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'Tide Heads to Birmingham For Season Opener

April 6, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
San Diego Riptide News Release


GAME PREVIEW: Fresh off their 67-32 pre-season victory over the All-Japan Samurai Warriors, the Riptide head into their first regular season battle against the Birmingham Steeldogs. The Riptide has won eight of their last eleven contests since the pivotal 62-52 victory against the Quad City Steemwheelers during Week Eight of the 2004 season. San Diego hopes to pull off a victory in Birmingham to go to 2-2 overall in season openers.

The roster of the Riptide is talented due to the skillful recruiting of new Head Coach Sean Ponder. Nine players are returning from last year's squad including breakout 2004 scoring machine, WR/DB Nakoa McElrath, tackling machine DS Quincy LeJay, 'Tide career interception leader WR/DB Ryan Smith, and the "Hitman" Rico Curtis. With the new af2 housing rule, Ponder was also able to bring in eight players form the defunct Wichita Stealth that will add power to the ‘Tide's front line. To remedy last seasons faltering kicking squad, he also made it a point to assign All-af2 second team, Kimo Naehu formerly of the Hawaiian Islanders. The addition of AFL experienced QB Anthony Buich, FB/LB Asi Faoa, OS Steve Gonzalez (who scored three Touchdowns in the preseason matchup), and DS Trayvon Waller (notched nine tackles against Japan) round out the roster.

With two extremely skilled and talented players vying for the starting quarterback position, Coach Ponder has two days to decide who will carry that honor. After completing 14-of-19 passes for five touchdowns, ‘Tide vet Kevin Feterik looks to be the fan's front runner tallying up nearly 80% of the votes casted in the Riptide website fan poll. Feterik relieved Kane Claunch as the starting quarterback during the second half of the 2004 season. Anthony Buich, who has passed for over 3,000 yards in each of his three af2 seasons and was also a starting quarterback for the AFL Grand Rapids Rampage, is familiar to Ponder's system and should make a good showing if given the opportunity.

An af2 staple franchise, the Birmingham Steeldogs are entering their 6th season in the league. With an average of nearly 7,000 fans at the BJCC over the team's history, the crowd could also play a factor in this regular season opener.

Coach Bobby Humphrey has been the face of Steeldogs football since its 2000 inception and is on the verge of his 50th win as the team's Head Coach. Humphrey has confidence in his new starting quarterback Andrew Zow. Zow joins the team after being a standout with the Crimson Tide. He owns nearly every passing record with the University of Alabama. Also joining the Steeldogs is af2 veteran DS Darius Ellison. Ellison enters his sixth af2 season and has played in over 50 games, notching 167 tackles and eight interceptions. He has played for Roanoke, Oklahoma City, Columbus, Macon, and Birmingham throughout his af2 tenure. He also spent 15 games with the Wichita Stealth in 2001, prior to Ponder's appointment as Stealth head coach.

2004 Season Records:

Birmingham Steeldogs - 10-6, (1st in American Southern Division, lost in playoffs to Cape Fear 53-54)

San Diego 8-8, (t-2nd in National Western Division, franchise best regular season finish)

Series Record: 0-0, This is the first time these teams have met.

Coaches: Sean Ponder (0-0, First Season with Riptide, 12-12, overall)

Bobby Humphrey (47-33, Sixth Season)

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