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Second Round: Saturday Night Matchups

August 10, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


No. 5 CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES (11-6) at No. 1 w-b/scranton pioneers (15-2)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2007 - Wachovia Arena (7,950) 7:00 P.M. ET

* Broadcast via B2 Networks

The No. 5 seed Central Valley Coyotes travel to Wilkes-Barre, Pa. for a Saturday night showdown against the top-seeded Pioneers. This will be the second straight week Central Valley has logged a long road trip from the west coast to the eastern part of the country. This is the first-ever meeting between these two clubs. Last week the Coyotes and Pioneers earned nail-biting wins in their respective first round contests. Central Valley won at Manchester, 42-41, on a last-second field goal, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton edged Tri-Cities, 57-54.

Central Valley enjoyed its second-straight 10+ win season under Head Coach FRED BILETNIKOFF, JR. The Coyotes finished second in the West Division. The team boasts a top-flight offensive attack that has been hard to handle all season. The Coyotes finished the regular season ranked as the top-scoring offense in the league, averaging 58.4 points per game. They also scored a league-high 136 touchdowns. Central Valley's offense, however, suffered a loss late in the season as QB CLAY GROEFSEMA suffered a hand injury in a Week 15 home win against Stockton. As a result, backup BRIAN LUKE was pressed into action, and Luke responded with 13 TDs against just two interceptions in three starts to close out the regular season. The Coyotes are 3-1 with Luke as a starter, including last week's first round win. Central Valley's top offensive threats are WRs JASON BARNES (119-1477; 37 TDs) and TONAE MARTIN (90-1052; 20 TDs). Defensively, the Coyotes are solid as well. Up front, veteran DL DOUG LAGENFELD has been the team's top pass rushing threat with seven sacks in 2007. The secondary is paced by DBs AARON MILLER (team-high 59.5 tackles, 5 INTs, 21 PBUs) and TIERRE SAMS (53.0 tackles, 19 PBUs). DONYELL BOOKER is another player to watch. Booker has been the team's top lineman who can rush the passer (5.5 sacks) or catch a pass (8 catches, 6 TDs). Martin and Miller each stood out individually to help Central Valley rebound from an early, 41-27, fourth-quarter deficit against the Wolves in round one. Miller made the biggest impact with two key interceptions in the final quarter. Martin finished with three total TDs, two receiving and one rushing. With just tenths of a second remaining, K MICHAEL BJORK was the hero after drilling the game-winning field goal from 19 yards out.

The Pioneers are as good as advertised. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is led by the league's all-time winningest coach, RICH INGOLD. Ingold earned the right to be called No. 1 thanks to the Pioneers' first round win against the Fever. The veteran coach's 58th victory was also his first in the postseason. This year Wilkes-Barre/Scranton enjoyed its best season ever, running out to 13 straight wins on the way to a 14-2 regular season finish. Leading the team on offense is veteran QB RYAN VENA. Vena had a tremendous season with 4,241 yards passing and 92 touchdowns with just nine interceptions. He also had 16 rushing TDs on the season. Vena's main targets downfield are receivers JIM JONES (86-1044; 21 TDs) and BUCHIE IBEH (77-917; 20 TDs). Defensively, rookie DB CHRIS ROYAL had a fantastic first season, tying the league leaders with 14 interceptions. Royal also has a team-high 117.0 total tackles and 29 pass breakups. The Pioneers have been unbeatable in 2007 at home, going 9-0 overall (8-0 in regular season, 1-0 postseason). In last week's victory, Vena made more mistakes than usual, but came through when it counted. He finished with 202 yards passing, six touchdowns, three interceptions, and also rushed for two scores. His 7-yard strike to Ibeh (8-75; 3 TDs) with 1:21 left in the fourth proved to be the game-winner. Royal (6.5 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PBUs) and DL DEON MCPHEE (6 tackles, 2 sacks) paced the defense.

Central Valley has the type of offense that could challenge the Pioneers, but the Coyotes will have to be razor sharp for 60 minutes. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, however, will not take its opponent lightly after seeing the group fight back against Manchester. If the Pioneers' line gives Vena time to survey the home field, the team has a great chance to advance.

CENTRAL VALLEY/WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON - BY THE NUMBERS:

CENTRAL VALLEY WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON

SERIES LEADER First ever meeting

LAST MEETING No previous meetings

LAST FIVE GAMES 4-1 3-2

LAST GAME Won 42-41 at MAN on 8/3 in first round Won 57-54 vs. TRI on 8/4 in first round

2007 LEADERS CENTRAL VALLEY WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON

PASSING Groefsema: 285-446-11 3509; 75 TD Vena: 347-519-9 4241; 92 TD

RECEIVING Barnes:119-1477; 37 TD Jones: 86-1044; 21 TD

RUSHING Walker: 36-150; 4 TD Vena: 51-159; 16 TD

TACKLES Miller: 59.5 Royal: 117.0

SACKS Lagenfeld: 7.0 Harding: 5.0

INTERCEPTIONS Miller: 5 Royal: 14

KICKING Bjork: 47-61 PAT; 3-5 FG; 56 PTs Davis: 115-124 PAT; 7-12 FG; 136 PTs

TEAM OFFENSE 58.4 PPG; 294.2 YPG 57.5 PPG; 287.8 YPG

TEAM DEFENSE 52.6 PPG; 273.2 YPG 42.7 PPG; 283.2 YPG

* Stats reflect regular season numbers

NO. 6 SOUTH GEORGIA WILDCATS (11-6) AT NO. 2 TULSA TALONS (15-2)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2007 - Tulsa Convention Center (7,111) 8:00 P.M. ET

The No. 6 seed South Georgia Wildcats make a return trip to Tulsa, Okla. to tackle the No. 2 seed Talons for the second time in three weeks. South Georgia and Tulsa earned the right to this rematch after notching impressive wins last week in first round playoff action. The Wildcats jumped out early against Florida and clawed their way past the Firecats late en route to a 59-50 victory. It was South Georgia's third win against their South Division rival in as many tries in 2007. The Talons also handled a division rival for the third straight time this year, moving on with a 65-27 triumph over Oklahoma City. Tulsa owns a 2-0 all-time advantage in head-to-head affairs with the Wildcats. Their most recent meeting took place in Week 18. In that contest, the Wildcats held a 47-35 advantage after three quarters only to be outscored 29-7 in the final 15 minutes.

South Georgia had its best season in 2007 since moving to Albany, Ga. prior to the 2005 campaign. The Wildcats finished second in the South Division at 10-6. South Georgia has a talented team from top to bottom with a good mix of experience and youth. Leading the offense is QB D. BRYANT. Bryant quietly had one of the best seasons for an af2 signal caller in league history. The veteran from Duke enjoyed his best professional campaign in 2007, setting a new af2 record for most passing yards in a single season with 4,680. Bryant's tally eclipsed the previous league high standard of 4,520 passing yards recorded in 2006 (RYAN VENA - Albany). Bryant threw for 406 yards and eight touchdowns in the team's Week 18 loss at Tulsa. Bryant's effort in the regular season finale against the Talons was also historic in that he became just the third player in league history to hit the century mark for touchdown passes in a single season. Bryant concluded the year with 102 touchdown passes, the second-best single season total in af2 history. WR CHAVIS MCCOLLISTER is the best threat for the Wildcats. McCollister caught 36 touchdowns this year to go along with 1,738 yards receiving (139 catches). South Georgia receivers JAMES ROBINSON, TAVARIS CAPERS and SCOTT CLOMAN are also dangerous in open space. On the defensive side, DBs DARYON BRUTLEY (team-high 68.5 tackles, 9 INTs) and MATT JACKSON (6 INTs, 56.0 tackles) patrol the secondary. LB JAMES HARRIS led the team with 11.5 tackles for loss. In last week's first round win at Florida, Bryant threw for 278 yards and six touchdowns (3 to McCollister, 3 to Capers) without an interception. He also ran for a score as well. DB ROLAND COLA (9.0 tackles, 1 INT) and Jackson (7.0 tackles, 1 INT) stood out defensively.

The Talons, winners of the Central Division, have qualified for the playoffs every year since they and the af2 began in 2000, a span of eight seasons. Tulsa's offense is led by QB JUSTIN ALLGOOD. Allgood threw for 292 yards and six TDs with two interceptions in the Talons' first-round win against Oklahoma City. His receiving corps is deep and talented. The most dangerous of the group is JEFF HUGHLEY, who caught a team-high 84 passes for 1,069 yards and 26 TDs. The rookie from Averett also came to play in his first playoff appearance last week with a game-high 11 catches for 119 yards and four TDs. He earned the league's Schutt Offensive Player of the Week Award for his performance. Defensively, the Talons rely on an impressive cast of DBs in DELENELL REID (73.5 tackles, 9 INTs, 34 PBUs) and JERMAINE HOPE (59.5 tackles, 9 INTs). DL C.J. MCLAIN leads the big men up front with 9.0 sacks. All three played starring roles in Tulsa's win over the Yard Dawgz. McLain had 6.0 total tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one forced fumble. Hope (7.0 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PBUs) and Reid (7.0 tackles, 1 PBU) locked things down in the defensive backfield.

In the Week 18 tilt, mistakes down the stretch cost South Georgia. If the Wildcats stay poised for four quarters, they will give the Talons all they can handle. Expect this to be another back-and-forth battle.

SOUTH GEORGIA/TULSA - BY THE NUMBERS:

SOUTH GEORGIA TULSA

SERIES LEADER Tulsa leads 2-0

LAST MEETING Tulsa won 64-54 on 7/28

LAST FIVE GAMES 3-2 5-0

LAST GAME Won 59-50 at Florida on 8/4 in first round Won 65-27 vs. OKC on 8/4 in first round

2007 LEADERS SOUTH GEORGIA TULSA

PASSING Bryant: 372-587-16 4680; 102 TD Blankenship: 204-380-12 2365; 54 TD

RECEIVING McCollister: 139-1738; 36 TD Hughley: 84-1069; 26 TD

RUSHING Lloyd: 59-146; 7 TD Farmstrong: 26-153; 6 TD

TACKLES Brutley: 68.5 Reid: 73.5

SACKS Woolridge: 6.0 McClain: 9.0

INTERCEPTIONS Brutley: 9 Reid: 9

KICKING Yoon: 80-121 PAT; 1-7 FG; 83 PTs Phillips: 101-116 PAT; 13-25 FG; 140 PTs

TEAM OFFENSE 54.7 PPG; 316.6 YPG 57.0 PPG; 247.4 YPG

TEAM DEFENSE 49.1 PPG; 260.8 YPG 41.1 PPG; 243.1 YPG



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