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Week eleven: Friday night matchups

June 5, 2008 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


FLORIDA FIRECATS (8-1) AT MANCHESTER WOLVES (3-6)

FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2008 - Verizon Wireless Arena (9,650) 7:30 P.M. ET

The Florida Firecats travel to New Hampshire this Friday to tackle the Manchester Wolves for the eighth all-time meeting between the two clubs. Florida and Manchester played once already this season with the Firecats winning a close one at home, 49-43, on May 10. Florida, currently tied for the No. 2 position in the latest league coaches poll, is coming off a 41-15 Week 10 home win against new in-state rival Daytona Beach. Both teams struggled to put points on the board in the first half as Florida went to the locker room with a 13-6 lead. In the second half, the Firecats offense heated up as QB CHRIS WALLACE threw three touchdown passes to three different receivers. From there, Florida's defense took over. LB LARRY EDWARDS recorded a safety and DB TONY STUBBS capped off the scoring by recovering a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. DE TERRANCE CHAPMAN caused the fumble by sacking Daytona Beach backup QB Steven Moffett in the end zone. Rookie WR JAMES PANUI led the Firecats in receiving for the second week in a row, catching seven passes for 56 yards and a TD. Wallace finished the night 19-of-33 for 185 yards and four TDs. He also threw two INTs. Florida's defense ranks No. 1 overall in scoring, limiting its opponents to just 32.9 points per game. The Firecats also don't make many mistakes. They have only had nine turnovers through their first nine games which is the lowest total in the af2 (tied with Arkansas). Wallace, who ranks second all-time in the af2 in touchdown passes and touchdown passes, is the unquestioned leader of the offensive attack. Manchester enters Week 11 with renewed confidence after scoring a big home win last Saturday against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 70-63. The Wolves victory snapped the Pioneers seven-game win streak. Pacing the team in the outing was QB JAMES PINKNEY, who threw for 317 yards along with six TD passes and two TD runs. WR/LB BRADLY CHAVEZ was a factor on both sides of the ball and made two big plays in the final minute of the game to clinch Manchester's third win of the season. Chavez caught five passes for 86 yards on offense, including a 23-yard touchdown grab with 56 seconds to play to tie the game at 63-63. On the Pioneers' ensuing possession, Chavez intercepted a Ryan Vena pass and returned it 38 yards for the game-winning TD with 39 seconds left in the contest. He also added four solo tackles to his defensive totals. He currently leads the team in scoring (118 points) and receptions (56) and ranks second in receiving yards (724) and receiving touchdowns (16). Pinkney has been a big factor behind the Wolves improved play of late. In the team's current two-game win streak, the second-year signal caller from East Carolina has accounted for 17 TDs (13 passing, 4 rushing) and has thrown just one interception. His play will be key for Manchester this week as the team hopes to keep its momentum going against a very tough Firecats club.

FIRECATS WOLVES

SERIES LEADER Florida leads 5-2

LAST MEETING Florida won 49-43 on 5/10/08

LAST FIVE GAMES 4-1 2-3

LAST GAME Won 41-15 vs. Da. Beach on 5/31/08 Won 70-63 vs. W-B/Scran. on 5/31/08

LEADERS FIRECATS WOLVES

PASSING Wallace: 182-298-6; 1903; 44 TDs Pinkney: 90-148-3; 1251; 25 TDs

RECEIVING Sands: 42-402; 8 TDs Chavez: 56-724; 16 TDs

RUSHING Gibson: 57-215; 10 TDs Pinkney: 31-96; 8 TDs

TACKLES Stubbs: 50.5 Singfield: 31

SACKS Chapman: 5.5 Wilson & Crear: 4

INTERCEPTIONS Campbell & McCoy: 3 Pride & Chavez: 2

KICKING Peattie: 41-48 PAT; 0-2 FG; 41 PTs Koepplin: 15-18 PAT; 1-2 FG; 18 PTs

TEAM OFFENSE 48.3 PPG; 233.1 YPG 50.8 PPG; 272.4 YPG

TEAM DEFENSE 32.9 PPG; 215.9 YPG 59.1 PPG; 270.9 YPG

MAHONING VALLEY THUNDER (2-7) AT QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS (4-5)

FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2008 - i Wireless Center (9,315) 8:00 P.M. ET

The Mahoning Valley Thunder travel to Moline, Ill. this week to tackle the Quad City Steamwheelers in a non-divisional affair. Both teams are coming off wins in Week 10. The Thunder defeated East Division foe Albany, 44-31, last Saturday at the Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. Mahoning Valley's offense was non-existent for nearly three quarters before catching fire over the final 20 minutes. The offense was held scoreless until new QB addition DAVON VINSON connected with DEMETRIUS WILBERT on a 22-yard scoring strike with eight minutes remaining in the third quarter. Vinson replaced starting QB SHANE ADLER after just two series, both of which resulted in Thunder turnovers. Vinson, who joined the Thunder two days before the game, finished 10-of-19 for 146 yards and four scores. He also ran for what would be the game-winning TD with 41 seconds remaining. Albany scored the first 18 points of the game but had no answer for Vinson. The Thunder defense again put forth a solid effort. The defensive line along with LB KELLEN DRISCOLL provided constant pressure in the Conquest backfield. The group recorded three sacks and a safety in the final minute. Driscoll was credited with his fifth sack of the season, JASON PETERSON recorded his first and JOHN TACKMANN rang up two tackles for loss to go along with a fumble recovery. DB RAY WILLIAMS contributed a tackle and a pass deflection and also made his mark offensively, hauling in a 25-yard fourth quarter TD reception. Quad City scored a season-high 67 points last Saturday to outlast the Iowa Barnstormers, 67-64, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Ia. The Steamwheelers offense was led by QB J.J. RATERINK's nine touchdown passes and 383 yards passing. JESSE SCHMIDT (12-150), DEONTRAE JOHNSON (8-114) and KRIS PETERS (5-96) each caught three touchdowns apiece. Raterink currently leads the af2 in touchdown passes (52) and passing yards (2,553) while Schmidt is the af2's top pass catcher in all major categories, including receptions (80), receiving yards (1,113) and receiving touchdowns (25). Quad City's defense is led by TYUS JACKSON (team-high 8.5 sacks) and DB KEVIN ADAMS (36.5 tackles, 3 INTs). The Steamwheelers' fortunes, however, revolve mainly around two factors, Raterink's play and turnovers. Raterink has a 13:1 touchdown-to-interception ration in the team's wins and only a 2:1 TD-to-INT ratio in the team's losses. Overall, Quad City has suffered 21 turnovers in five losses and just three in four victories. If the Steamwheelers get good play from Raterink and protect the football, they should find a way to even their record through 10 games.

THUNDER STEAMWHEELERS

SERIES LEADER Thunder leads the series 1-0

LAST MEETING Mahoning Valley won 63-34 on 6/16/07

LAST FIVE GAMES 1-4 2-4

LAST GAME Won 44-31 vs. Albany on 5/31/08 Won 67-64 at Iowa on 5/31/08

LEADERS THUNDER STEAMWHEELERS

PASSING Swogger: 69-138-3; 771; 16 TDs Raterink: 196-326-15; 2553; 52 TDs

RECEIVING Tolbert: 40-481; 12 TDs Schmidt: 80-1113; 25 TDs

RUSHING Murphy: 27-219; 4 TDs Monk: 15-28; 2 TDs

TACKLES Tackmann: 39.5 Jackson, M.: 48.5

SACKS Morgan: 7.5 Jackson, T.: 8.5

INTERCEPTIONS Six players tied: 1 Adams: 3

KICKING Schorejs: 17-19 PAT; 0-1 FG; 17 PTs Pearson: 41-53 PAT; 0-5 FG; 41 PTs

TEAM OFFENSE 38.3 PPG; 209.9 YPG 46.1 PPG; 280.4 YPG

TEAM DEFENSE 47.8 PPG; 248.2 YPG 52.6 PPG; 260.0 YPG

LEXINGTON HORSEMEN (6-3) AT TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS (6-3)

FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2008 - Von Braun Center (6,642) 8:30 P.M. ET

The Lexington Horsemen hit the road to Huntsville, Ala. this week for their first-ever meeting with the Tennessee Valley Vipers. Lexington, currently ranked No. 9 in the latest league coaches poll, are coming off its second loss of the season to Louisville and third loss overall, 61-31. The loss snapped the Horsemen's three-game win streak. The Fire, ahead by two points midway through the third quarter (33-31), closed out the game with four consecutive touchdowns to put the game out of reach. Lexington QB EDDIE EVISTON finished the game 13-of-22 passing for 241 yards with three touchdowns. He was also intercepted twice by Louisville DB Matt Forbes and got knocked around a little more than he would have liked. With the contest already well in hand, WR HARRY LEWIS played the last series under center for Lexington. WR TAVON MCGEE led the Horsemen receiving effort for the third consecutive game with four grabs for 85 yards and two touchdowns. He currently leads the squad with 14 TD receptions on the season. Lexington is one of the league's best road teams with a 3-1 record away from Rupp Arena. Eviston has been the team's offensive catalyst all season, starting all nine games to date with 47 TD passes and 2,017 yards passing. This week, however, the Horsemen will be without their starting signal caller after he was placed on team suspension on Tuesday. DB WILLIAM MULDER is one of the team's top athletes. He leads the squad in tackles (35), interceptions (3), kick return yards (917) and all-purpose yards (1,040). The Tennessee Valley Vipers, currently ranked No. 6 in the latest league coaches poll, won their sixth straight game with a convincing 77-37 road victory over the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz last Saturday night in Oklahoma City. QB KEVIN EAKIN completed 19-of-32 passes for 229 yards and seven TDs and one interception. WRs ALONZO NIX and MAURICE BROWN each caught eight passes, three of which went for TDs. LB RAJOHN MYLES, a rookie fullback/linebacker from Alabama-Birmingham, was a force for the Vipers, registering 3.0 tackles (2 solo, 2 asst), including 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. Myles also returned one of his two fumble recoveries 30 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Another defensive standout was DB DEMETRIUS DERICO, who had two interceptions, including a 19-yard interception return TD to open the third quarter. The Vipers rank sixth overall in turnover margin at +10 and are third in sacks with 26. DL ERIC SCOTT ranks second in the af2 in sacks individually with 12 on the season. This contest is one of the most intriguing matchups of the week featuring two of the top teams in the league.

HORSEMEN VIPERS

SERIES LEADER No previous meeting

LAST MEETING No previous meeting

LAST FIVE GAMES 3-2 5-5

LAST GAME Lost 31-61 vs. Louisville on 5/31/08 Won 77-37 at Okla. City on 5/31/08

LEADERS HORSEMEN VIPERS

PASSING Eviston: 161-287-10; 2017; 47 TDs Eakin: 88-136-2; 910; 18 TDs

RECEIVING Lewis: 49-600; 11 TDs Brown: 73-877; 18 TDs

RUSHING Eviston: 29-48; 3 TDs Blanchard: 22-59; 11 TDs

TACKLES Mulder: 35 Derico: 46.5

SACKS Naji: 4 Scott: 12

INTERCEPTIONS Mulder: 3 Derico: 8

KICKING Daniel: 43-51 PAT; 2-15 FG; 49 PTs Hayes: 53-64 PAT; 8-17 FG; 77 PTs

TEAM OFFENSE 44.3 PPG; 230.3 YPG 53.2 PPG; 265.8 YPG

TEAM DEFENSE 43.2 PPG; 253.3 YPG 43.4 PPG; 238.6 YPG



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