Warriors Look to Snap Losing Skid against Beaumont
June 4, 2004 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Utah Warriors News Release
West Valley City, UT â The Utah Warriors head into Saturday night's game against the Beaumont Drillers losers of three straight for the first time in franchise history. Utah is also under .500 for the first time in franchise history with a 5-6 record. Beaumont is 6-4 on the year and the Drillers have won to straight including a 73-3 defeat of the Waco Marshals two weeks ago. These two teams met in last season's final week with Utah prevailing 56-44 in Texas.
During the three game losing streak, Utah has been outscored 138-101 and has turned the ball over eight times. In that stretch they have only forced two turnovers by their opponents. Doug Smith was injured against Omaha three weeks ago but started the next week against Black Hills before leaving with a separated shoulder. Cole Cooper filled in against Black Hills and started last week at Sioux Falls. This season when Cooper starts Utah is 0-2.
With three games left in the season the Warriors sit 1.5 games out of the wild card in the Pacific Conference of the NIFL. Omaha and Sioux City are tied for that spot, but Omaha holds the tiebreaker. Both the Beef and the Bandits own the tiebreaker over Utah, meaning that they would both have to lose three of their final four.
Beaumont is currently two games behind Houma for the Atlantic South lead, but they are just 0.5 games out of the Atlantic wild card spot. They are led by quarterback Marc Saldana who played for the Austin Rockers last year. In 2004, Saldana has thrown for 1,040 yards in just eight games and has 22 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. Chad Lutrell leads the team with 55 catches for 564 yards to lead the Drillers.
Utah leading rusher Omar Bacon will be out for the remainder of the season after wrist surgery on Monday. Bacon leads the Warriors with 376 rushing yards and 148 points. His 376 yards is a team record for rushing yards in a season. Orlando Poloa should see time at fullback against the Drillers.
Utah concludes the regular season with a game at Show Me next Thursday in Missouri, then a week off, followed by the season finale at home against the rival Billings Outlaws on June 26.
• Discuss this story on the National Indoor Football League message board...
National Indoor Football League Stories from June 4, 2004
- League Announces Final Regular Season Schedule Changes - NIFL
- CardSharks Host Evansville at Boardwalk Hall - Atlantic City CardSharks
- FireAnts Take On LandSharks Saturday Night - Tupelo FireAnts
- Greyhounds try to get back on track - Ohio Valley Greyhounds
- Warriors Look to Snap Losing Skid against Beaumont - Utah Warriors
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.
