Week nine NIFL preview

May 3, 2006 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL) News Release


After tasting defeat for the first time this season, the Fayetteville Guard (5-1) have a date in the 'Shark Tank' with the home team Charleston Sandsharks (3-2) this Thursday night. The Guard lost to Lakeland in the battle of the unbeaten last week, while Charleston won a game just this past Monday against the Florida Frenzy. Kick-off is on tap for 7pm at the North Charleston Coliseum

Friday night's action begins with an Atlantic North match-up at the Camp Jordan Arena in Chattanooga as the Cincinnati Marshals (3-3) pay a visit to the Tennessee Riversharks (2-4). The Marshals pulled even on the year with a win last week against Palm Beach, while Tennessee lost at home against the Dayton Bulldogs. The Sandsharks can tie the Marshals for second place in the division with a victory this weekend. It's a 7pm Kick-Off.

The Osceola (5-2) team is coming off a convincing 72-12 win over the Montgomery Maulers and will now head to Dayton (2-3), to tangle with the Bulldogs in a 7pm contest on Friday night. Osceola got a great effort last week from safety Connie Brown, who picked off two Maulers passes and was voted the Florida team's Player of the Week. The Bulldogs defense stepped up in the team's close, 28-24 win over Tennessee.

Savvis Center will be the place on Friday night when the RiverCity Rage (5-1) keep a home date with the ever tough Beaumont Drillers (4-2). The Rage got great games last week from reserve quarterback Anthony Fisher and running back Sha-Ron Edwards, and now meet an offense as prolific as it's own. Defense may be the deciding factor in this game, slated for a 7pm Kick-off.

NIFL action on Saturday starts with the Twin City Gators (0-6) still looking for the team's first win of 2006, but the expansion Gators may have a tough time getting it this week. They travel to the Lakeland Center to hook up with the undefeated Lakeland Thunderbolts (6-0) who lead the Atlantic South division of the NIFL and are one of only two teams in the league still without a loss in the regular season. It's a 7pm Kick-off.

Another team hoping to find victory this week is the Big Sky Thunder (0-6), shut out in the second half last weekend in an 86-14 loss to the Katy Copperheads. The expansion woes for the Thunder could continue on Saturday when they travel to meet the defending NIFL Champion Tri-Cities Fever (4-2). The Fever lost a tight game to Billings last week on the road and look to get back on track in front of the home fans at the Three Rivers Coliseum. The Pacific North division game will kick off at 7:05pm.

Two teams on opposite ends of the Pacific West division will meet on Saturday when the Rapid City Flying Aces (6-0), leading the division race, head to St. Joseph, Missouri to take on the Lincoln-St. Joe Capitols (0-6). The Flying Aces have the most productive offense in the league and come off a bye week. The relocated Capitols lost last weekend to Wyoming by the score of 77-26. Kick-Off at the St. Joe Arena is scheduled for 7pm.

The Montgomery Maulers (1-5) can tie for 3rd place in the Atlantic East division with a win at home this Saturday night against the Greensboro Revolution (2-4) at the Garrett Coliseum. The Revolution comes off a bye week, but won a game two weeks ago, beating the Charleston Sandsharks. Montgomery was hammered by Osceola 72-12, and will be counting on several new players to take charge the remainder of 2006. It's a 7pm Kick-off.

On Sunday night, the Katy Copperheads (5-3) will bring a two game win streak to the Randal Tyson Track Center, and take on the hometown Arkansas Stars (2-4) in a 7pm game. The Stars will finally play a game in Fayetteville, after four straight road contests. They lost the most recent game, 76-46, last week in St. Louis (RiverCity Rage) but were a respectable 2-2 away from home. It's a 7pm Kick-off.

And the five days of action rounds out with a Monday night game, featuring the Florida Frenzy (1-4) at the Palm Beach Phantoms (0-3). It's an Atlantic South division game, with Kick-Off at 7pm. Both Florida and Palm Beach lost close games last weekend.



National Indoor Football League Stories from May 3, 2006


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