Tomcats Ready to Face Knights

June 13, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

The Tomcats and Knights will find out Friday at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum in a contest the Tomcats need to win to keep pace with Florida in the American Conference Southern Division. At 4-5, Jacksonville can hardly afford to fall further behind its interstate rivals. Macon (8-2) is just a half-game behind Eastern Division-leading Augusta. Macon, which edged Jacksonville 50-47 May 4, takes its fifth-ranked scoring offense (54.2 points per game) to face a Tomcats defense that yields 45 points a contest. Jacksonville's offense puts an average of 44.2 points on the board. Macon's special teams will look to contain OS/KR LAWRENCE PULLEN, who averages 26.2 yards per kickoff return and has six total return TDs this year. Recently-acquired DS MARCELLE HOUGH made a strong Jacksonville debut in Saturday's 67-37 loss to Augusta. Hough registered four tackles and two pass breakups. Led by the league's third-ranked passer, Macon hopes QB JOHN RAYBORN can continue his recent run of form against Jacksonville. Rayborn has passed for 15 scores in his last three outings and now has a new target in NORMAN MASON. Mason was acquired in a June 2 trade with Cape Fear and caught a touchdown pass in his first game as a Knight last weekend. QUESUAN WIGFALL leads Macon's secondary with four interceptions this season. In addition to its perfect Friday night mark, Jacksonville is 3-1 at home. Macon is 3-1 on the road.

--------------------------------------------------------

Despite owning a 4-5 record, Pensacola has been playing some of the best football in the league recently, handing Tennessee Valley its first loss of the season and handily knocking off Tallahassee last weekend. The Barracudas travel to Mobile hoping to string together a two-game win streak and keep their playoff hopes alive. The Wizards still are searching for their first win of the season, but are hopeful, coming off a heartbreaking 40-37 loss to Florida last week. CHARLIE PETERSON has Pensacola headed in the right direction, throwing for 1,070 yards and 23 touchdowns in just five games since taking over as the Barracudas' signal caller. Peterson has helped increase Pensacola's offensive output to 50.2 points per game. Mobile's offense has averaged just 24.6 points per game, but that number is up to 42.0 in the last three outings under the direction of new QB MELVIN HALL. WILL PETTIS leads a Barracuda defense that allows 44.7 points per game. Pettis has eight interceptions on the season and a league-high 34 passes defended. ANTOINE FLOWERS has been a consistent Ironman for Mobile. The WR/DB has 572 receiving yards and 10 TD catches on offense. Defensively, Flowers has 14.5 tackles and four interceptions for 36 yards. Mobile and Pensacola met earlier in the season, with the Barracudas beating a "different" Mobile team, 72-6.

--------------------------------------------------------

San Diego flies to Hawaii Friday in search of its first three-game win streak. With an emotional 46-43 victory against Bakersfield last Saturday, the Riptide hope to continue its momentum and remain on track for one of the Western Division's two playoff spots. Hawaii looks to avenge two earlier losses at the hands of San Diego this season. The last time the two teams squared off in Honolulu, Hawaii lost 52-50 on RYAN GEISLER's last-play field goal. The Islanders' top-ranked rushing offense (45.8 yards per game) matches up against a 20th-ranked San Diego rush defense that yields 31.9 yards on the ground. However, Riptide WR/LB RICO CURTIS, the Week 11 Ironman of the Week, will be on the prowl, looking to add to his league leading 81.0 tackles. QB KANE CLAUNCH has helped San Diego score 47.8 points a game by throwing for 2,213 yards and 43 scores. A banged-up Hawaii offense, missing its three leading receivers and a number of linemen, looks to improve upon its 42.0 points per game. Playing with injuries to his shoulder and shin, DARNELL ARCENEAUX threw for 190 yards and three scores in last week's 64-50 loss to Peoria. In his first game as an Islander, NIKO VITALE led Hawaii's receivers with an 80-yard, two-TD performance against the Pirates. Vitale also chipped in a team-high 4.5 tackles and a fumble recovery. This marks the end of the season series between San Diego and Hawaii.

• Discuss this story on the arenafootball2 message board...

arenafootball2 Stories from June 13, 2002

• Quick Hitters - af2
• NY Rookie Gets Defensive - af2
• Tomcats Ready to Face Knights - af2
• Watson Out, Baker Improving - Rochester Brigade

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.