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April 21, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


OFF AND RUNNING: While Arena Football is known for its super-charged offenses and high-scoring games, af2 teams have traditionally been slow-starters when it comes to offense. That has changed in 2004, as af2 teams are averaging 90.7 points combined per game through the first three weeks of the season, which is the best start in league history.

YEAR AVG PPG THROUGH WK 3
2000 72.0 PPG
2001 83.2 PPG
2002 79.5 PPG
2003 79.3 PPG
2004 90.7 PPG

BURSTEIN ENTERS THE RECORD BOOKS: With his 373 all-purpose yard performance against the Columbus Wardogs on Saturday night, Matt Burstein moved into fourth place all-time for most all-purpose yards in a single game and earned Week 3 Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Week honors. Below is a look at the Top 5 all-purpose performances in af2 history.

YARDS PLAYER, GAME
400 Marty Graham, San Diego vs. Bakersfield, April 6, 2002
397 Ira Gooch, Quad City at Wichita, May 10, 2003
378 Lamont Webb, Fresno vs. Quad City, April 27, 2002
373 Matt Burstein, Cape Fear at Columbus, April 17, 2004
365 Jaquez Rumph, Macon at Birmingham, June 22, 2002

ATTENDANCE UP OVER 2003: Week 3 average attendance (5,541) shot up 11 percent when compared to the Week 3 average of the 2003 season (4,983). The cumulative average of the first three weeks of this season (5,565) is 12.5 percent better than the same period from a year ago. Overall, the 2004 attendance average of 5,565 is 20 percent higher than last season's regular season average of 4,626.

HOW'S THAT FOR A TURN-AROUND: The Quad City Steamwheelers (3-0), Wichita Stealth (3-0), Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (2-0), Louisville Fire (2-0) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (2-0) are the only unbeaten teams in af2. Through Week 3 of the 2003 season, these teams (not including Oklahoma City) were a combined 2-6.

GOOD STARTS USUALLY A GOOD THING: Over the past two seasons combined, 21 teams have been undefeated through the third week of the respective season and 14 of those teams (67.7%) went on to make the playoffs. Through Week 3 of the 2003 season, 11 teams had perfect records with seven qualifying for the postseason. During the 2002 season, 10 teams were undefeated through Week 3 and seven of those clubs went to the playoffs.

WELCOME BACK: Through Week 8 of last season Wichita's Michael Dritlein and Memphis' Kevin Prentiss ranked No 1. and No. 2 in total scoring and were seriously challenging the all-time single season scoring record. Shortly thereafter, they both suffered season-ending injuries. Both healthy in 2004, they have not shown any signs of rust. Even though they trail the league leaders at this point, they are both making major impacts on their teams. Through two games with Memphis, Prentiss has caught 16 passes for 171 yards and has four touchdowns. In his first game back for Wichita, Dritlein hauled in eight passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns.

IN THE FAST LANE: Green Bay's leading scorer in 2003 was Robert Garth with 110 points. This year, offensive specialist Randall Lane has 54 points in just two games, which is second best in the league right now. Overall in 2003, the Blizzard scored 547 points. Even though it's still early, Lane is on pace to hit 432 by season's end. The all-time record for scoring in a season is 284 by Shon King with Quad City in 2000. Cape Fear's Matt Burstein leads af2 with 60 points through two games played.

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY: Hawaii quarterback Darnell Arceneaux has thrown 16 touchdowns thus far on the season and seven of those have gone to his brother Anthony, who has 208 total receiving yards through three games.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: The Wichita Stealth have allowed an average of 20.3 points through their first three games, which is best in af2. The next closest team is Rio Grande Valley with a 30.5 points allowed average. Wichita has only given up 61 points this season and is on pace to challenge the all-time record for fewest points allowed in a season; 453 by the 2001 Quad City Steamwheelers. The Stealth have held opponents scoreless in seven of the 12 quarters they've played in this season.

FUMBLE FINDERS: Bossier-Shreveport's Shadrick McAfee has four fumble recoveries this season and Louisville's Dennis Fryzel has three. The all-time record for most fumble recoveries in a single season is six, shared by Anthony Giovingo (Lafayette 2001), Dedric Parham (Tennessee Valley 2001) and Cornelius Coe (Quad City 2001).

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