Week Fifteen - Saturday Night Matchups
Published on July 6, 2007 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
MAHONING VALLEY THUNDER (5-7) at LOUISVILLE FIRE (6-6)
SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - Freedom Hall (15,646) 7:00 P.M. ET
The Louisville Fire will look to increase their series lead to 2-0 over Mahoning Valley this Saturday as they host the Thunder at Freedom Hall. Mahoning Valley QB GLEN GAUNTT threw for 292 yards while completing 20-of-34 pass attempts in the Thunder's last game, a 51-40 loss at No. 1 W-B/Scranton. Gauntt recorded five touchdowns and one interception on the night. The first quarter was sparse in touchdowns on both sides, but the scoring picked up in the second quarter, where each team scored 21 points. A 29-yard pass from Gauntt to WR/LB CHRIS ARCHIE began the scoring, but Mahoning Valley was unable to catch the Pioneers, and trailed by nine points at halftime. The second half was a back and forth battle that resulted in three touchdowns for each team and the Pioneers came out on top. WR DEMARCUS MATHES and Archie became the first receivers in team history to have 1,000 yards receiving. The Thunder were backed defensively by WR/DB REGGIE PERKINS and DB MAURICE TAYLOR, who each recorded 6.0 tackles on the night. Perkins also managed to break up one pass. After the 34-52 loss to the Fire in May, Mahoning Valley will be looking to even the score in Week 15, but will have to do so on the road, where the team is just 2-4 this season. The Fire (No. 14 in Coaches Poll), on the other hand, have a winning record (3-2) on their home field. They lost their last contest to the Conquest, however, 53-44. In a relatively close battle, the Louisville offense was unable to overcome the strong defensive showing by the Conquest. WR QUOREY PAYNE led the Fire with nine catches for 109 yards, while QB JOEL STEELE threw for 309 yards with five TDs in a losing effort. DB MATT FORBES led the Fire defense with 6.5 tackles, but was unable to stop the Albany offense. This American Conference matchup will prove to be an interesting battle between these two teams, as both the Thunder and the Fire are fighting for a spot in the playoffs.
MAHONING VALLEY LOUISVILLE SERIES LEADER Louisville leads 1-0
LAST MEETING Louisville won 52-34 on 5/5/2007
LAST FIVE GAMES 2-3 2-3
LAST GAME Lost 40-51 at WB/Scranton on 6/30 Lost 44-53 at Albany on 6/30
2007 LEADERS MAHONING VALLEY LOUISVILLE PASSING Gauntt: 172-3323-12; 1976; 39 TDs Steele: 155-240-9 1545; 23 TDs
RECEIVING Archie: 89-1010; 22 TDs Jones: 101-1322; 23 TDs
RUSHING Murphy: 51-272; 11 TD Forney: 64-229; 13 TD
TACKLES Taylor: 61.5 Midlam: 52.0
SACKS Ceaser: 9.0 Yauch: 7.0
INTERCEPTIONS Taylor: 7 Green: 5
KICKING Schorejs: 50-64 PAT; 2-15 FG; 56 PTs Hendrix: 62-75 PAT; 8-21 FG; 86 PTs
TEAM OFFENSE 45.0 PPG; 271.8 YPG 49.3 PPG; 274.2 YPG
TEAM DEFENSE 47.1 PPG; 244.2 YPG 49.3 PPG; 242.8 YPG
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (12-0) AT FORT WAYNE FUSION (5-8)
SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - Memorial Coliseum (12,500) 7:00 P.M. ET
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers will try to keep their undefeated season alive by defeating the Fort Wayne Fusion on the road on Saturday. The Pioneers enter Memorial Coliseum after a 51-40 home win over Mahoning Valley in Week 14. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has maintained the No. 1 ranking in the Weekly Coaches Poll for 11 straight weeks, captured the East Division title and secured a playoff birth without losing a single game in 2007. QB RYAN VENA completed 22 passes (31 attempts) for 252 yards and four touchdowns with only one interception. Vena is the backbone of the top-ranked Pioneers' offense, which is currently averaging 61.2 points per game. Vena leads the league in a number of categories, including passer rating (129.3), completion percentage (70.6) and total offense (3,455 yards). In last week's win he was supported by WR JIM JONES (11 catches, 149 yards, 4 TDs) and WR/DB LARRY KENDRICK (6 catches, 36 yards). The Pioneers look strong defensively as well. WR/DB DEONTE TAYLOR led the team in tackles with 8.0, followed closely by DB CHRIS ROYAL, who earned 6.5 on the night. Royal was also able to break up three Thunder passes as well. The Fusion seem to be just another stone on the path to the playoffs for the Pioneers, but they have proved to be a group that doesn't quit in the face of adversity. Fort Wayne enters Week 15 after a 47-25 win over the Cincinnati Jungle Kats on June 30, their fifth of the season. QB BLAYNE BAGGETT started the game, but after going only 4-of-11 in the first quarter and throwing an interception in the second quarter, he was temporarily replaced by backup JOE MICCO. Micco played solid, completing 3-of-7 passes with one touchdown. Fusion Head Coach "Touchdown" Eddie Brown put Baggett back in the game late in the third quarter, and he finished the night 12-for-27 with five TDs and one INT. Fort Wayne WR CESARE MANNING was on fire during the game, ending the night with five catches for 99 yards and three TDs on his way to earning Schutt Offensive Player of the Game honors. The Fusion also had touchdowns by WR JONATHAN GRAHAM and FB/LB JOEY JOHNSONBAUGH, as well as a 46-yard field goal from K KYLE HOOPER, who was a perfect 6-for-6 on PATs. The win avenged a loss earlier this season to the Jungle Kats, who notched their only win of the season over the Fusion when the Midwest Division rivals met in <
WB/SCRANTON FORT WAYNE
SERIES LEADER
First Meeting LAST MEETING
No Previous Meetings LAST FIVE GAMES
5-0
2-3 LAST GAME
Won 51-40 vs. Mahoning Valley on 6/30
Won 47-25 vs. Cincinnati on 6/30 2007 LEADERS
WB/SCRANTON FORT WAYNE
PASSING
Vena: 278-394-6; 3328; 78 TDs
Hodges: 130-228-7; 1402; 29 TDs RECEIVING
Jones: 70-868; 19 TDs
Jackson: 80-828; 11 TDs RUSHING
Vena: 42-127; 12 TDs
Hodges: 41-224; 9 TDs TACKLES
Royal: 86.0
Brown: 71.5 SACKS
Harding: 4.0
Jackson: 5.0 INTERCEPTIONS
Royal: 8
Williams, N. and Virgil tied with 2 KICKING
Davis: 93-99 PAT; 5-9 FG; 108 PTs
Hooper: 53-58 PAT; 4-15 FG; 65 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
61.2 PPG; 292.7 YPG
42.3 PPG; 230.5 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
41.9 PPG; 288.6 YPG
46.9 PPG; 273.0 YPG
MANCHESTER WOLVES (6-6) AT CINCINNATI JUNGLE KATS (1-11) SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - U.S. Bank Arena (8,911) 7:30 P.M. ET * Broadcast via B2 Networks In the first meeting between these two American Conference teams, the Manchester Wolves take on the Cincinnati Jungle Kats. The Wolves are coming off an impressive, 80-57, triumph over the previously fifth-ranked South Georgia Wildcats. The 80 points scored set a new Wolves team record. Manchester (No. 12 in Coaches Poll) was led by QB MARK RADLINSKI (Schutt Offensive Player of the Game), who threw for 229 yards and five touchdowns to three different receivers (DAVID BAILEY, PAT ROUZARD, ARI CONFESOR). Bailey led the squad with nine catches for 95 yards and two TDs for the night, while Confesor added four receptions (83 yards, four touchdowns) to his team-high 77 on the season. Manchester's defense made five stops on the night. Wolves DB ALLISTAIR SEBASTIEN (U.S. ARMY Ironman of the Game) collected his 32nd career interception (31 in the regular season), to move him back into first place on the af2's all-time list. The veteran defender also recorded a game-high 7.5 total tackles. K CONNOR MCCORMICK made a perfect first impression in his Manchester debut as the former University of New Hampshire Wildcat connected on 11-of-11 PATs to go along with an 18-yard field goal. Manchester will need to show the same stellar play throughout the rest of the regular season to bring about a berth into the playoffs, and a win over Cincinnati is the team's next challenge. Cincinnati's only win on the season came against Fort Wayne on May 5, but the Jungle Kats were not as successful as Manchester in Week 14, dropping to 1-11 after a 47-25 loss to the Fusion on June 30. QB PATRICK JOSTEN led the team in rushing yards (39), but was just 19-of-45 for 206 yards with three TDs and two INTs in his first outing for the team. Jungle Kats WR DERIN GRAHAM had two TDs and 87 yards receiving, while WR/DB LEJUAN EDWARDS recorded Cincinnati's only other score. Graham leads the team with 62 receptions on the season for 723 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Jungle Kats will have to fight for their second win on the season if the Wolves enter U.S. Bank Arena in the same mood in which they left South Georgia.
MANCHESTER CINCINNATI
SERIES LEADER
First Meeting LAST MEETING
No Previous Meeting LAST FIVE GAMES
3-2
0-5 LAST GAME
Won 80-57 vs. South Georgia on 6/30
Lost 25-47 to Fort Wayne on 6/30 2007 LEADERS
MANCHESTER CINCINNATI
PASSING
Radlinski: 136-226-8; 1467; 28 TDs
Marshall: 96-210-8; 1134; 16 TDs RECEIVING
Confesor: 77-920; 20 TDs
Graham: 62-723; 13 TDs RUSHING
Fichter: 53-145; 9 TDs
Josten: 7-46; 0 TDs TACKLES
Sebastian: 71.5
Mainor: 53.0 SACKS
Fountain: 9.5
Neely: 5.0 INTERCEPTIONS
Sebastian: 6
Brockman: 3 KICKING
Pohlman: 34-48 PAT; 2-10 FG; 40 PTs
Obert: 33-42 PAT; 4-38 FG; 45 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
49.2 PPG; 257.0 YPG
30.1 PPG; 222.1 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
50.0 PPG; 270.7 YPG
59.8 PPG; 280.2 YPG
SOUTH GEORGIA WILDCATS (8-4) AT FLORIDA FIRECATS (10-3) SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - Germain Arena (7,128) 7:30 P.M. ET * Broadcast via B2 Networks The Wildcats will look to bounce back from a disappointing Week 14 loss to Manchester, but things don't get any easier this week as they take on South Division leader Florida. South Georgia (No. 8) defeated the Firecats earlier in the season, 49-38, on May 12. In the case of last week's loss, it was too little too late for the Wildcats, as they were limited to just 13 first half points due to the Wolves defense. QB D. Bryant had a tough time getting comfortable with Manchester applying consistent pressure. Bryant managed 30 completions (51 attempts) for 331 yards and seven touchdowns overall, but six of his seven scoring tosses came in the second half with Manchester already sporting a big lead. WR CHAVIS MCCOLLISTER proved to be Bryant's favorite target for the night with 10 catches for 106 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, the Wildcats were led by DB MATT JACKSON, who recorded 5.0 tackles against the Wolves. He also had a 56-yard kick return TD. DB DARYON BRUTLEY leads the team in tackles (53.0) and interceptions (7). The loss set the team back to a game and a half behind Florida in the South. Florida (No. 3 in Coaches Poll) has won six straight contests, including last week's 69-38 triumph over the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz. Florida can clinch the South Division outright with a win by more than 12 points due to the current af2 playoff tiebreaker methods. The Firecats overcame the 13-point deficit in the second quarter and held the Yard Dawgz scoreless the rest of the half, proving why the Firecats defense is ranked second in the league. The Firecats went into the half leading by seven points, 27-20. Florida's leading defender, DB LEVY BROWN, had two interceptions and was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Game. Brown also recorded 5.5 tackles. The second half was also dominated by the Firecats offense. The Schutt Offensive Player of the Game, Firecats QB CHRIS WALLACE, went 29-of-38 overall for 331 passing yards and seven TDs. Florida outscored the Yard Dawgz by 24 points in the second half for the win. Both teams have a lot at stake in this week's outcome. The Firecats want to claim the South and ensure at least one home playoff game. The Wildcats want to keep cut into Florida's current South lead and help to solidify themselves a spot in the postseason. This should be one of the best contests of the Week 15 schedule.
SOUTH GEORGIA FLORIDA
SERIES LEADER
Florida leads 6-4 LAST MEETING
South Georgia won 49-38 on 5/12/2007 LAST FIVE GAMES
3-2
5-0 LAST GAME
Lost 57-80 to Manchester on 6/30
Won 69-38 at Oklahoma City on 6/30 2007 LEADERS
SOUTH GEORGIA FLORIDA
PASSING
Bryant: 266-426-13; 3428; 74 TDs
Wallace: 287-435-6; 3410; 69 TDs RECEIVING
McCollister: 113-1350; 29 TDs
Benton: 98-1335; 22 TDs RUSHING
Lloyd: 49-133; 6 TDs
House: 52-209; 12 TDs TACKLES
Brutley: 53.0
Brown: 105.5 SACKS
Wollridge: 6.0
Peterson: 8.0 INTERCEPTIONS
Brutley: 7
Brown: 12 KICKING
Yoon: 57-92 PAT; 1-6 FG; 60 PTs
Nicoloso: 23-33 PAT; 1-2 FG; 26 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
55.7 PPG; 315.7 YPG
51.1 PPG; 291.0 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
50.7 PPG; 274.3 YPG
35.1 PPG; 219.7 YPG
ARKANSAS TWISTERS (9-3) AT BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT BATTLE WINGS (9-3) SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - CenturyTel Center (12,500) 8:00 P.M. ET The Arkansas Twisters and the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings are both looking for their 10th win this Saturday as they gear up for battle at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City. The Twisters (No. 4 in Coaches Poll) will attempt to increase their win streak to four, as well as continue an impressive eight-game win streak over the Battle Wings. Arkansas' last contest resulted in a 45-39 overtime win over the Tulsa Talons on June 30. Twisters QB BRIAN VILLANUEVA threw two first half touchdowns in his first start since breaking his foot six weeks before. Arkansas led for most of the second half, but the Talons scored with no time left on the clock. Tulsa's converted a two-point try to tie the game at 39 at the end of regulation. The Talons began overtime on offense and started the drive at their own three-yard line. Backup QB JUSTIN ALLGOOD completed the first pass to WR ANDRE FORDE, but Forde was stripped of the ball by FB/LB REGGIE COOLEY. WR/LB KEVIN WILLIAMS picked up the loose ball and returned it six yards for the game-winning score. Villanueva completed 17-of-33 passes for 207 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. QB DAVON VINSON completed all three pass attempts for 18 yards and two total scores. WR ROBERT KILOW, Williams, WR/DB JON SCHOONOVER, and OL/DL MICHAEL DANSBY all had one touchdown catch each. Bossier-Shreveport is looking to rebound from a 51-48 upset loss at Amarillo Dusters in Week 14. The Battle Wings, currently ranked No. 6 in the Coaches Poll, led 35-21 at halftime, but were unable to hold on to the lead, eventually allowing the Dusters to slip past them in the second half. QB QUINCY CARTER led Bossier-Shreveport with 297 yards passing and six TDs with one INT. He also had one rushing TD and one fumble as well. WR/DB TRAMISSIAN DAVIS led the team in receiving yards, earning 150 yards off seven receptions for three total touchdowns. WR/DB CHRIS IBEZIM supported the Battle Wings defensively with 7.0 tackles, one interception, and three passes broken up, but it was not enough to pull out the win. There's a lot at stake in this contest as both teams can clinch a playoff spot with a victory. Arkansas might have a slight psychological edge on the strength of a 64-50 win against the Battle Wings earlier this year (May 12). Bossier-Shreveport, however, has been strong at home this season with five wins in six outings. The Battle Wings can give their fans a real reason to celebrate by clinching the team's first playoff berth in its seven-year history.
ARKANSAS BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT
SERIES LEADER
Arkansas leads 8-3 LAST MEETING
Bossier-Shreveport won 64-50 on 5/12/07 LAST FIVE GAMES
4-1
3-2 LAST GAME
Won 45-39 vs. Tulsa on 6/30
Lost 48-51 at Amarillo on 6/29 2007 LEADERS
ARKANSAS BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT
PASSING
Villanueva: 134-217-10; 1763; 38 TDs
Carter: 152-247-6; 2190; 48 TDs RECEIVING
Schoonover: 69-973; 19 TDs
Perry: 77-1023; 18 TDs RUSHING
Freeney: 46-248; 6 TDs
Schule: 66-282; 15 TDs TACKLES
Simpson: 96.5
Williams: 75.0 SACKS
Clark: 5.0
Reed: 15.5 INTERCEPTIONS
Thomas: 8
Geiggar and Walker tied with 5 KICKING
Carlton: 59-86 PAT; 6-17 FG; 77 PTs
Hazelwood: 77-95PAT;10-18 FG;107 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
53.6 PPG; 267.4 YPG
58.1 PPG; 286.1 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
41.7 PPG; 277.8 YPG
40.6 PPG; 254.4 YPG
TEXAS COPPERHEADS (2-10) AT CORPUS CHRISTI SHARKS (2-10) SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - American Bank Center (7,498) 8:00 P.M. ET Both Texas and Corpus Christi enter Week 15 off a loss last week, but both teams will try to pull ahead in the series with a win on July 7. Texas succumbed to Lubbock, 74-44, on June 30. The defeat was the sixth straight suffered by the Copperheads. A close game at the start of the second quarter quickly became a runaway after the Renegades outscored Texas 44-16 in the second and third quarters. The Copperheads looked to gain momentum in the fourth quarter, recovering an onsides kick and capitalizing on a number of Renegade penalties to get deep inside Lubbock territory. But after a missed Texas field goal, Lubbock scored two more times in less than five minutes to pull ahead by 27 at the end of the third. The Copperheads rattled off three consecutive touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including new addition Stanley Smith's second defensive touchdown on a fumble return. Lubbock, however, connected on the next play from scrimmage for a touchdown pass to squash Texas' momentum. QB KENTON EVANS threw for 128 yards on 8-of-23 passes with two TDs and one interception against the Renegades. WR/LB JASON DEML led the team in receiving with five catches for 83 yards and two scores. K NICK GATTO currently leads the league in field goals made with 12. If the Copperheads can keep Evans upright, they should be able to score on the Sharks. Corpus Christi is not coming off their best weekend either however, so both teams have a chance to earn a win. The Sharks lost 17-78 to second ranked Rio Grande Valley in week 14. The Sharks had trouble protecting QB JOHN DE LOS SANTOS, allowing the Dorados five sacks in the game. De Los Santos managed 11 completions on the night (17 attempts) for 94 yards and one touchdown without throwing a single interception. This was not enough to defeat Rio Grande Valley however. WR/DB BRANDON HUSSEY led the team in receiving and rushing for the night, recording 7 receptions for 54 yards and rushing the ball a total of 14 yards for the night. Hussey's seven receptions added to his team-high total of 91 catches, earning him 997 yards on the season thus far. Both teams will need to improve their play from last week to pull out a win on Saturday.
TEXAS CORPUS CHRISTI
SERIES LEADER
Series tied 1-1 LAST MEETING
Corpus Christi won 39-28 on 5/19/2007 LAST FIVE GAMES
0-5
1-4 LAST GAME
Lost 44-74 vs. Lubbock on 6/30
Lost 17-78 at Rio Grande on 6/30 2007 LEADERS
TEXAS CORPUS CHRISTI
PASSING
Eckert: 101-202-12; 1098; 16 TDs
De Los Santos: 165-308-13; 1866; 34 TDs RECEIVING
Fuller: 65-780; 13 TDs
Hussey: 91-997; 16 TDs RUSHING
Norton: 60-140; 6 TDs
Newkirk: 16-81; 3 TDs TACKLES
Chappell: 44.0
Heyward: 50.5 SACKS
Wilson: 5.0
Hood: 5.5 INTERCEPTIONS
Five players tied: 2
Heyward: 6 KICKING
Gatto: 38-46 PAT; 12-36 FG; 74 PTs
Onorato: 46-52 PAT; 12-35 FG; 82 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
30.5 PPG; 168.2 YPG
34.7 PPG; 193.4 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
58.0 PPG; 269.6 YPG
60.8 PPG; 268.5 YPG
TULSA TALONS (10-2) AT LUBBOCK RENEGADES (6-6) SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - City Bank Coliseum (6,928) 8:00 P.M. ET * Broadcast via B2 Networks The Tulsa Talons (No. 5 in Coaches Poll) travel to City Bank Coliseum to tackle the Lubbock Renegades on Saturday after losing just their second game of the season in Week 14. Tulsa fell in overtime, 45-39, to Central Division foe Arkansas on June 30, but maintained the number one spot in their division with an overall record of 10-2. Tulsa started a promising third quarter with a 42-yard field goal by K LUKE PHILLIPS. WR/DB DON MCGEE intercepted a Twisters pass and returned it 37 yards for the touchdown and the extra point pulled the Talons within three, 27-24. The impressive start to the second half proved to be a little less than enough, as the Talons proceeded to fall to the Twisters. ANDRE FORDE led Tulsa with a team-high 10 catches for 86 points and one touchdown, but fumbled on the team's first possession in overtime and Arkansas WR/LB KEVIN WILLIAMS returned it for the game-winning score. DB DELENELL REID had 8.0 tackles and an interception return for a touchdown in the loss. Reid leads the team with 58.0 tackles on the season. Hoping to get back on track this Saturday, Tulsa will work to defeat the Renegades and improve their series record to 2-0. The Renegades lost 60-42 to the Talons earlier in the season, but return home this week after a 74-44 road win over Texas. The dominating defeat over the Copperheads carried Lubbock to a .500 record (6-6) and featured QB ROBERT KENT, who threw nine touchdowns in the contest. Kent hooked up with four receivers for the touchdowns, including his first three scores to former Copperheads player WR/LB CHRIS HIGHSHAW. Highshaw had 123 receiving yards and three touchdowns on six catches in Lubbock's first meeting against Texas. WR JOHN KING also scored three touchdowns. The Renegades looked good defensively as well, as WR/LB PRESTON HARTFIELD demonstrated why he leads his team in tackles by adding 6.0 tackles onto his season total. Hartfield also recorded 2.0 sacks and broke up one pass on the night. His teammate, OL/DL CHRIS HUDLER, also earned 2.0 sacks against the Copperheads. This should be a hard-fought affair between the ever-improving Renegades and the veteran cast of Talons.
TULSA LUBBOCK
SERIES LEADER
Tulsa leads 1-0 LAST MEETING
Tulsa won 60-42 on 5/12/07 LAST FIVE GAMES
3-2
4-1 LAST GAME
Lost 39-45 vs. Arkansas on 6/30
Won 74-44 at Texas on 6/30 2007 LEADERS
TULSA LUBBOCK
PASSING
Blankenship: 197-358-12; 2259; 53 TDs
Kent: 163-286-9; 2362; 54 TDs RECEIVING
Forde: 68-811; 18 TDs
Tezeno: 45-629; 9 TDs RUSHING
Armstrong: 16-84; 1 TDs
Mann: 52-220; 11 TD TACKLES
Reid: 58.0
Hartfield: 54.0 SACKS
McLain: 5.0
Three Players Tied: 4.0 INTERCEPTIONS
Hope: 7
Walker: 3 KICKING
Phillips: 76-89 PAT; 9-17 FG; 103 PTs
Balseiro: 59-64 PAT; 3-10 FG; 68 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
56.4 PPG; 237.9 YPG
52.4 PPG; 282.5 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
40.9 PPG; 230.3 YPG
52.0 PPG; 242.5 YPG
ALABAMA STEELDOGS (5-7) AT OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ (6-6) SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - Ford Center (17,884) 8:00 P.M. ET * Broadcast via B2 Networks The Alabama Steeldogs travel to Oklahoma City for the first time in team history this Saturday to take on Yard Dawgz. Both teams enter the matchup after a loss in Week 14. Alabama fell short against South rival Tennessee Valley, 35-33, after the Steeldogs failed to convert on a two-point conversion with seven seconds left in the game. WR JON OLINGER caught the ball but didn't corral properly before he fell out of bounds. Steeldogs QB MITCH TANNEY finished the game 30-of-45 for 283 yards and four scores. Alabama turned the ball over twice in the first half four times in total on the night. WR/LB BRADLY CHAVEZ and WR/DB HERMAN BELL supported Tanney on offense. Chavez had 12 receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown. Bell was unable to reach the end zone, but had 11 receptions for 98 yards on the night. FB/LB MARCUS MITCHELL ran in for a touchdown against the Vipers. LB RAJOHN MYLES led the Steeldogs defensively with six total stops and one sack. OL/DL RODNEY JONES also earned a sack against the Vipers, but the effort was not enough to pull off a win. The loss pushed the Steeldogs back one place to 10th in the National Conference playoff seedings. The Yard Dawgz (No. 13 in Coaches Poll) were defeated for the second time this year by the Florida Firecats, 69-38, last Saturday. The defeat was the third in a row for Oklahoma City. The Yard Dawgz got on the board first with a 38-yard pass from QB STAN HILL to U.S. Ironman of the Game AL HUNT. They were unable to control the rest of the game however, and were outscored by 24 points in the second half. Hunt scored two touchdowns on the night, making him the fifth player in af2 history to score 800 career points. Hill went 19-of-41 for 228 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. DB CLARENCE LEBLANC had a game-high 13 total tackles to pace the Oklahoma City defense. LeBlanc leads the team in interceptions for the season with three. Both teams need a win to stay in the playoff hunt. As a result, Saturday's game should be an intense affair that fans at the Ford Center are bound to enjoy.
ALABAMA OKLAHOMA CITY
SERIES LEADER
First Meeting LAST MEETING
No Previous Meeting LAST FIVE GAMES
1-4
2-3 LAST GAME
Lost 33-35 vs. Tenn. Valley on 6/30
Lost 38-69 to Florida on 6/30 2007 LEADERS
ALABAMA OKLAHOMA CITY
PASSING
Tanney: 225-354-8; 2419; 50 TDs
Hill: 268-430-15; 3378; 56 TDs RECEIVING
Olinger: 76-816; 19 TDs
Howard: 80-1106; 22 TDs RUSHING
Browning: 28-77; 4 TD
Howard: 4-41; 2 TDs TACKLES
Smith: 49.5
Holland: 60.0 SACKS
Scott: 6.5
Chavers: 6.5 INTERCEPTIONS
Dillon: 2
Leblanc: 3 KICKING
Hayes: 60-73 PAT; 7-22 FG; 81 PTs
Toogood: 31-49 PAT; 2-3 FG; 37 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
44.9 PPG; 247.0 YPG
51.0 PPG; 315.1 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
46.3 PPG; 268.8 YPG
52.2 PPG; 263.1 YPG
RIO GRANDE VALLEY DORADOS (11-1) AT LAREDO LOBOS (1-11) SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - Laredo Entertainment Center (8,067) 8:00 P.M. ET The Dorados aim to stay atop the Southwest Division this week but need to stay focused on the road at Laredo. The Lobos and Rio Grande Valley have faced off twice before in 2007, with the Dorados leading the series 2-0. The Lobos enter this week's contest after a disappointing road loss to Bakersfield last week, 33-6. Laredo K JONATHAN SCIFRES connected on 2-of-4 field goals (18, 27) to provide the only points for the Lobos. QB JAMES PINKNEY only found a receiver on five of his fifteen attempted throws for 50 yards on the game, and threw two interceptions. The Lobos were unable to score a touchdown, although WR/DB COREY READY earned four receptions for 47 yards and WR/DB MIKE MCCULLUM recorded three receptions for 38 yards on the night. McCullum leads the team with 58 receptions on the season for 669 yards and ten total touchdowns. Struggling offensively, the Lobos turned to their defense for help, but the effort was not enough. WR/DB DEWAYNE IMES led the team with 5.0 tackles and one interception. DB HENRY HALL also earned 5.0 tackles, adding to his team high of 34.0 for the season. The Rio Grande Valley Dorados (No. 2 in Coaches Poll) enter Week 15 after defeating the Corpus Christi Sharks, 78-17, last week. The win was the Dorados ninth straight this season, improving their record to 11-1. QB JOSH KELLETT completed 16-of-32 passes for 281 yards and five touchdowns, connecting with four different receivers. Dorados leading receiver GEORGE WILLIAMS caught two passes for 79 yards and a touchdown, but was outdone by WR COCO BLALOCK, who connected with Kellett seven times for 95 yards and one score. WR/DB JERMAINE CARPENTER recorded six receptions for 99 yards and three touchdowns. WR/DB CHRIS CANTY, who leads the team in tackles this season, had a strong showing defensively with 7.5 tackles on the night. The Dorados defense pounded the Sharks with pressure all night, leading to five team sacks. DL QUINTON STATON recorded 2.5 sacks, LB KEENAN WASHINGTON recorded 1.5, and OL/DL TONY MCCLAIN and OL/DL TOLIFILI LIUFAU each earned 0.5 sack. Rio Grande Valley boasts a high-scoring offense and a stifling defense. Laredo will need its best effort to keep things close against the dominant Dorados.
RIO GRANDE VALLEY LAREDO
SERIES LEADER
Rio Grande Valley leads 2-0 LAST MEETING
Rio Grande Valley won 48-21 on 5/18/07 LAST FIVE GAMES
5-0
1-4 LAST GAME
Won 78-17 vs. Corpus Christi on 6/30
Lost 6-33 to Bakersfield on 6/30 2007 LEADERS
RIO GRANDE VALLEY LAREDO
PASSING
Kellett: 223-390-12; 2898; 66 TDs
Forrest: 113-210-11; 1325; 20 TDs RECEIVING
Williams: 73-1108; 31 TDs
McCullum: 58-669; 10 TDs RUSHING
Gatlin: 39-123; 5 TDs
Lindsay: 20-96; 4 TDs TACKLES
Canty: 54.0
Hall: 34.0 SACKS
Staton: 13.5
Chilsom and Bentz tied with 3.0 INTERCEPTIONS
Goines: 8
Imes: 3 KICKING
Broadwell: 76-96 PAT; 5-9 FG; 91 PTs
Scifres: 28-42 PAT; 5-19 FG; 45 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
57.1 PPG; 271.2 YPG
39.5 PPG; 241.4 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
33.2 PPG; 221.9 YPG
55.7 PPG; 257.9 YPG
BAKERSFIELD BLITZ (5-7) AT BOISE BURN (4-8) SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - Qwest Arena (5,006) 9:00 P.M. ET * Broadcast via B2 Networks Two West Division teams looking to keep their playoff hopes in tact face off Saturday night in Boise as the Blitz and Burn go head-to-head for the second time in 2007. Bakersfield put a stop to its five-game losing streak with a 33-6 home victory last Saturday against Laredo. The Blitz offense only managed 33 points, but the team's defensive hustle more than made up for that deficiency. DL Ben McCombs (2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one blocked field goal) and DB Nathan Munson (2 INTs, 4 pass breakups) led the way in keeping the Lobos out of the end zone the entire night. QB Dan Riley started the night playing jack linebacker (1.5 tackles), but was forced to get under center when QB Chad Elliott was injured in the second quarter. Riley finished with 140 yards passing on 9-of-18 attempts for 140 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran in a score in the fourth quarter. WR Rennard Reynolds and WR DeRonn Finley each added two touchdowns. Reynolds leads the squad in receiving and ranks among the league leaders with 91 catches for 1,147 yards and 29 TDs. McCombs leads the Blitz in sacks with 9.0 (T6th in af2). Munson has recorded a team-best 10 interceptions (2nd in af2). The Burn enter this week's contest after suffering their seventh straight defeat in Week 14 against Tri-Cities. Boise played the Fever tough into the fourth quarter until the Tri-Cities defense forced two late interceptions to earn a 55-42 win. New QB B.J. RHODE had a rocky debut for the Burn, completing 21-of-37 passes for 245 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. His top targets were WR CASEY ALLEN (8-67; 2 TDs) and AHMAD HARRIS (7-132; 2 TDs). Defensively, DB SULLIVAN BEARD and LB CHRIS STALLWORTH stood out for the Burn. Beard tallied 5.0 total tackles, two pass breakups and one interception while Stallworth had 2.0 total stops and had a 19-yard interception return for a touchdown. Beard is the team's top defensive player with 70.0 total tackles in 2007 and a team-high five interceptions and 11 pass breakups. Allen has been Boise's most consistent receiver with 24 TDs on 84 catches for 856 yards. The Burn need to get hot early to get their confidence going, but it won't be easy against a stingy Bakersfield defense that is coming off its most impressive outing of the season. This should be a hard-fought affair as both teams face a must-win situation to stay in contention for a potential postseason berth.
BAKERSFIELD BOISE
SERIES LEADER
Boise leads 1-0 LAST MEETING
Boise won 69-55 on 5/05/07 LAST FIVE GAMES
1-4
0-5 LAST GAME
Won 33-6 vs. Laredo on 6/30
Lost 42-55 vs. Tri-Cities on 6/30 2007 LEADERS
BAKERSFIELD BOISE
PASSING
Elliott: 127-214-8; 1330; 28 TDs
Hendricks: 174-325-15; 2109; 40 TDs RECEIVING
Reynolds: 91-1147; 29 TDs
Allen: 84-856; 24 TDs RUSHING
Petty: 25-47; 3 TD
Hendricks: 17-58; 4 TDs TACKLES
Munson: 38.5
Beard: 70.0 SACKS
McCombs: 9.0
Bruhn, C. and Madarieta: 2.0 INTERCEPTIONS
Munson: 10
Beard: 5 KICKING
Baker: 16-25 PAT; 4-8 FG; 28 PTs
Beardall: 38-58 PAT; 7-10 FG; 59 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
43.1 PPG; 220.4 YPG
46.9 PPG; 239.5 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
48.7 PPG; 242.0 YPG
56.2 PPG; 301.5 YPG
STOCKTON LIGHTNING (6-6) AT CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES (7-5) SATURDAY, JULY 7 2007 - Selland Arena (5,487) 10:00 P.M. ET The Stockton Lightning travel two hours southeast on Saturday to Fresno, Calif. to tackle West Division rival Central Valley in a game with significant playoff implications. These two teams have met five times overall, with the Coyotes owning a 4-1 series edge. They've also met twice so far in 2007, with Stockton claiming the first victory (50-47 on April 14) and Central Valley winning the most recent encounter (76-55 on May 19). Since their loss to the Coyotes, the Lightning (No. 16 in Coaches Poll) have won four of their last five outings, including last week's 54-41 victory against Everett. Stockton QB Evan Gray threw for 296 yards and six touchdowns and K Alex Walls connected on a career-high four field goals to help the Lightning clip the visiting Hawks. WR CLARENCE CUNNINGHAM led all Lightning receivers with seven catches for 158 receiving yards, while tallying 258 all-purpose yards. WR SALE' KEY also contributed three TD receptions. Defensively, LB JASON HUNT had another impact game with 4.0 tackles, including 2.0 sacks. DL LYNDELL HAWKINS registered 2.0 sacks as well. Gray's consistent play over the past five games has been one of the keys to the Lightning's success. The rookie signal caller has thrown 29 touchdowns in that stretch with just three interceptions. Another impact player for Stockton is WR/KR KENYATTE MORGAN, a veteran playmaker who leads the af2 in kick return yards (1,309) and ranks second in all-purpose yards (2,212). On defense, Hunt is the Lightning's most feared pass rusher with a team-high 9.5 sacks on the season (T4th in af2). The team's top performer in the secondary has been DB TRAVIS SEATON with a team-best 66.0 total tackles and 14 pass breakups (2 INTs). Central Valley (No. 11 in Coaches Poll) entertains at home for the second straight week. The Coyotes are coming off a 76-57 loss to West leader Spokane. The victory gave the Shock a game and a half lead atop the division standings. Spokane trailed at halftime but outscored the Coyotes, 56-34, in the second half. The Central Valley defensive backs had a hard time containing ANTWONE SAVAGE, who tied an af2 record with eight receiving TDs in the contest. Despite the decision, Coyotes rookie QB CLAY GROEFSEMA performed well with 281 yards passing and six total touchdowns (5 passing, 1 rushing). His favorite targets once again were TONAE MARTIN and JUSTIN BARNES. Barnes led the team in touchdown receptions (2) while Martin led the team in receiving yards (112). ALERIC CLARK also made an impact with a 56-yard kick return TD as well as 224 total kick return yards. The Coyotes offense is one of the most explosive in the league, averaging almost 59 points per game (58.5). Their defense, however, will need to improve on last week's effort. The unit is led by DB AARON MILLER, who leads the team in tackles (44), interceptions (5) and pass breakups (20). Three of Miller's five picks came against the Lightning the last time these two teams played. DL DOUG LAGENFELD leads the attack up front with a team-high 7.0 sacks. This game also has added meaning on top of the playoff importance. Both head coaches, Stockton's DOUG MURRAY and Central Valley's FRED BILETNIKOFF, JR. are long-time friends. Their friendship will have to be put on hold for a few hours on Saturday night, however, as both coaches want this win in a big way.
STOCKTON CENTRAL VALLEY
SERIES LEADER
Central Valley leads 4-1 LAST MEETING
Central Valley won 76-55 on 5/19/07 LAST FIVE GAMES
4-1
3-2 LAST GAME
Won 54-41 vs. Everett on 6/30
Lost 57-76 to Spokane on 6/30 2007 LEADERS
STOCKTON CENTRAL VALLEY
PASSING
Gray: 319-276-8; 2327; 54 TDs
Groefsema: 427-270-11; 3280; 69 TDs RECEIVING
Key: 92-1102; 28 TDs
Barnes: 86-1059; 26 TDs RUSHING
Crudup: 17-88; 1 TD
Groefsema: 32-116; 13 TDs TACKLES
Seaton: 66.5
Miller: 45.5 SACKS
Hunt: 9.5
Langenfeld: 7.0 INTERCEPTIONS
Johnson: 4
Miller: 5 KICKING
Walls: 68-80 PAT; 14-19 FG; 110 PTs
Pearson: 34-41 PAT; 1-7 FG; 37 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
53.0 PPG; 270.0 YPG
58.5 PPG; 293.9 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
50.2 PPG; 254.8 YPG
52.4 PPG; 269.2 YPG
TENNESEE VALLEY VIPERS (5-7) AT EVERETT HAWKS (3-9) SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007 - Everett Events Center (8,300) 10:30 P.M. ET * Broadcast via B2 Networks The Vipers make the lengthy, 2,600-mile trip from Huntsville, Ala. to Everett, Wash. this week to tackle the Hawks in an important first-time affair between two non-conference opponents. Tennessee Valley is coming off a solid South Division road win against Alabama in Week 14, 35-33. The victory snapped the Vipers five-game losing streak. The Steeldogs failed to convert on a two-point conversion with seven seconds left in the game to seal their fate. Tennessee Valley forced four total fumbles on the night. The team was led on offense by WR Joel Babb, who finished with five catches for 108 yards and one score. Vipers QB Chris Gunn led the way on the ground with 47 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns. He also threw three scoring passes without an interception. DB Quentin Burrell had a solid night on defense with 11 total tackles and one fumble recovery. DL FAROUK ADELEKAN chipped in as well with one sack to increase his team-high total to 7.0 on the season. Another player to watch for the Vipers is WR/KR TRAVIS BLANCHARD. Blanchard leads the league in all-purpose yards with 2,330 and leads the team in scoring (102 points), receiving (83-991; 13 TDs) and kick returns (1,215 yards, 3 TDs). Everett returns home this week after dropping a 54-41 road decision to West Division foe Stockton. Despite the outcome, Hawks WR JOSH RICHEY (11-107; 1 TD) recorded his eighth straight 100-yard receiving game, a mark which tied an af2 record for most consecutive 100-yard receiving games. WR/LB PHIL GOODMAN also contributed with six catches for 76 yards and three touchdowns. QB JASON CAMPBELL threw for 284 yards and six touchdowns with one interception. DB RAYMOND LITTLE (5.0 tackles) and MARKUS PRATT (2.0 tackles, 1 sack) were active on defense for Everett. Richey leads the league in receiving yards with 1,462 and ranks second in the af2 in receiving touchdowns (33) and third in receptions (112). The Hawks have been a tough opponent this year despite their record. If Campbell and Richey connect early and often, Everett will be in good shape. Defensively, the Hawks will need a strong effort up front from linemen JOHNNY JACKSON (7.5 sacks) and CHUCK JONES (6.5 sacks). DB AARON DUNKLIN is the team's top playmaker in the secondary with 59.5 tackles and four interceptions. This should shape up to be an intriguing matchup between a solid Tennessee Valley defense and a dangerous Everett offense.
TENN. VALLEY EVERETT
SERIES LEADER
First Meeting LAST MEETING
No Previous Meetings LAST FIVE GAMES
2-3
2-3 LAST GAME
Won 35-33 vs. Alabama on 6/30
Loss 41-54 vs. Stockton on 6/30 2007 LEADERS
TENN. VALLEY EVERETT
PASSING
Gunn: 169-81-6; 1144; 24 TDs
Campbell: 373-228-12; 2633; 62 TDs RECEIVING
Blanchard: 83-991; 13 TDs
Richey: 112-1462; 33 TDs RUSHING
Gunn: 26-98; 4 TD
Notoa: 74-182; 5 TDs TACKLES
Graham: 64.5
Dunklin: 59.5 SACKS
Adelekan: 7.0
Jackson: 7.5 INTERCEPTIONS
Campbell: 4
Dunklin: 4 KICKING
Lee: 38-50 PAT; 4-21 FG; 50 PTs
Williams: 6-15 PAT; 2-4 FG; 12 PTs TEAM OFFENSE
38.2 PPG; 216.9 YPG
45.9 PPG; 281.7 YPG TEAM DEFENSE
43.4 PPG; 250.3 YPG
56.2 PPG; 233.6 YPG
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arenafootball2 Stories from July 6, 2007
