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Week 15 Saturday night matchups

July 9, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


NO. 1 BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS (9-3) AT NO. 9 FLORIDA FIRECATS (7-5)
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2004 - GERMAIN ARENA (7,128) 7:30 P.M. ET

There is plenty on the line as the Birmingham Steeldogs face the Florida Firecats. A win for the Steeldogs would not only clinch a playoff spot but also clinch the South Division title. Birmingham would also clinch a home playoff game and a seed no worse then number three in the ArenaCup Playoffs. Florida has lost two games in a row and is in need of a victory to keep pace in the playoff race. Key to the outcome will be af2's leading rusher STEVE GORRIE. If he begins to move the ball on the ground he could open things up for quarterback KEN MASTROLE. On the season Mastrole thrown 58 touchdown passes to just nine interceptions. Much of the credit needs to go to his dynamic trio of receivers in CAINON LAMB, MAGIC BENTON and ANTHONY SNEAD. Lamb leads the team in receptions and touchdown receptions with 80 and 22 respectively. Benton leads the Firecats in receiving yards with 907 yards on 66 catches. Snead has brought in 30 passes with twelve of those going for touchdowns. 53 of Mastrole's 58 touchdown passes have gone to this group of receivers. This group knows each other and Mastrole well as they have been healthy for every game this season. Mastrole and the Firecats receivers will have to deal with Birmingham defensive specialist ANTHONY JORDAN. Jordan is tied for tops in the af2 in interceptions with eight. The Birmingham offense is learning to deal with losses. DETRONN HARRIS left after nine games for the Carolina Panthers. Since then CARLOS MCNEARY has stepped up his game. During the first nine games this season, McNeary totaled 423 receiving yards with 11 touchdowns. Over the past three games McNeary has racked up 419 yards with nine touchdowns. Birmingham is also dealing with the loss of quarterback KENTON EVANS to injury. JEFF AARON now takes over full time after splitting with Evans for most of the season. This is the final meeting of the regular season between the Steeldogs and Firecats but a rematch in the playoffs is possible.

MANCHESTER WOLVES (5-7) AT NO. 2 WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON (9-3)
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2004 - WACHOVIA ARENA AT CASEY PLAZA (7,500) 7:00 P.M. ET

The number two ranked team on the af2 Coaches' Poll, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Pioneers, host their division rivals Manchester Wolves. The Pioneers had last week off, but two weeks ago they lost a tough one to Cape Fear at home, 57-49. After letting go head coach Rik Richards the Wolves won their last game 49-28 over a good Louisville Fire team. The Wolves are not eliminated from the playoff race but need to put a string of wins together to stay in it. A win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton would be the first step toward the playoffs. HENRY FRAZIER makes plays on both sides of the ball. On the season Frazier has 45 catches for 689 yards and ten touchdowns. On defense he has registered 11.5 tackles (8UA 7A) and one interceptions. MARVIN OWENS leads the Manchester defense with 53.5 tackles (43UA 21A), tenth in the league, five interceptions, eleven total passes defended, one recovered fumble and a forced fumble. The Pioneers have the best team in franchise history and much of the credit needs to go to quarterback TIM HICKS. On the season Hicks has thrown 59 touchdown passes to just six interceptions. In fact Hicks hasn't thrown an interception in his last five games. Hicks has even rushed seventeen times for 48 yards and two touchdowns. A two-way standout for the Pioneers is KEVIN NAGLE. He ranks fourth on the team in tackles with 37.5 (28UA 19A) and leads the team in rushing with 94 yards on 35 carries with seven touchdowns. The Pioneers defense is the only squad who has two players in the top ten in tackles. KYLE GROVE ranks fourth in the league with 66.5 tackles (57UA 19A). JAMIE HATTLEY is tied for fifth with 64.0 (52UA 24A). Look for this duo to test the Manchester offense.

COLUMBUS WARDOGS (6-6) AT NO. 10 LOUISVILLE FIRE (7-5)
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2004 - FREEDOM HALL (15,646) 7:30 P.M. ET

There are some interesting storylines in Louisville as the Fire host the Columbus Wardogs at Freedom Hall. Columbus is 6-6 and in the playoff race for the first time in team history. They have won five of their last six including an impressive victory two weeks ago against the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz. With the American Conference playoff chase being tight Columbus may not be able to lose another game and make the playoffs, making every game here on out crucial. While Columbus is on the upswing, Louisville is struggling of late, losing their last three games and relinquishing control of first place in the Midwest Division. While still in good position to make the playoffs the Fire will need to get it going if they want a home playoff game. The reason for their struggles is their offense. In their last three games the Fire have averaged only 36.3 points per game. In Louisville's other nine games the Fire averaged 58.1 points per game. Worth noting though, two of these games were against Peoria who has the lowest scoring defense in the league. Fire quarterback MATT SAUK will look to get ignite the Louisville offense. He has 59 touchdown passes this season. The important stat in Columbus' turnaround has been quarterback KLYE ROWLEY being able to protect the ball. In the five wins of the last six games Rowley has thrown only one interception. In the one loss during the last six games, against Florida, Rowley threw three interceptions. When Rowley can hold on to the ball the Wardogs are in a position to win. With this in mind the Fire will look to create turnovers but they only have eleven interceptions this season, ranking in the bottom half of the league in this department. Columbus earned their first ever road victory at Louisville in 2002 when they defeated the Fire 34-31.

NO. 4 CAPE FEAR WILDCATS (9-3) AT MACON KNIGHTS (3-9)
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2004 - MACON COLISEUM (7,128) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Cape Fear Wildcats take to the road to face the Macon Knights in a Week 15 tilt. Ever since the addition of MIKE GLUSKI the Wildcats are rolling. He has taken a 3-3 team to six straight victories and a 9-3 record. If the season ended today Cape Fear would have a bye in the first round. Macon probably didn't want last week off. In their last game two weeks ago they got a big win over Florida 43-34, with the Knights defense allowing zero points in the second half to the Firecats. Cape Fear won the earlier meeting between these two clubs, Week 9 at Cape Fear, 60-42. Macon led after one quarter but a 35-point second quarter by the Wildcats put them in control of the game. It was Cape Fear's second win in their current streak. The Wildcats feature MATT BURSTEIN, the af2's leader in scoring with 36 touchdowns. Of the 36 scores, 34 are receiving scores with the other two being kick returns for touchdowns. All the more impressive about is Burstein and the Wildcats have played only twelve games when some teams have already played thirteen. Second on the team in receiving touchdowns with eleven is CHRIS MCKINNEY. He is also tied for second in tackles with 31.5 (18UA 27A). For Macon WILL BURCH has control of the Knights offense. In Macon's win over Florida Burch completed 19 of 35 passes for 207 yards for three touchdowns. He also rushed for one touchdown. Burch found JAMAAL GARMAN for two touchdowns in the game against Florida. On the season Garmaan has 78 catches and nineteen touchdowns. This is the final meeting of the season between Cape Fear and Macon.

NO. 5 OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ (9-4) AT RIO GRANDE VALLEY DORADOS (4-8)
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2004 - DODGE ARENA (5,500) 8:30 P.M. ET

Two Southwest Division foes and fellow expansion teams play in southern Texas as the Rio Grande Valley Dorados host the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz. The Dorados earned a solid victory last week over Wichita, 49-34. It was the Dorados first victory after seven straight losses. EDDIE MOTEN earned ADT Defensive Player of the Week honors for his two-interception performance last week. Oklahoma City defeated the Central Valley Coyotes at home last week 69-35. This game is on the road, which is important to note for the Yard Dawgz. They are currently 2-4 on the road this season. Their first road win came in their first game in franchise history against Tulsa in overtime 70-63. Their other win away from the Ford Center was over Laredo in Week 10, 66-41. The first of their four losses on the road came to this same Rio Grande Valley team in Week 4, 44-41 in a tough defensive game. KARLETON THOMAS blocked a 27-yard Oklahoma City field goal attempt which would have forced the game into overtime. With two solid defenses look for this matchup to be low scoring also. Most times the key matchup in a game is between a receiver and defensive back, but in this game the marquee matchup is upfront between Rio Grande Valley's SPENCER CONLEY, af2's leader in sacks with 8.5, and Oklahoma City's JAMES LANDERS, second in the af2 in sacks with 8.0 to his name. Both CRAIG STRICKLAND and ABEL GONZALEZ better watch their back as they dropback. This is the final meeting this season between Oklahoma City and Rio Grande Valley. The winner of this game will take the season series.

NO. 8 QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS (8-5) AT NO. 6 TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS (8-4)
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2004 - VON BRAUN CENTER (6,642) 8:30 P.M. ET

It is always fun when the Quad City Steamwheelers face the Tennessee Valley Vipers, this latest edition should be no different. The Steamwheelers have already defeated the Vipers this season, 47-29, in Week 3 at home. Now the Wheelers enter the Snake Pit for round two. The Vipers will be ready, as they have had two weeks to prepare with their bye last week. The week before Tennessee Valley lost to Memphis to keep them in the race for the division. Quad City lost last week to Peoria, keeping them alive in the division race. Simply put neither of these teams wants to lose two games in a row. MATT FORBES leads the Steamwheelers and all of af2 in tackles with 72.5 (66UA 13A) on the season. He is second in the league in passes defended with 24 with six interceptions. Forbes has returned one interception for a touchdown. TIM DODGE has four interceptions for the Quad City defense. When he isn't intercepting passes, Dodge is leading the Wheelers in receiving with 91 catches for 1,341 yards and 21 touchdowns. Vipers quarterback JOSH KELLETT will need to know where Forbes and Dodge are on the field. Kellett has stepped into the role of starting quarterback in the middle of the season. Kellett has experienced some growing pains but over all has been playing well. He often finds RONNEY DANIELS, who is second on the team in receiving with 55 catches for 836 yards and 23 touchdowns. On defense Daniels has picked off three passes. HENRY FREEMAN's 53.0 tackles (39UA 28) leads the Vipers. Freeman and TRAVIS MCALPINE both have four interceptions this season. This is the final meeting between Quad City and Tennessee Valley this season.

WICHITA STEALTH (7-5) AT NO. 3 TULSA TALONS (9-3)
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2004 - TULSA CONVENTION CENTER (7,111) 8:30 P.M. ET

The Wichita Stealth face the Tulsa Talons in what could be called a must win game for the Stealth. Wichita currently finds themselves in third place in the Southwest Division, behind Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Tulsa already holds the head to head tiebreaker with Wichita, winning the two previous contests by scores of 62-49 and 62-34. Losers of five of their last seven, the Stealth need this game to get their season back on track. Tulsa on the other hand is flat out on fire, winning six straight games by an average of 15.3 points, including the two wins over Wichita in this stretch. While Tulsa is the defending ArenaCup Champions their record is quite impressive considering they lost their head coach and multiple key players to the AFL Austin Wranglers. Other key contributors, including their starting quarterback went to interstate rival Oklahoma City. The one key component who did stick around, MITCH ALLNER, was lost for the year after eight games. Some how, through all of this the Talons are tied for the best record in the league. Much of the credit needs to go to head coach Ken Matous. He made the key change from an effective but inexperienced Michael Wall under center to an equally effective but very experienced BOB BEES. Bees, who took Richmond to the ArenaCup in 2001 and has AFL experience, now wants to get the ring. The quarterback position for the Stealth has gone through a change this season also. AARON SPARROW was replaced with JONATHAN BEASLEY in the middle of the year. Beasley, the former Kansas State signal caller, has shown glimpses of promise, but still experiences the occasional growing pain as most quarterbacks learning the Arena game do. On the season Beasley is 76 of 157 for 1,109 yards and 27 touchdowns with seven interceptions. This is the final meeting of the season between Wichita and Tulsa.

SAN DIEGO RIPTIDE (5-7) AT CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES (1-11)
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2004 - SELLAND ARENA (8,300) 10:30 P.M. ET

In the third of four games this season the San Diego Riptide go up against the Central Valley Coyotes. The Coyotes are still looking for their second win on the season. Their final four games are all against West Division opponents. Just three weeks ago the Riptide had a four game winning streak and were within one game of the .500 mark. Now after loses to Bakersfield and Hawaii San Diego needs to win out to stay in the playoff hunt, a win over Central Valley is the first step toward this. The Riptide hold a 6-3 edge over Central Valley all time and are the only franchise San Diego has a winning record against. The 6-3 mark includes two victories this season over the Coyotes. San Diego won 59-34 in Week 4 and 45-24 in Week 10 and allowed only seven touchdowns in these two games. The Riptide defense is talented. RICO CURTIS leads the league in recovered fumbles with seven. QUINCY LEJAY's 64 tackles (51UA 26A) is tied for fifth best in the league. RYAN SMITH has six interceptions. The San Diego offense will be without leading rusher MATT GUARDIA. He was put on the short-term injured list this week. The Central Valley defense is lead by VONKEITH SPNECER. He leads the team in tackles with 42.5 (33UA 19A), interceptions with six and passes broken up with thirteen. RICK LEUNG-WAI's 6.0 sacks ties him for sixth in the league. KENYATTE MORGAN gets the headlines as the main receiver for Central Valley but LAMONTE JONES is a solid receiver also. His 56 receptions for 669 yards and eleven touchdowns ranks second on the Coyotes. The Riptide and Coyotes will meet once more this season, in San Diego during the last week of the season.

NO. 7 BAKERSFIELD BLITZ (8-4) AT NO. 11 HAWAIIAN ISLANDERS (7-5)
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2004 - NEAL BLAISDELL ARENA (6,033) 6:30 P.M. LOCAL

The top two teams in the West Division take to the Neal Blaisdell Arena field as the Bakersfield Blitz travel to Hawaii to play the Islanders. The Islanders are coming off of a three-point victory over the Riptide last week to keep them one game back of the Blitz in the division. Bakersfield also defeated the Riptide in their last outing. The Blitz have won two games in a row for the fourth time this season but have yet to win three games in a row once this season. The two teams have split the two games they have played already. This game is crucial because it will give the winning team a chance to take the season series 3-1 when the meet again, in the last week of the season in Bakersfield. Winning the season series would give that team the all-important head to head tiebreaker. When looking at the Bakersfield team you need to start at the quarterback position. CHAD ELLIOTT had made the big plays this season when Bakersfield has needed them. He has also been extremely durable, taking every snap for the Blitz this season. While Elliott's main target has been ERIC MAHANKE, Elliott also has been finding RENNARD REYNOLDS of late. In just nine game Reynolds has 36 catches for 518 yards and eleven touchdowns. The WR/DB from Alcorn State Reynolds had a touchdown catch in Bakersfield's last game. Hawaii will be without starting quarterback DARNELL ARCENEAUX once again. Last week SHAWN WITHY-ALLEN stepped in for Arceneaux and played well in his first professional start. Withy-Allen completed 20 of 33 passes for 223 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. He also rushed for a touchdown but most importantly led the Islanders to a victory. With playoff positioning on the line Withy-Allen will need to step up his play even more this week.

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Road to the 2004 ArenaCup Game of the Week Extended Preview - BIR @ FLO

KEY MATCHUP

Florida QB Ken Mastrole vs. Birmingham DS Anthony Jordan Sure, it could be said that a matchup with Anthony Jordan will be with against one of Florida's receivers, but in reality its going to be Jordan against Mastrole. If Jordan can create a turnover or two the Steeldogs will be in the drivers seat to a victory and the division title. On the flipside, if Mastrole can go without an interception the Firecats should be in position for a big victory.

EXTENDED SERIES HISTORY

Birmingham holds a 3-1 lead in the all time series with Florida, including a 55-34 win Week 7 this season. Taking advantage of three Florida turnovers in second quarter the Steeldogs scored 35 points in the second quarter to take control of the contest. In their first ever meeting Birmingham defeated Florida 49-31 in Florida on 5/3/02. Exactly one year later, 5/3/03, Birmingham defeated Florida in Florida again, 38-35 in overtime. In their second meeting last season Florida earned their only victory over Steeldogs 57-35 in Birmingham.

ARENACUP PLAYOFF HISTORY

Birmingham: The Steeldogs have qualified for the ArenaCup Playoffs in two of their previous four seasons. In 2001 they lost at Richmond 67-60 in a quarterfinal game. In 2002 the Steeldogs were one game away from the ArenaCup before they lost at home to eventual champion Peoria 79-33. If Birmingham came out in front they would have played Florida in the ArenaCup.

Florida: The Firecats have advanced to the ArenaCup Playoffs two of their previous three seasons. In only their second season the Firecats made it all the way to the ArenaCup before losing in the ArenaCup at Peoria 65-47. In that playoff run the Florida played every game on the road. Last season Florida lost their opening round playoff game at Macon 42-35.

TRENDS AND NOTES

-Birmingham Steeldogs wide out Carlos McNeary has caught a touchdown pass in all twelve games this season.
-Florida is 0-2 at home all time against Birmingham.
-Florida receiver Cainon Lamb needs four receptions to tie Anthony Dixon's franchise record of 194 career receptions.
-Jerry Turner and Marlon Bush have combine for 14 of the Steeldogs' 21 sacks this season.
-Florida's Chris Morant 8.5 tackles for a loss leads the league.

OUT DUE TO INJURY

Birmingham: DS George Williams, QB Kenton Evans Florida: OL/DL Victor Hall, DS Chris Davis, WR/DB Brent Burnside

A LOOK AT THE HEAD COACHES

Bobby Humphrey (46-30, 5th Year, 2-2 Playoffs) Bobby Humphrey is the only head coach the Steeldogs have ever known. He is also the only coach in af2 to be with the same team for all five seasons meaning he has coached more af2 games than anyone else. In Week 9 Humphrey became the af2's all time winning coach with the Steeldogs' 36-30 overtime victory against Tennessee Valley. Humphrey brings a wealth of af2 knowledge to the Steeldogs sideline.

Ben Bennett (17-11, 2nd Year, 0-1 Playoffs) While Humphrey brings a wealth of af2 knowledge, Ben Bennett brings a wealth of over all Arena Football knowledge. As a quarterback in the AFL he is the only quarterback in AFL history to bring three different teams to a total of five ArenaBowls. Last year, in his first season as an af2 head coach, Bennett led the Firecats to a 10-6 record and a playoff birth.

EXTRA POINT

If the game is close in the fourth quarter, give the edge to Florida. Of late Birmingham has struggled in the fourth quarter. In the Steeldogs loss to Tennessee Valley, Birmingham was outscored 27-7 in the fourth quarter. In their one point win last game Rio Grande Valley outscored Birmingham 29-17 in the final quarter.

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