating Sauk and the Vipers 51-50 in overtime. The difference was Sauk being intercepted on a two-point conversion attempt in overtime which would have given the Vipers the victory. Now Sauk can get his revenge. He will have some help if TONY STALLINGS can put together the same type game he did last week. Stallings rushed five times for seventeen yards and a touchdown. He caught five passes for 41 yards and two touchdowns while returning eight kickoffs for 180 yards. He also scored on a crucial two-point conversion.

Looking to slowdown Stallings, Sauk and the rest of the Fire offense will be the RICKIE DAVIS, BJORN BARRE and the rest of the Talons defense. Davis leads the team in passes broken up with eighteen, Barre is second with twelve. Also look for ANTONIO DINGLE to pressure Sauk. Dingle had seven sacks on the season and 11 hits on the quarterback.

Special teams could be important. Fire kicker DANNY KIGHT struggled last game, missing two extra points. If he misses a few early or RASHAN HALL, who has blocked three kicks this season, can black one it may change the momentum in the game. Also, last game Kight and the Fire only kicked deep twice, attempting onside kicks on the rest of the kickoffs. While they didn't recover any of the onside kicks they did win the game, so the Fire may use that strategy again or may play Tulsa differently than they did the Steamwheelers.

KEY PLAYER

Tulsa OS Robert Reed

Reed has done a good job of filling in for Mitch Allner, but now is when it really counts. If Reed can't put up the numbers he put up during the regular season the Talons may be in trouble. But if he get open and Bees has time to get the ball to him Tulsa should feel confident about taking the next step toward another ArenaCup.

EXTENDED SERIES HISTORY

Louisville and Tulsa have played three times, twice in 2001 and once in 2003, with Tulsa winning all three meetings. In 2001 Tulsa won 65-37 in Tulsa and 58-32 at Louisville. Then last season Tulsa defeated Louisville 43-37 at Freedom Hall in Louisville's final game of the 2003 season.

ARENACUP PLAYOFFS HISTORY

Louisville: This is the first season Louisville has qualified for the playoffs. They earned their first franchise playoff victory last week with their victory over the Steamwheelers. Tulsa: The Talons, along with Tennessee Valley are the only two franchises who have qualified for the ArenaCup Playoffs in each of af2's five seasons. Tulsa won their first ever ArenaCup last year, defeating the Macon Knights 58-40.

TRENDS AND NOTES

-Tulsa has the number one offense in terms of points, at 57.6 points per game. Louisville has the number one offense in terms of yards, with 290.4 yards per game.

-Tulsa gives up only 10.7 rushing yards per game, best in the league.

-If Louisville is down after three quarters, don't count them out as they are 4-3 when trailing after the third quarter. If they are up after three quarters, don't give them the victory either as they are 5-3 when leading after the third quarter.

-Fire OL/DL Jason Ferguson and WR/LB Kareem Wise are both former Talons. Ferguson in 2003 and Wish in the 2002-2003 seasons. Talons WR/LB played with the Fire during the 2003 season.

-Tulsa's current ten game winning streak is the longest in team history.

OUT DUE TO INJURY

Louisville: WR/DB Tremain Mack, WR/DB Ryan Russell, WR/DB Demont Smith

Tulsa: DS Chris Cole, WR/LB Mitch Allner, WR/LB Zac Jones

A LOOK AT THE HEAD COACHES

Tommy Johnson (13-17, 2nd Year, 1-0 Playoffs)

Tommy Johnson has been with the Louisville Fire since their inception in 2001. He became head coach of the Fire during the 2002 season. In college he was a defensive back on the 1992 Alabama team that won the NCAA title. He played three seasons in the AFL, two with the Albany Firebirds and one with the Carolina Cobras.

Ken Matous (13-3, 1st Year, 0-0 Playoffs)

In 2001 Matous was an assistant with the Carolina Cobras. In 2002 he was the offensive coordinator at Western Carolina University. He moved on to the Talons last season and took over the head job after Skip Foster left for the AFL Austin Wranglers. He

EXTRA POINT

While the other games this week feature experienced coaches, both Johnson and Matous are new to the af2 playoffs. This will be Johnson's second playoff game and Matous first as a head coach.

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PEORIA PIRATES (10-7) AT BAKERSFIELD BLITZ (11-5)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 2004 - CENTENNIAL GARDEN (9,000) 10:30 P.M. ET

Here are two teams, the Bakersfield Blitz and Peoria Pirates, which most people didn't expect to advance to the Semifinals of the ArenaCup Playoffs. Peoria began the season 2-5 and by all accounts looked dead. Then the Pirates earned a 44-24 victory over the Albany Conquest. At that time Albany was playing excellent football and the Peoria win looked like an upset. After the game the Pirates players chanted "1-0 1-0 1-0" to signify in their minds they had started their season over. What seemed like wishful thinking at the time has turned into reality as the Pirates went 7-2 over their final nine games. Interestingly enough, their only two losses came to a Green Bay Blizzard team that failed to make the playoffs. But those loses don't matter now, only their seven wins over the latter part of the season and their playoff victory last week over the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz.

Peoria defeated the Yard Dawgz the same way they got their winning streak going, with defense. The number one defense in the af2 to be exact. The Pirates defense is a team effort, and this can be seen by simply looking at their regular season statistics. While FRANK WEST leads the team in tackles with 59.5 (48UA 23A), BRAND CAMPBELL and MILTON BOWEN are close behind with 53.5 (45UA 17A) and 50.5 (42UA 17A). West also leads the team in interceptions with eight, but Bowen leads the team in passes defended with seventeen. Ten different Pirates players have registered a sack this season with ENOCH SMITH leading the pack with 5.5 and KEN BOUIE, who registered a sack last week, is close behind with 4.0 during the regular season. CASEY URLACHER leads the team in tackles for a loss with 6.5, but six different players registered 3.0 or more tackles for loss during the season. Anybody, like KEVIN BROWN who got a key interception in last weeks win over Oklahoma City and earned ADT Defensive Player of the Week for his performance, can and will make big plays for the Pirates defense.

While Peoria was doubted during the season, Bakersfield was doubted before the season began when it is likely very few people expected the Blitz to earn a bye in the First Round of the playoffs. Here they are though, and they like the Pirates the Blitz also win with their defense, giving up only 42.3 points per game during the regular season, sixth best in the league. KENNY HASLIP leads the team in tackles with 66.5 (58UA 17A). He isn't close to the 97.5 he registered last season that led the league when he was playing for San Diego. The reason is because this Blitz team has nine other players who have registered more than 20 tackles this season. Fellow DS MEL MILLER is second on the team with 58.5 (42UA 33A). Five Blitz players have 5.0 tackles for a loss or more on the season while. BEN MCCOMBS leads this group with 10.0 tackles for a loss. AHMAD BHATTI's 9.5 is a close second. KEVIN CARROLL leads the Blitz sack attack with 8.5 this season. Carroll also leads in forced fumbles with four. Just like Peoria anyone of these players, or the rest of the Blitz defense can change a game.

CHAD ELLIOTT will look to earn his first playoff victory as an af2 quarterback. He is one of the seven members of the 10,000 yard/200 touchdown pass club. Most of his receptions this season have gone to ERIC MAHANKE and STEVE WOFFORD. Mahanke grabbed 110 catches for 1,455 yards and 27 touchdowns while Wofford totaled 911 yards and twelve touchdowns on 66 catches. Don't over look RENNARD REYNOLDS though. He may be fourth on the team in receiving but he finished with thirteen touchdown catches, second on the Blitz.

Perhaps the biggest foe the Blitz will have to overcome isn't Peoria, but history. No team in the West Division has ever advanced farther than the Semifinals. Then again no team in the West Division has ever earned a bye to the Semifinals like the Blitz have, so they have already taken on history already.

If Peoria defeats Bakersfield and Louisville defeats Tulsa, Peoria will host the National Conference Championship game next weekend.

KEY PLAYER

Peoria WR/DB Jerald Burley

Burley had a good game last week against Oklahoma City, catching 6 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns. He will need to do that again this week to put Peoria in a position to keep up with Bakersfield offensively. The Pirates offense may have struggled during the season, but if Burley can put up points in the playoffs their regular season performance wont matter.

EXTENDED SERIES HISTORY

This is the first ever meeting between Peoria and Bakersfield.

ARENACUP PLAYOFFS HISTORY

Peoria: Peoria won the 2002 ArenaCup in their only previous playoff appearance, going 4-0 in the process. They remained perfect in the playoffs by beating Oklahoma City last week. Bakersfield: Bakersfield is officially an expansion team this season and this will be the first playoff game in team history. The Central Valley Coyotes played their first two seasons in Bakersfield and went 0-2 in playoff games during their two seasons.

TRENDS AND NOTES

-The Blitz played three games against playoff teams, going 0-3 in those games, with a season opening loss to Tennessee Valley and two losses to Memphis.

-The Blitz gave up thirteen sacks during the season, sixth best in the league. Peoria gave up 27, tied for eighteenth in the league

-Peoria and Bakersfield have 2 common opponents (Arkansas and Central Valley). Against these common opponents, Peoria is 2-0 and Bakersfield is 5-0.

-Only twice this season has Peoria given up more than 50 points in a game.

-Peoria's roster features only five players who had af2 experience before this season.

OUT DUE TO INJURY

Peoria: WR/LB Larry Henderson, QB Bill Whittemore, OL/DL Lucas Brigman, FB/LB Harry Lattimore

Bakersfield: NONE

A LOOK AT THE HEAD COACHES

Bruce Cowdrey (30-34, 3rd Year, 5-0 Playoffs)

Bruce Cowdrey has not only led the Pirates to an af2 ArenaCup Championship, but also a championship in the IFL (Indoor Football League) when he led Peoria to a 17-0 record in 2000. After spending one season coaching the Pensacola Barracudas he returned to Peoria in 2002 to lead them to the ArenaCup Championship.

Rick Van Horne (11-5, 1st Year, 0-0 Playoffs) This is Van Horne's first season as an af2 head coach. He spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach, working with receivers and quarterbacks. He has extensive high school coaching experience in the Bakersfield area. He has served as a coach in the Blitz' annual high school all-star game where local high school players play under Arena Football rules.

EXTRA POINT

How good is Peoria's defense? Peoria averaged 35.0 points per game during the season, last in the league. They are the first team to reach the ArenaCup Playoffs after finishing last in the league in points. The other four teams who scored the fewest points during the season won a combined five games.

arenafootball2 Stories from August 13, 2004

• Saturday night af2 playoff matchup - af2
• McEwen Returns Home - Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz
• Blitz Playoff Action Features Poster Giveaway - Bakersfield Blitz

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