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Steve McNelly's Baltimore Mariners Keys to Victory

April 24, 2010 - American Indoor Football Association (AIFA)
Baltimore Mariners News Release


BALTIMORE, MD (April 23, 2010) - The road has been very friendly to our Baltimore Mariners during this all-important three game road trip. It all started out with a 61-27 win against the New Jersey Revolution after overcoming a scare from the winless Revolution in the first half. Next came redemption, as the Mariners handled the defending AIFA Champions, the Reading Express, and cemented their name as the elite organization in the AIFA.

This Saturday night, the Mariners wrap up their road trip against the Fayetteville Guard. The last time these two teams faced off, the Mariners embarrassed the Guard with a 59-0 victory at the 1st Mariner Arena. The win was the first shutout ever recorded in AIFA history. Fayetteville has not forgotten that, and with a new coach they will look to avenge their embarrassing loss in Baltimore. In order for the Mariners to come with another win on the road, here are my keys to victory:

No Pressure...Well Maybe a Little: The Fayetteville Guard boasts an outstanding defensive unit, ranking 2nd in the AIFA allowing just 184 yards per game. The Guard pass defense is solid, ranking 1st in the AIFA and only allowing 145 yards per game. Their run defense is also very good, allowing just 39 yards per game. Coach Mike Moyseeko will need to have another great game plan ready for this strong defensive unit. Mariners quarterback E.J. Nemeth has been incredible under center for this team, but will have a great challenge against the Guard pass defense.

Run, Zeke, Run: What more can you say about Mariners running back Isaiah Grier. He is currently the second leading scorer in the AIFA, and has been a forced to be reckoned with on the field. Grier ranks 1st in the AIFA, totaling 184 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. The last time he faced the Guard defense, he ran for three touchdowns.

Anyway You Want It: The Mariners didn't score on offense you say? No problem, we have kicker J.R. Cipra, who leads the AIFA in scoring, and has made over half of his field goals on the season.

The Mariners can score on every possession if they want to, as they are the highest scoring offense in the AIFA. That's what this game will ultimately come down to, if the Guard can stop the Mariners offense from scoring. The Mariners don't put up a ton of yards, but what good is gaining a bunch of yards and have zero results. When the Mariners drives do stall, which isn't very often, we have the kicker J.R. Cipra, to back up the offense. Also, if we need to score on defense...guess what, we can do that to. This game is more of a challenge for the Guard than it is for the Mariners. Step up and see if your defense can stop us from scoring, because in my personal, humble opinion; I don't see that happening.

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American Indoor Football Association Stories from April 24, 2010


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.

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