The Biggest Rivalry in the af2, A Look Ahead

July 17, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release


DAVENPORT, Iowa – As you walk through the front doors of the Quad City Steamwheelers front offices, one of the very first things that you notice is a trophy with a golden af2 helmet sitting atop a black platform. Engraved on a gold plate is arenafootball2 Champions, August 10, 2000. On the other gold plate, it reads Quad City Steamwheelers 68, Tennessee Valley Vipers 59.

The next thing you notice are the covers of the local newspapers proclaiming the words "PERFECT" following the ‘Wheelers perfect 19-0 season capped by the ArenaCup championship game defeat of the Tennessee Valley Vipers.

All of that is a memory for the Steamwheelers and now a new chapter will be added to this storied Vipers/Steamwheelers rivalry this Saturday night.

What is being dubbed as the "Biggest Game in af2 History," the ‘Wheelers will take on the Vipers for the eighth time in four seasons in the biggest rivalry in the af2.

What makes this game this big is what both teams bring into this game. "It's a pretty big game, or at least that is what the Internet has been saying," QB Tony Zimmerman said. "We don't want to go into the playoffs on a down note, so this will be a way to get sharp and test ourselves against a good team."

The latest Internet polls on af2.com have been: "Vipers or ‘Wheelers," "Who would you rather have coach your team? – Kevin Guy or Rich Ingold" and "Who would you rather have quarterback your team? – Zimmerman or Matt Sauk."

Throughout the week, many fans have favored the Vipers on a 65%-35% margin over the Steamwheelers.

"That's why they're fans and we are players," Zimmerman said. "I am sure that a lot of those people didn't get to see us play at Tennessee Valley and know that it was a tough close game, so that's why we play, to determine who is the better team. Voting doesn't mean anything."

Both teams are bringing something into this game. Tennessee Valley is riding a 14-game winning streak and has remained unbeaten this season at 14-0.

The last time that the Vipers lost a game was in the first round of the National Conference playoffs on August 3rd of last season or by the time the team's kickoff on Saturday night, it will have been 350 days since the loss. The Steamwheelers are on a streak of their own, winning 12-straight games.

Their last loss came 99 days ago on April 11th in Huntsville, Ala. against this same Vipers team. It was a 62-59 loss that has left a bitter taste in the mouths of the players and coaches. The ‘Wheelers had their chances to put the Vipers away but could not put the nail in the coffin.

Included in those chances were K Brian Hegnauer's three missed extra points and missed 47-yard field goal as time expired, a kick that went wide left of the back netting.

QB Tony Zimmerman had the chance to put his team up by 11 when he and the Steamwheelers were looking at a first and goal from the one-yard line.

The play was scripted to be a run to the right, but Zimmerman rolled out to the left looking to pass and was swarmed by a sea of green jerseys. Rather than taking the sack, Zimmerman attempted a pass with his non-throwing left hand that was intercepted by Vipers DS Ernest Ross, who returned the pick 49-yards for a touchdown and a 48-45 lead for the Vipers.

"I have one thought on this game, don't throw the ball left-handed," Zimmerman joked.

Ever since that loss the Steamwheelers have been on a roll. However, some of the wins have not come as easy as the ‘Wheelers would have liked. In five of the first six wins of the winning streak, the ‘Wheelers were only winning by a margin of 6.4 points.

But over the past six games, the ‘Wheelers have started to blow teams out, winning by a 26-point margin.

The Vipers on the other hand have won some rather close games throughout their streak. In the past three games, the Vipers have won by a margin of seven points and escaped Florida last weekend 41-36.

"They have been battling through some close wins, but they also know that we have a pretty good team," Zimmerman said. But all of that is history now and it's time for the two best teams in the af2 to go at it to see who really is the top team.

The game will feature the top two quarterbacks in the league in Quad City's Tony Zimmerman and Tennessee Valley's Matt Sauk.

Zimmerman is having the best year of any other quarterback in the league, and is on pace to break the records for most touchdowns thrown in a season and most passing yards in a season.

Zimmerman has completed 251-of-446 passes for 3,389 yards, 81 touchdowns and has only thrown six interceptions. Zimmerman only needs to throw for 578 yards (289.5 per game) and six touchdowns passes to break the current af2 records of 4,417 yards and 86 touchdowns. Oh yeah, that touchdown record just so happens to be held by his counterpart of Saturday night's game.

"I'd like to break it," Zimmerman said. "It would be nice to look back after the season is over and I can see my name sitting in the record books, but right now I am just concentrating on winning the game."

Matt Sauk threw for 86 touchdowns in the 2001 regular season, which is the current af2 single season record. This season Sauk has thrown for 76 touchdowns and 3,671 yards on 273-of-453 passing. However, Sauk has thrown ten more interceptions than Zimmerman with 16.

Zimmerman and Sauk rank one and three in passing touchdowns and second and third in passing yards, setting up a huge showdown.

"It's a good setup, it's a good match up," Zimmerman said. "We are similar in styles of playing.

"Both quarterbacks are very similar guys, they're leaders, they're winners," Ingold added. "They have quick feet, they have great releases.

"If Sauk gets time he can tear you apart," Ingold added. But then again, look who Zimmerman has to throw to. He has a receiving core of three 1,000 plus receiving yards receivers in WR/DB Tim Dodge, OS Ira Gooch and WR/DB Jeff Hewitt.

Gooch leads the core with 1,323 yards on 81 receptions, followed by Dodge who has 1,121 on 69 receptions and Hewitt who has 1,078 yards on 70 receptions.

"Tony is surrounded with some great athletes," Ingold said. "All he has to do is get these guys the balls and let them make plays."

And the guys behind that aren't too bad either. WR/DB Danny Thomas (former Viper) and WR/LB LaRico Cole can step in at anytime and take over for anyone of those guys and compete at the same level.

"That's what it's all about, I don't see a weak link on my roster," Ingold said. "That's why I feel good about this game."

As for the other side of the ball, the Steamwheelers defense has come together nicely as of late, limiting their opponents to 32.1 points in their last seven games while scoring 56 points per game in that same span.

A lot of that has to do with the play of recently turned DS Asa Francis. Francis started the season out as a FB/LB, but wasn't doing what he wanted to be doing.

"Well, coach Ingold has a knack for putting players in the positions where they can excel and do what they do best," Francis said. "Playing defensive end is nothing new to me, I played it all four years of high school."

Steamwheelers head coach Rich Ingold then decided to put Francis at the defensive specialist position, allowing him to play at his best position, defensive end.

"It makes me look like a smart guy, but he was the one that came to me about it," Ingold said. "Once he told me that, I got excited, I felt that our sack production was going to skyrocket, look what it did."

Before this move, Francis had 0.5 sacks. Since then he has rattled off 11 straight sacks since June 7th and catapulted into a tie for first in sacks in the league.

"It doesn't surprise me because I know I am a player," Francis said. "And I just want to win games and we do that when the other quarterback can't throw, we win."

Included in that run of 11 straight sacks was a five-sack performance at Hawaii, which is an af2 single game record for most sacks in a game. Francis' 11.5 sacks tie him with Mohegan Wolves Charlie Cook.

Games have been big as of late for Steamwheelers FB/LB Brian Berg. Berg took on his former team, the San Diego Riptide, last weekend and came out victorious.

Now, after being around the Steamwheelers organization, Berg understands how big this game is against the Vipers and knows how much more he needs to prepare more for this one.

"Anybody that wants to be a champion and a competitor, this is what they want," Berg said. "I have said it before, in big games and when the game comes down to the wire, I want the ball in my hands. True competitors rise to the top in big games."

The Vipers offensive line will test the Steamwheelers defensive line. The Vipers have allowed only two sacks all season, an af2 best. However, the ‘Wheelers have moved up the sacks list to 15th when midway through the season they ranked towards the bottom. "That's football, it takes a few weeks to get the right guys in the right places," Ingold said.

One thing that (Vipers DS Ernest) Ross has on the Steamwheelers is that interception return for a touchdown in that April 11th bout and he has been on a tear since. Ross is tied for fifth in the league with six interceptions.

The Steamwheelers are also looking to upset the Vipers bid to become the second team in af2 history to go a perfect 16-0 in the regular season. The only other team to do that was the 2000 Steamwheelers team that went 16-0 in the regular season and then 3-0 in the post-season en route to an Arena Cup title.

"I think most importantly we just want to win this football game," Dodge said.

There will also be a host of special guests on hand at Saturday night's game. 2000 Steamwheelers QB and current Chicago Rush (AFL) QB Billy Dicken and 2000 back-up QB Mike Gluski will be on hand in hopes of cracking open a bottle of champagne (if the ‘Wheelers win) in celebration of their 2000 16-0 record staying in tact.

Also on hand will be AFL Commissioner C. David Baker, af2 Executive Director Jay Marcus, and AFL Director of International Development Jerry Kurz.

"Big games bring out big names," Berg said.

The stage is set, records are on the line, the ticket sales continue to grow, the af2 has done nothing but focus on this game, now the teams will hit the field and someone is going to come off the field without a winning streak in tact.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night at The MARK of the Quad Cities. Tickets are on sale at The MARK box office and through TicketMaster at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling them at 563.326.1111.



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