Talons Named Central Division Champs, Bring Playoffs to San Antonio
July 9, 2012 - Arena Football League (AFL)
San Antonio Talons News Release
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (July 9, 2012) - The Talons (13-3) claimed a 61-54 victory over the Chicago Rush (9-7) on Sunday, making them the official 2012 Central Division Champions. Sunday's win marked the tenth consecutive victory for Talons, and pushed the team to the top spot in the Arena Football League (AFL) Power Rankings. The win also guarantees the Talons will host the first round of the playoffs at the Alamodome this July, bringing San Antonio its first professional football playoffs.
The Talons, who return home this Friday to play the last regular season home game in their inaugural year, will face off against the Arizona Rattlers (12-4) at 7 p.m. A victory on Friday would secure home field advantage for the Talons up to the ArenaBowl, slated for August 10 in New Orleans.
Adding to the excitement of Friday's highly anticipated game, the Rattlers were the last team to claim a victory over Talons in a late-April matchup which left San Antonio lagging 68-34. But the team has been running on overdrive ever since, and looks forward to the rematch this Friday in front of their fans at home.
"We have come a long way since April," says Talons Head Coach Lee Johnson. "We've addressed our weaknesses, learned to maximize our strengths, and we've grown into the winning team we are today. We will put our all out there on the field this week to dominate the Rattlers and show them and the rest of the nation why we are a championship team."
Talons Owner David Lynd adds that this is a historic moment for sports in the city. "As a new professional sports franchise we have been honored to have the supportive community and fan base that we do in San Antonio, and we are proud to bring you a Division Championship team," he says, "but we won't stop there. We hope to not only bring our city a playoff game, but also an ArenaBowl title in this inaugural season."
Kickoff for the Talons game against the Rattlers is 7 p.m. this Friday at the Alamodome. Tickets can be purchased through the team website at www.SanAntonioTalons.com or at any Ticketmaster location.
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