Week 10: Saturday Night Matchups

Published on May 29, 2009 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

MILWAUKEE IRON (2-6) AT ALBANY FIREBIRDS (3-5)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - Times Union Center (13,901) 7:00 P.M. ET

Saturday's action begins with the Milwaukee Iron traveling east to take on the Albany Firebirds in the first-ever meeting between the two clubs. Milwaukee has struggled thus far to find their niche with only two wins to date in the team's first season. The offense is where the Iron seems to be misfiring the most, only averaging 229.6 yards per game, third worst in the league. QBs SHANE ADLER and TYLER DONOVAN are only completing 50.5 percent of their passes while being picked off 17 times so far this season. They aren't getting much help from the offensive line either. The Iron have allowed 27 sacks, the most for any team. Head Coach GARY COMPTON made an intriguing move this week, however, to try and spark his offensive attack - he brought in former teammate and 15-year Arena Football League (AFL) veteran signal caller TODD HAMMEL. Hammel is expected to be in uniform on Saturday. It'll be interesting to see if the 43-year-old quarterback will see any action in his first weekend on the job. Milwaukee football fans are more than a little familiar with Hammel, who played with the Milwaukee Mustangs of the AFL from 1995 to 1999 and had his Mustangs jersey retired on opening night of the 2009 af2 season at the Bradley Center. Hammel accumulated 27,093 passing yards and 425 touchdowns over his AFL career. While the Iron offense has lacked punch, the team's defense has been solid from the start. So far, Milwaukee is holding the opposition to 197.2 yards passing and 218 total yard average, both the lowest across the league. LAVAR STEPTER leads the team with four interceptions. One of the best all-around players for the Iron is WR SCOTT BURNOSKI, who is averaging nearly eight receptions per game (7.38) for 95 yards. In Milwaukee's last outing, Burnoski was forced to play quarterback and tallied four rushes for 11 yards and one touchdown, made five catches for 50 yards, and completed 5-of-10 passes for 39 yards and a TD. After an 0-5 start, the No. 16-ranked Firebirds have won their last three games. One of the main reasons behind the turnaround has been QB STEPHEN WASIL. Wasil completed 26-of-41 passes for 346 yards and seven touchdowns in the team's Week 8 win against Manchester. The club enjoyed a bye in Week 9. One of Wasil's favorite targets is WR CHRISTIAN WISE, who is averaging nearly nine receptions per game and leads the club with 60 catches for 899 yards (10 TDs). Against Manchester, Wise caught nine passes for 129 yards and two scores. WR/LB ALVIN RAY JACKSON is another player to watch for Albany. Jackson has a team-high 11 receiving scores and also leads the club in interceptions (2) and fumble recoveries (3). If Wasil continues his strong play of late, the Firebirds have a great chance to grab their fourth straight win.

KENTUCKY HORSEMEN (4-4) AT MAHONING VALLEY THUNDER (1-7)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - Covelli Centre (5,700) 7:00 P.M. ET

The Kentucky Horsemen travel to Youngstown, Ohio this week to face the Mahoning Valley Thunder. The Horsemen are hoping to improve on their 4-4 record, while Mahoning Valley looks to add another win to their solo victory so far this season. The Horsemen are creating high-scoring games this season, averaging 66.9 points per game while allowing an average of 60.4 points. QB JARED LORENZEN is averaging 200 yards passing and 19.2 yards rushing, racking up 52 total touchdowns (39 passing, 13 rushing). Kentucky has been hurt, however, by mental mistakes at times. The team is averaging 75 yards per game in penalties, the second worst in the league. Despite having the sixth worst passing defense overall, Kentucky has the most interceptions with 19. DBs MATT FORBES and WILLIAM MULDER share the team lead with six apiece. Mulder had an exceptional outing in the Horsemen's most recent game, an 83-48 home win in Week 9 against Florida. The second-year player tied an af2 record with four interceptions against the Firecats. He also had 10 tackles and accumulated 143 yards in kickoff returns. Combined with his 138 return yards from his four interceptions, Mulder finished with a game-high 281 all-purpose yards. He currently ranks second in the league in passes defended with 20 (14 breakups, 6 INTs). Kentucky is currently ranked No. 10 in the latest league coaches poll. The Thunder began the season on a high note with a win in their first game. Since then, however, they haven't won again. Looking to shake things up and turn the season around, the club named CHRIS MACKEOWN its new head coach this week. MacKeown joins Mahoning Valley after a number of years coaching in both the Arena Football League (AFL) and the af2. His most recent coaching assignment came in 2008 when he was named the offensive coordinator for the AFL's Colorado Crush. Prior to joining the Crush, MacKeown coached the af2's Amarillo Dusters for one season (2008), guiding the team to their best record in team history and an appearance in the National Conference Championship. As a team the Thunder are averaging less than 40 points per game (38.9) while allowing the second most points (62.1) to be scored on them. The Thunder are also one of only four teams in the league to allow their opposition to tally more than 300 yards of offense (317.9). QBs BLAKE POWERS and DAVON VINSON have been taking turns in the pocket, with rookie Powers getting most of the action of late. He leads the team with 869 yards passing and 17 TDs. Last week against Manchester, Powers completed five of six passes for two touchdowns. The biggest disparity between the Horsemen and the Thunder comes in the passing game, with Mahoning Valley having the third worst passing defense in the league while Kentucky has top-10 caliber statistics. If the Horsemen continue to get good effort out of Lorenzen and company, they should gain their second straight win.

MANCHESTER WOLVES (4-4) AT FLORIDA FIRECATS (3-6)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - Germain Arena (7,128) 7:30 P.M. ET

Next up on the schedule is the Manchester Wolves heading to the sunshine state to take on the Florida Firecats. The Wolves have been doing a decent job at controlling their opposition, allowing only 46 points per game. The defensive combination of DB AL PHILLIPS and DL BRYAN ROBINSON have been making huge impacts on the field, helping to keep the scores low and the morale high. Phillips is averaging a little more than seven tackles per game, third highest in the league, while also breaking up 15 passes and making two interceptions. Robinson is averaging one sack per game along with 1.14 tackles-for-loss and has forced three fumbles so far. QB JAMES PINKNEY is completing 62.3 percent of his passes and has only been intercepted five times, one of the lowest marks in the league. Last week in the team's 56-42 home win against Mahoning Valley, Pinkney completed 21-of-30 passes for 282 yards and seven touchdowns. He split the scores between WR STEVEN SAVOY and WR DEYON WILLIAMS. Savoy made seven catches for 99 yards and four touchdowns while Williams caught eight passes for 86 yards and three touchdowns. The Florida Firecats have had a shaky first half of the regular season. One of their biggest flaws so far has been their inability to stop the offense from progressing down field. They have allowed the most first downs (185) and are allowing their opponents third down conversions 57.7 percent of the time (the highest in the league). QB CHRIS WALLACE is having a solid year with 50 TD passes, but he also has 10 interceptions and is completing just shy of 60 percent of his passes. In his last outing, Wallace completed 31-of-51 passes for 365 yards and seven touchdowns despite also throwing four interceptions. WR CHRIS MCKINNEY is doing all he can to help Wallace, making nearly nine catches per game and scoring over 17 points per game. In the team's loss last week against Kentucky, McKinney made eight catches for 100 yards and caught four of Wallace's seven touchdowns. Florida's defense has had a tough time this year. The Firecats, traditionally a strong defensive club, are allowing opponents nearly 56 points per game. That ranks them among the bottom third in the league standings. DB DEMETRIUS HODGES has stood out individually with 54 tackles and six pass breakups, both team-high marks. Despite their current standing, the Wolves will do well not to look past the Firecats on their home turf.

BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT BATTLEWINGS (4-4) AT SOUTH GEORGIA WILDCATS (7-2)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - Albany Civic Center (8,034) 7:30 P.M. ET

A showdown in the South continues Saturday's action when the Bossier-Shreveport BattleWings travel to South Georgia to take on the Wildcats. Bossier-Shreveport got off to a slow start at 2-4 but the team has started to come around of late with two straight wins. The BattleWings defeated Southwest Division rival Rio Grande Valley in their most recent outing, 76-59. Leading the way in the victory was QB ANDRICO HINES. Hines completed 19-for-29 passes against the Dorados for 274 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception. In the team's last two wins, Hines has 16 touchdown passes against just one interception. Another standout from the Rio Grande Valley victory was WR/KR P.J. BERRY. The dynamic playmaker from Virginia State scored three different ways and finished with five total touchdowns on the night. On offense, Berry had six catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns. His receiving yards and receiving touchdown total were both team-high marks. He was also special on special teams with 166 kickoff return yards, including a 56-yard return touchdown in the first quarter. Berry also had a 12-yard touchdown run late in the first half to give Bossier-Shreveport a 42-28 halftime advantage. He finished with 300 all-purpose yards and even had an assisted tackle on defense. He currently leads the BattleWings in receiving yards (560), kickoff return yards (781), kickoff return TDs (3) and all-purpose yards (1,355). Overall, Bossier-Shreveport has had a hard time containing the passing game of their opposition, allowing an average of 317.6 yards per outing, the most overall. The BattleWings have a strong group of offensive lineman that has only allowed four sacks this season, a league-low total. FB JASON SCHULE continues to lead the league in rushing yards, running for a little more than 18 on average. Last week versus Rio Grande Valley, Schule had seven carries for 29 yards and one score. Defensively, DB ROLAND COLA had a team-high four interceptions. He has also 10 pass breakups. The BattleWings are currently ranked No. 15 in the latest league coaches poll. The No. 5-ranked South Georgia Wildcats are having an impressive season and should provide an immense challenge to Bossier-Shreveport. On average, the Wildcats are scoring nearly 61 points per game, fifth-highest overall. QB DARNELL KENNEDY is completing nearly 62 percent of his passes and has only four interceptions. In the team's most recent outing in Week 8 at Quad City, Kennedy completed 17-of-30 passes with five touchdowns and one interception. He also had a game-high three rushing TDs to up his league-best total to 14 on the season. WR ALVANCE ROBINSON caught eight passes for 152 yards with one touchdown in the team's 56-49 road win. Robinson is averaging 94 receiving yards per game. While the offense continues to excel, the defense makes sure to do their part to keep the opposition points low. DB DEMETRIE MCCRAY is making an average of 5.6 tackles per game, while ERIC TURNER has 5.5 sacks so far this season. COURTNEY YOUNG has 5.5 sacks as well. This should be one of the most entertaining matchups of the weekend.

TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS (6-2) AT WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (7-1)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - Wachovia Arena (7,950) 7:30 P.M. ET

The defending ArenaCup Champion Tennessee Valley Vipers traveling to Wilkes-Barre, Pa. to take on the No. 2-ranked Pioneers. These two teams have met three times overall with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton owning a slight 2-1 edge. The Pioneers have won 22 straight regular season home games at Wachovia Arena and 26 of their last 27, including playoffs. The last team to beat Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at home is none other than the Vipers. Tennessee Valley bested the Pioneers, 34-30, last year in the second round of the 2008 af2 playoffs, and went on to win the ArenaCup title. This year the Vipers got off to a slow start at 1-2. Since then, however, they've won five straight. So far this season, Tennessee Valley is holding their opponents to 39.9 points per game, second lowest average in the league-behind only Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. QB KEVIN EAKIN leads the Vipers offense. The second-year signal caller has 44 TD passes and ranks seventh overall in passer rating (120.2). WR/LB BRADLY CHAVEZ leads the club in touchdown receptions with 14, including two in the team's most recent win in Week 8 against Oklahoma City. He also tallied 4.5 tackles, one fumble recovery, one interception and one sack. DB DESMOND FOSTER leads the Vipers in tackles and pass breakups. DL ERIC SCOTT is the team leader in sacks with four. Tennessee Valley is currently ranked No. 4 overall in the latest league coaches poll. The Pioneers have one of the most effective overall teams in the league. They lead the league in scoring defense (36.8 ppg) and rank second in scoring offense (66.2 ppg). QB RYAN VENA is the team's leader on the offensive side. The veteran signal caller ranks second in passer rating (127.6) and third in completion percentage (69.1). Rookie WR IRVING CAMPBELL leads a talented cast of pass catchers with 62 receptions for 820 and 12 TDs. FB KIRBY GRIFFIN is a player to watch as well. The big man from California University of Pennsylvania scored four touchdowns on offense, three rushing and one receiving in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Week 9 win (69-19) against Green Bay. He currently ranks second in the league in rushing yards (210) and is tied for second in rushing TDs (13). Defensively, DB MICHAEUX ROBINSON has a league-best eight interceptions and 21 passes defended (13 breakups, 8 INTs). DL ROYCE MORGAN leads the af2 in sacks with 10. Although both teams have the potential to explode offensively, the strong defenses on both benches should make this game a close and exciting one.

TULSA TALONS (7-1) AT OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ (4-4)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - Cox Convention Center (10,595) 8:00 P.M. ET

One of the af2's best rivalries will be featured on Saturday night in Oklahoma City, Okla. as the Yard Dawgz host the Tulsa Talons. This will be the second time these two clubs have met this season and the 15th time overall. Tulsa currently holds a 9-5 edge in the all-time series. The Talons won the first affair of the year three weeks ago in Tulsa, 75-56. WR ZACH EDWARDS led Tulsa with nine catches for 65 yards and four touchdowns. Yard Dawgz QB ROBERT KENT threw just four touchdown passes on the night with one interception. He also had two rushing scores. Last week the No. 3-ranked Talons enjoyed their first bye of the season. Their most recent result came two weeks ago at Milwaukee where Tulsa got the better of the expansion Iron, 53-19. The victory was the sixth in a row for the Central Division leading Talons. DB PIERRE THOMAS was a force for Tulsa with nine solo tackles and two first-quarter interceptions. He returned his second interception 26 yards for a touchdown to help spot Tulsa a quick 14-0 lead. WR CARLESE FRANKLIN had a game-high 131 yards receiving for Tulsa on seven catches with one touchdown. QB JUSTIN ALLGOOD finished with 15 completions on 23 attempts for 207 yards with four touchdowns. The Talons boast one of the top offenses in the af2. Led by Allgood, the team ranks third overall in scoring at 63.5 points per game. The veteran signal caller is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes with 55. He also ranks third in completion percentage (70.0) and tied for fourth in passer rating (125.5). Veteran WR/KR JEFF HUGHLEY is another player to watch for the Talons. Hughley leads the af2 in all-purpose yards and is among the leaders in receiving and scoring. On the defensive side, Tulsa is equally as intimidating. As a unit, the squad has been stingy so far, allowing opponents just 41.9 points per game (5th in af2). They also rank third in total turnovers forced with 26 (10 fumbles, 16 INTs). LB JAMAR RANSOM (team-highs in tackles - 53 - and interceptions - 5) and DL KAMAU JACKSON (team-high 7 sacks) are just a few of the many playmakers on defense for the Talons. After four wins to open the season, Oklahoma City limps into this week's contest after suffering its fourth straight loss last week at Corpus Christi. The Sharks earned just their second win of the year thanks in large part to an offense that scored on every possession. The game stayed close throughout but a fourth quarter stop coupled with a failed onside kick attempt allowed Corpus Christi to open up an 11-point lead. Kent and WR AL HUNT led the club in defeat. Kent completed 20-of-32 passes for 262 yards with 5 TDs. He also rushed for 26 yards and one score. Hunt, the league's all-time leading scorer (1,188 points), finished with two touchdown catches. Kent is the unquestioned point man for the Yard Dawgz offense which ranks sixth in the af2 in scoring (59.2 ppg). He currently leads the league in passer rating (132.8) and is second in completion percentage (70.7) and total offense (315.4 ypg). Oklahoma City's offense hasn't been an issue. Lately it's been the team's defense. In their last four games (all losses), the Yard Dawgz have given up nearly 66 points per contest (65.8). After three straight road games, Oklahoma City hopes a little home cookin' can spark the team to an upset this week.

ARKANSAS TWISTERS (6-2) AT CORPUS CHRISTI SHARKS (2-6)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - American Bank Center (7,498) 8:00 P.M. ET

The Arkansas Twisters travel to Corpus Christi this week to take on the Sharks in a Southwest Division matchup. This is the first of two head-to-head meetings between the two clubs this season. Arkansas leads the all-time series, 3-0. The Southwest Division leaders enter this week's action ranked No. 6 in the latest league coaches poll. With a bye in Week 9, their most recent result came two weeks ago at Central Valley. Arkansas was again led by the dynamic duo of QB Kyle Rowley and WR Rod Harper. Rowley completed 25-of-34 passes for 296 yards. He also threw six touchdowns without an interception and rushed for two scores. Harper caught a dozen passes for 172 yards and five touchdowns, all game-highs. Harper, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound Murray State alum, currently ranks second in the league in scoring (186 points), total touchdowns (31), receiving touchdowns (31) and receptions per game (13.3). He is also third in total receptions (93), receiving yards (1,100) and receiving yards per game (157.1). Rowley ranks second in the league in passing yards with 2,401 and is tied for second in touchdown passes with 50. Overall, the club ranks seventh in scoring at 58.4 points per game. Another strength for the club is its offensive line. Arkansas is tied for the league lead in fewest sacks allowed with four. The Twisters defense also ranks among the af2 Top-10 in scoring defense (49.5 - 9th). Veteran DL JERRY TURNER leads the team with three sacks while DB ANTHONY HAILSTOCK is the team's top tackler (32). Corpus Christi is in good spirits this week after earning its second win of the season on Monday at the expense of Oklahoma City, 65-62. The Sharks scored on every offensive possession and the defense posted two stops in the victory. The Sharks revamped roster featured the return of FB John Cook and newly acquired West Texas A&M rookie WR Anthony Clark. Both were key contributors in the win. Cook had two touchdown runs while Clark caught three passes, all for touchdowns. WR Brandon Hussey (9-174-4 TDs) and QB GARY COOPER (295 yards passing, 7 TDs) also played extremely well in the decision. Hussey leads the club in receiving with 813 yards and 13 TDs. DL DARIUS ROBINSON has been the team's best defensive player so far. He is the team leader in tackles for loss (6) and sacks (4.5) and ranks second overall in tackles (18.5). A big reason behind the Sharks' rough first half has been because of turnovers (20). Outside of last week's showing, Cooper hasn't had a strong first half with just 28 TD passes and nine interceptions. He also ranks 23rd overall in passer rating (90.2), ahead of only Iowa's Brian Villanueva among regular starters. Cooper's play will be critical again this week if the Sharks hope to keep pace with the Twisters.

PEORIA PIRATES (2-6) AT IOWA BARNSTORMERS (5-3)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - Wells Fargo Arena (8,403) 8:00 P.M. ET

Peoria heads to Des Moines, Iowa this week for the second and final head-to-head Midwest Division battle with the Barnstormers. Iowa leads the all-time series between the two clubs, 3-2. The Barnstormers won the most recent meeting in Week 3, 53-38, in Peoria. The Pirates finished the first half of the season four games under .500. The team sees things going a bit differently in the second half, however, thanks to the arrival of new head coach MIKE HOHENSEE. Hohensee had a successful af2 coaching debut last week as the longtime AFL head coach guided the Pirates to their first home win of the season, 65-48, over Quad City. Peoria scored first and never trailed. QB LUKE DRONE, in his first start since Week 4 (club's first win), passed for 236 yards and five touchdowns (1 INT). He also rushed for three more scores in the decision. Peoria receivers were led by KEVIN SANFORD, who had seven receptions and 112 yards and two touchdowns in just his second game with the team. MOSES HARRIS added six catches for 52 yards and one score. Defensively, DB MICHAEL PHILLIPS (10 solo tackles), DB JAMES SMITH (5 tackles, 2 INTs) and LB JACOB SCHOONOVER (3.5 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT) all stood out. DL WILLIAM STOKES capped the night for the Pirates with a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown to official seal the win. The 48 points given up by the Peoria defense was a stark contrast to the team's first seven games where they allowed nearly 65 points per contest. One defensive player to note so far for the Pirates is BRANDON GOLDER. The rookie defensive back leads the club in interceptions (5) and pass breakups (6) and ranks second in tackles (30.5). Iowa enters this week's contest as the current Midwest Division leader. The Barnstormers, ranked No. 9 in the latest league coaches poll, earned a 71-42 victory last week against Amarillo. Iowa broke the game open with a 28-3 run through the first and second quarter to take a 35-10 halftime lead. The third quarter began with Amarillo cutting the lead to 35-16. However the Barnstormers countered with a 57-yard kickoff return by WR/KR Tim Dodge followed by a 47-yard interception return for a score by DB Tanner Varner to increase the lead to 49-16. Dodge finished with 269 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns to lead the team. WR ERRICK MCCOWN caught three TD passes by QB BRIAN VILLANUEVA. Villanueva had one of his better showings of the season with five total TDs, including four passing without an interception. The team's defensive effort was paced by rookie DL BRENT CURVEY who had 4.5 tackles and three sacks. McCown leads the Barnstormers in scoring with 96 points (16 TDs) while Dodge is the pace setter in receiving with 55 catches for 637 yards. Varner leads the af2 in tackles with 68.5. He also leads Iowa in pass breakups (13). As a team the Barnstormers lead the af2 in fumble recoveries with 15 and rank sixth in scoring defense (45.9 ppg allowed). Team records aside, if Drone plays well, this contest should be a battle from start to finish.

AMARILLO DUSTERS (1-7) AT BOISE BURN (6-2)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - Qwest Arena (5,006) 9:00 P.M. ET

Amarillo heads to Boise this week for the first-ever meeting between the Dusters and Burn. Amarillo has had a rough first half of the season. The Dusters are one of only three teams in the league who have just one victory. The club's most recent result was a 71-42 road loss to Iowa last weekend. The team's only notable individual efforts were from backup QB MATT BASSUENER and WR BRENT CRAFT. Bassuener came on in the second half to replace COLLIN DRAFTS and completed 11-of-16 passes for 171 yards and four touchdowns. Two of his scoring tosses went to Craft, who finished with a team-high eight catches for 101 yards. It was Craft's first 100-yard receiving performance of the season. Overall, Amarillo's faulty first half has been in large part due to turnovers (23 - 22nd in af2) and an underachieving offense that averages just 35 points per game (24th in af2). Pass protection has also been an issue. Currently the Dusters rank near the bottom of the league standings in sacks allowed with 20. DB MYRON NEWBERRY has been one of the few constants for Amarillo. Newberry has played in all eight games and leads the club in tackles (42) and pass breakups (7). Boise, on the other hand, has had a strong first half. The Burn's only two blemishes on the season have come against No. 1-ranked Spokane. Boise is currently ranked No. 7 according to the latest league coaches poll. The Burn's most recent victory came last week at Stockton. Boise used a 47-7 run spanning the second and third quarters to send Lightning away with a 59-44 defeat. WR Jomo Wilson had a game-high eight catches for 128 yards and four touchdowns. QB Taylor Tharp threw for 287 yards and six touchdowns (21-for-30 passing). The Burn currently rank in the af2's Top-10 in scoring offense (8th - 58.1) and scoring defense (4th - 40.2). Tharp, an af2 rookie from Boise State, has been solid so far in 2009 with 40 TD passes. His only fault is that he's thrown a league-high 14 interceptions. His top two receivers are Wilson and NICHIREN FLOWERS. Flowers leads the club in receiving yards (640) and receiving TDs (18). Wilson ranks second in TD receptions with nine. On the defensive side, DB TERRANCE SANDERS, LB LEVI MADARIETA and DL ALEX GUERRERO are three players to keep an eye on. Sanders leads the club in tackles with 50.5 and is tied with Madarieta for high honors in interceptions with five. Guerrero leads the Burn up front with 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Sanders is also a dangerous kick returner. He has three TDs in 15 total returns. If the Dusters doesn't come out strong and limit their mistakes, it could be a long night.

STOCKTON LIGHTNING (2-6) AT CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES (3-5)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - Selland Arena (5,487) 10:00 P.M. ET

Stockton travels two hours downstate this week to face Central Valley at Selland Arena in Fresno, Calif. This is the third of four head-to-head meetings between the two clubs this season. One of Stockton's two wins this season came against Central Valley in Week 1. Central Valley won the second showdown by seven points, 65-58. The Coyotes lead the all-time series, 9-3. The Lightning's most recent result was a 59-44 home loss to Boise that came last week. The Burn used a 47-7 run spanning the second and third quarters to send Stockton away in defeat. The Lightning, who actually began the game on a 17-0 run, were led by WR Justin Taplin. Taplin caught seven passes for 108 yards and two TDs. QB CHAD CAVENDER threw five touchdown passes, giving the rookie signal caller 20 scoring tosses in his last three games. He also added 273 passing yards but completed just 20-of-37 passes. Overall, Stockton's first half of the season hasn't gone according to plan as the team has yet to find a consistent winning formula. The Lightning have had issues with turnovers all season. They currently have 22 on the year which is the fourth-highest total in the league. Another problem area has been on the defensive side where the club has allowed opponents to average nearly 60 points per game (59.4). Taplin has been the team's most impressive performer to date. He currently leads the team and ranks among the league leaders in receiving with 72 catches for 964 yards and 23 TDs. Their only other win besides the one against the Coyotes in Week 1 came two weeks ago at home against a solid Rio Grande Valley club. That was the Lightning's best outing of the season by far. This week they're out to prove that showing wasn't just a one-time performance. Central Valley is coming off a 43-22 loss last Saturday night at No.1-ranked Spokane. The 22-point total was the Coyotes lowest total of the season. The performance dropped them from 52 points per game to 48.2. Rookie QB Ryan O'Hara, making his first start, was under heavy pressure all night from the Shock's defensive line and was sacked five times. O'Hara was still able to complete 60 percent of his passes - including three touchdowns - for 225 yards. WR Lamonte Jones was O'Hara's primary target with 15 receptions - including two touchdowns - for 149 yards. O'Hara's one mistake, however, came late in the fourth quarter. With the Coyotes trailing by 14 (36-22), he threw an interception that sealed the win for Spokane. Jones has been Central Valley's best overall performer through the team's first eight games. The veteran receiver ranks second in the league in all-purpose yards (1,477) and is among the league's elite pass catchers with 89 catches for 975 yards and 19 TDs. DL DONYELL BOOKER has been a bookend for the defense with 4.0 sacks and three fumble recoveries. If the Coyotes hope to end their two-game losing streak, they'll need a strong outing from O'Hara and a better effort from their defense which is allowing opponents nearly 55 points per game. If their last head-to-head meeting is any indication, this West battle should go down to the wire.

SPOKANE SHOCK (8-0) AT TRI-CITIES FEVER (1-7)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009 - Toyota Center (5,700) 10:00 P.M. ET

The Shock take a short two-hour drive this week to face in-state and division rival Tri-Cities. This is the second of three head-to-head meetings between the two teams this season. Spokane won the first affair at home in Week 3, 62-32. The Shock lead the all-time series, 5-1. The No.1-ranked Shock finished the first half of the season without a loss after taking out Central Valley last week, 43-22. Spokane's defense held the Coyotes to their lowest point total of the season. The team was led by veteran DL Ben McCombs. McCombs paced the Shock with 3.5 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. His 2.5 sacks upped his all-time league-best total to 50.5. McCombs also ranks second overall in sacks in 2009 with 9.5. Offensively, the Shock produced some of their lowest numbers of the season, including a season-low of only 43 points. Spokane seemed out of sync and never got in a groove after QB Nick Davila threw an interception on his first pass attempt of the game. Davila took a hard hit on the play and sat on the sidelines for most of the first half. He was replaced by QB Casey Hansen. Davila returned to the game and accounted for three touchdowns (two rushing and one passing) and a season-low of 127 passing yards. Andy Olson led the Spokane receiving corps with nine receptions - including one touchdown - for 59 yards. Overall, the Shock rank ninth in scoring offense (57.5 ppg) and third in scoring defense (40.1 ppg). They also rank second to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in turnover margin at plus+13 (23 gained, 10 lost). Individually, Davila ranks fifth in the af2 in passer rating (125.5). DB STANLEY FRANKS ranks second in the league in tackles with 59.5. The Fever's fortunes in the first half of the season have been quite different from Spokane. The team has won just one time in eight games - three weeks ago at Stockton. Tri-Cities also went through a coaching change and now have RYAN O'HARA leading the charge. He's been the team leader for the last three games and the Fever have gone 1-2. With a bye in Week 9, Tri-Cities' most recent result came two weeks ago at Boise. The Burn set a season high and tied a team record with 77 points as they raced past the Fever, 77-28. The Fever found the end zone on their opening drive when Ryan Porter found Finas Rabb in the end zone from 25 yards out to take the early 7-0 lead. Boise answered with a 28-0 run. Ahead 35-14 at the half, Boise outscored the Fever 42-14 in the second half. DBs Ray Little and Jamie Hattley recorded interceptions for the Tri-Cities defense. Porter had a tough night against Boise as the veteran completed just 22-of-41 passes for 245 yards with three TDs and three INTs. Rabb caught a team-high 10 passes for 110 yards with two scores while WR CHASE REED had eight catches for 115 yards and one TD. Porter will be key this week if Tri-Cities has any chance of staying with the Shock. He'll need to make plays for a team that currently ranks last in the league in scoring at 33.4 points per game. The Fever will also need to limit their mistakes against Spokane. That's been a problem so far as the club ranks second to last in both total turnovers (26) and interceptions (16). On paper, this looks like another easy win for the Shock. The Fever, however, will not go quietly.

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