af2 arenafootball2

Stallions Seek Revenge

May 9, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


AUGUSTA, Ga. - The Augusta Stallions have been waiting for this one for a while. Last time the Stallions and Macon Knights got together, both teams were 9-5 with two games left in the 2001 season. With a win, the Stallions would have been a virtual lock for the postseason, holding two games in hand over the division-rival Knights. The Knights, however, had different plans, as they came to Augusta and dealt a crushing blow with a 56-32 win. The Knights went on to the postseason and Augusta went home.

On Friday night, Augusta can get even, as it hosts the Knights at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center. The Stallions are off to another sensational start at 4-0 and in first place in the Eastern Division. Macon has been almost as hot, coming in at 4-1. The Knights' only loss was a three-point setback to powerhouse Tennessee Valley two weeks ago.

Augusta packs a potent one-two punch on offense in QB GLEN GUANT and WR/DB TIM DUMAS. Guant has taken every snap for the Stallions this season, completing 79 passes for 1,051 yards and 23 touchdowns. His 262.8 yards-per-game average is third-best among af2 passers. Dumas has grabbed 31 of Guant's tosses and scored on nine of them. Dumas also ranks third in the league in a statistical category, averaging 109 yards receiving a game.

The Knights counter with QB JOHN RAYBORN under center. Rayborn enters his third week with the club and seems to be getting more comfortable with every snap. Last week, he hit on 74 percent of his passes for 247 yards and five touchdowns. Rayborn utilizes many receivers when passing, but has gone to OS JAQUEZ RUMPH the most. Rumph has caught 34 passes for 400 yards this season and is among the league leaders in all-purpose yardage, averaging 172 yards per game.

Defensively, these clubs match up evenly. The Knights give up 38 points per game, while the Stallions allow around 40. Teams average 262.8 yards against the Knights and 261.2 versus the Stallions. The Stallions have six sacks and four interceptions, while Macon (with one more game played) has nine sacks and nine picks.

This is the first of two regular-season meetings between these teams, with the next game three weeks from now in Macon.

The Charleston Swamp Foxes and Cape Fear Wildcats meet for the first time Friday night in Fayetteville with both clubs looking to bust two-game losing streaks. Head Coach CHRIS SIEGFRIED made his QB choice this week, opting to go with MIKE GLUSKI under center. Now he'll see if it was the right decision as Gluski attempts to lead the 'Cats back into the win column. Charleston head man JIMMY DUNN will most likely platoon his QBs. Both RAY ISSAC and MIKE BATH have found success this season, combining for 56 completions, 790 yards, 18 touchdowns and no interceptions. League sack leader E.J. BURT plans to make life difficult for whoever is taking the snaps for the Foxes. The 6-foot-3, 295-pound lineman had two sacks at Richmond last week, increasing his season total to 6.5. Charleston also has some weapons on defense, recording nine interceptions (third in af2) on the season. DB FRED McCANTS had two last week in Tallahassee, while DB MICHAEL BROWN leads the team with five. These teams meet once more in the regular season on July 27.

The Albany Conquest heads to Connecticut for the second of a three-game season series with the Mohegan Wolves Friday night at Mohegan Sun Arena. Albany got the better of the Wolves the first time around, holding them to a season-low 14 points. Defense has been the story for the Conquest all season. Despite averaging only 32.2 points per game, Albany has held opponents to 27.5 points per game (2nd in af2) and maintained its division lead. OS COREY HILL is the biggest threat on the Conquest offense, as he has racked up 35 receptions for 369 yards this season. Defensively, lineman ALEX HOUSTON has been creating havoc for opposing teams, tallying five sacks thus far, including one against Mohegan in Week 2. The Wolves also have a sack-master of their own in OL/DL JEFF COGELL. The 6-foot-2, 285-pound lineman has registered 4.5 sacks on the season. Offensively, the Wolves look to the arm of CABLE DAVIS and the hands of BRANDON BURNSIDE. The two have connected 22 times for 330 yards and six TDs this season. The series shifts to Albany for the final regular season meeting, on July 27.

The Jacksonville Tomcats battle in-state and division rival Florida Friday night at TECO Arena. With a win, the Tomcats can tighten the Southern Division race, separating first and last place by only one game. Despite the 3-1 record, the Firecats offense has struggled this season. QB DERRICK TAITE has thrown 45 completions for 577 yards and six touchdowns, but he also has tossed seven interceptions. In fact, Florida's leading scorer is kicker BRANDON KORNBLUE, who has 38 points. After using two QBs the first few games of the season, Jacksonville Head Coach EARNEST WILSON has decided to stick with RASHARD CASEY under center. Casey has completed 44-of-88 passes for 601 yards and 10 touchdowns against only two interceptions. These teams meet again on May 24.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers and Rochester Brigade meet for the first of three scheduled contests Friday night at Blue Cross Arena. The Pioneers, still in search of their first win, visit a struggling Brigade squad. Rochester is 1-3 at home and has yet to play a second- or third-year team. The Brigade got a boost this week, however, as WR/DB DEREK BAKER has rejoined the team after a stint with Buffalo of the AFL. Last year, Baker played OS for the Brigade and led the club in every offensive category, catching 80 passes for 1,273 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also returned 56 kickoffs for 1,200 yards and four touchdowns. Baker joins a receiving corps that includes MARTINO THEUS, who already has 49 receptions (1st in af2) for 612 yards (2nd in af2) this season. These teams meet again June 1 in Pennsylvania.

In Friday's only National Conference game, Quad City (4-0) travels to Peoria (3-2). The "Indoor War on I-74" was awfully one-sided last season. The Steamwheelers swept the Pirates in the first and last games of the regular season by 41-0 and 45-7 scores. That season-opening win represents the only shutout in league history. Quad City, winner of 17 games in a row dating back to a year ago this week (Tulsa 49-47, 5/12/01), hopes the Week 6 bye didn't cool off its QB. TONY ZIMMERMAN has accounted for 18 touchdowns in his last two games (15 passing, three rushing) and won af2 Week 5 Offensive Player of the Week honors. He has 1,008 passing yards, 23 TD passes and four INTs on the season. This game matches two of the league's top thieves. Quad City WR/LB HIAWATHA PHIFER has four interceptions this year while Peoria WR/DB LINCOLN DUPREE has five, including two drive-killers last week against Wichita. OL/DL KEN JOHNSON, the league's co-leader with 6.5 sacks, is another key to a Pirate squad that ranks third in scoring defense (30.5 ppg). Conversely, Quad City owns af2's fourth-best scoring offense at 51.5 ppg.

A LOOK AHEAD TO THE WEEKEND

Saturday, May 11
Tallahassee at Columbus 7:00 p.m.
Norfolk at Roanoke 7:30 p.m.
Pensacola at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Mobile at Bossier City 8:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Memphis 8:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Wichita at Fresno 10:30 p.m.
San Diego at Hawaii 1:00 a.m. (7:00 p.m. local)
Sunday, May 12
Carolina at Greensboro 4:00 p.m.
Bakersfield bye
Louisville bye
New Haven bye
Richmond bye



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