Silverbacks to open 2008 season at home
November 21, 2007 - Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL)
Dayton Silverbacks News Release
For the first time in their three year history, the Miami Valley Silverbacks will tee up the start of the season at home.
The Continental Indoor Football League released the 2008 schedules Wednesday morning and the Silverbacks will open the season at 7:30 p.m. on March 15 at Hobart Arena against the New Jersey Revolution. The Silverbacks are coming off a 2007 season in which they made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
"This is the first time we have opened the season at home and it will be great to get started into the season in front of our fans," Silverbacks coach Carl Allen said. "It would be great to start the season out on a positive note in front of our fans with a win."
Miami Valley will also host the expansion Saginaw Sting on March 29 and Fort Wayne Freedom on May 2. The New England Surge, the Atlantic Division runner-up in 2007, makes an appearance at Hobart Arena on April 12 while rival Marion arrives on April 19 and divisional foe Kalamazoo squares off with the Silverbacks on May 16.
The Silverbacks will be on the road March 21 at Fort Wayne, April 4 at Chicago, April 25 at Milwaukee, May 24 at Lehigh Valley, May 31 at Kalamazoo and close the season June 7 at Marion.
"It is great the league was able to get the schedule out this early," Silverbacks President Matthew King said. "It is a competitive schedule and we are excited about it.
"We are excited to bring New England and New Jersey into the Miami Valley. We feel up to the challenge we have in front of us."
The Silverbacks will have a couple familiar names coming to Hobart as opposing coaches. Eddie Brown is the head coach of the Freedom while former Silverback running backs coach Pepe Pearson is in his first season as the head coach at Marion.
"Pepe was a protégé here," King said. "It will be interesting to have him on the other side of the field this season.
"The league has some teams with notable head coaches. We are excited to be in the Miami Valley for the third year. The league is strong and getting stronger and that makes it exciting for the future of the franchise and the CIFL."
The Silverbacks will be a part of the Great Lakes Conference in the East Division this season along with Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo and Muskegon. The Divison champion as well as two wild cards from the Great Lakes Conference will make the playoffs.
"I like our schedule," Allen said of a slate which has seven returning playoff teams. "Our home games are spread out which is good for our fans.
"We are in a tough division. It is going to be a good season, a tough season, but a good season for us. The schedule should be an advantage for us to make the playoffs this year."
Season tickets for the 2008 season are now available through the Silverbacks' website (www.silverbacksfootball.com) and by phone at 937-718-7044. VIP packages are $1,000 while all other seats are $60 for adults and $30 for children.
The Silverbabes will be holding their first tryout on Dec. 8 at Dayton Gymnastics Academy while the Silverbacks will hold their second free agent tryout on Dec. 9 at Englewood Indoor. For more information on either tryout, visit the Silverbacks' website at www.silverbacksfootball.com.
2008 Schedule
MARCH 15 NEW JERSEY REVOLUTION 7:30
March 21 at Fort Wayne Freedom 7:30
MARCH 29 SAGINAW STING 7:30
April 4 at Chicago Slaughter 7:30
APRIL 12 NEW ENGLAND SURGE 7:30
APRIL 19 MARION MAYHEM 7:30
April 25 at Milwaukee Bonecrushers 7:30
MAY 2 FORT WAYNE FREEDOM 7:30
MAY 16 KALAMAZOO XPLOSION 7:30
May 24 at Lehigh Valley Outlawz 7:30
May 31 at Kalamazoo Xplosion 7:30
June 7 at Marion Mayhem 7:30
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Continental Indoor Football League Stories from November 21, 2007
- Silverbacks to open 2008 season at home - Dayton Silverbacks
- Rock River Raptors Announce 2008 Schedule - Rock River Raptors
- Raiders Home Opener Slated For March 29th - Rochester Raiders
- 2008 League Schedule Finalized And Released - CIFL
- Freedom Release 2008 Schedule - Fort Wayne Freedom
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