Week 10: Friday Night Matchup
Published on May 29, 2008 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2008 - The Resch Center (7,695) 8:30 P.M. ET
This week the Peoria Pirates travel north to meet the Green Bay Blizzard for the second time in the 2008 season. If their first meeting is any indication, this Midwest Division matchup will be an intense affair from start to finish. Green Bay escaped Peoria with a one-point win (37-36) three weeks ago thanks to K BOB FORSTROM's 24-yard field goal as time expired. The Pirates most recent result was a 45-35 home victory last week against the Iowa Barnstormers. The win snapped Peoria's three-game losing streak heading into the contest. QB JUSTIN RASCATI and WR PHILLIP BROCK paced the Pirates in the victory. Rascati accounted for five touchdowns (4 passing, 1 rushing) while Brock had three TD catches and two touchdown runs. Brock also accumulated 191 all-purpose yards (8 rush, 112 rcv, 71 kr). DB KOFI AMOAH (8 tackles, 2 pass breakups) and LB RANDY CHAPPELL (4.0 tackles, 1 INT, 1 pass breakup) keyed the defense. Brock leads the team in rushing and receiving TDs with nine in each category and has scored a team-high 112 points. As a team, the Pirates lead the af2 in rushing with 492 yards and rank second in rushing TDs with 20. DB BLAKE FARRIS is arguably the team's top playmaker on the defensive side with 36.5 tackles and six interceptions (team-high). The Blizzard, ranked No. 9 in the latest league coaches poll, enter this Week 10 tilt well rested after enjoying a bye during the Memorial Day weekend. Green Bay, however, likely didn't enjoy its time off because the team was still smarting from a 49-48 home loss to Lexington in Week 8. The Horsemen upset the Blizzard on their home turf on a last-second TD pass from Eddie Eviston to Tavon McGee. Green Bay's home loss was just its second in the last 16 games at the Resch Center dating back to the latter stages of the 2006 season. QB COLLIN DRAFTS, in his first start with the team, connected on 18-of-28 passes, six of which went for touchdowns. The second-year signal caller also rushed for a score. WR SCOTT BURNOSKI continues to lead the Blizzard pass catching corps with 39 grabs for 607 yards and 13 TDs. Green Bay is solid on offense, but defense is really the team's specialty. The Blizzard are a physical bunch who allow their opponents just 40.4 points per game (5th in af2). DL JOE SYKES and FB/LB GUS TYSON are two big reasons why Green Bay is tied for the af2 lead in sacks with 27. Sykes ranks third overall with 9.5 sacks on the season while Tyson is tied for sixth with 6.5. DB RUSTY MIDLAM has been the team's top playmaker in the secondary with 32 tackles, four interceptions and 12 pass breakups in the first half of the season. Green Bay should be especially focused to protect its turf after suffering a rare home loss two weeks ago. It's important that the Pirates get off to a strong start in order to keep the Blizzard faithful quiet.
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