Sioux City Bandits Playoff Preview

July 11, 2006 - United Indoor Football Association (UIF) News Release


Omaha, NE - The Sioux City Bandits (6-9) concluded a wild ride into the UIF Playoffs with a must needed win over the Peoria Rough Riders (0-15). The Bandits started the 2006 UIF Season climbing out of a 3 game losing streak. After starting off the season on rocky waters, the Bandits stood up and were noticed with a 3 game win streak, with 2 of those wins coming on the road against Omaha and Peoria. The Bandits would fall to the fate of the Sioux Falls Storm going into the bye week midway through the season. Coming out of the bye week Sioux City would return to the services of Hosea Harris and put up a win visiting the Peoria Rough Riders.

The Bandits would then travel to compete against two of the toughest opponents in the UIF, the Lexington Horsemen and the Sioux Falls Storm. After a devastating loss to the Horsemen, the Bandits played one of their toughest fought games on the road against the Sioux Falls Storm. In the 4th quarter of the Storm game, the Bandits lost Harris to an ankle injury to conclude the loss to the unbeaten Storm, 17-25. This would only be the second of a 4 game losing streak the Bandits would fall too. Sioux City would not relinquish their hopes of a playoff birth going into the last game of the season against the Peoria Rough Riders. The Bandits needed the win to advance and also needed both the Bloomington Extreme and Ohio Valley Greyhounds to lose. Sioux City would get a little help from the Raptors and the Horsemen in the final week to knock off the Hounds and the Extreme and put the Bandits into the playoff bracket.

Sioux City goes into the post-season with the solid play of DeAndre Phillips. Phillips has put together an impressive 3.1 yards per carry average on the season, with a total of 7 touchdowns and 225 yards. The Bandits have also had recent success with their latest of 5 quarterbacks on the season, Antoine Taylor. Taylor has maintained a quarterback rating of 102.5 and 7 touchdowns since taking snaps in week 12. The consistent target for the quarterback regime has been the solid play of John Ostermeyer. Ostermeyer has completed the season with 55 catches for 745 yards and 10 touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, we cannot forget the astonishing leadership play of Lineback Spetlar Tonga with 62 solo tackles, 2 intercpetions and 3 sacks.

The post season will be challenging for the Sioux City Bandits. They will travel to the Rock River Raptors (11-4) to start off the 2006 UIF Playoffs. The Bandits have yet to compete against Rock River this season, and the Raptors are coming off a 4 game win streak that proves to challenge the Bandits. Game time is at 7:30 pm CST on Saturday, July 15 at the MetroCentre, the "Rock Pile." Sioux City was the runner-up in last season's inaugural United Bowl as they lost to the Sioux Falls Storm, 40-38.



United Indoor Football Association Stories from July 11, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central