af2 arenafootball2

Week seven Saturday night matchups

May 14, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


ALBANY CONQUEST (1-4) AT LOUISVILLE FIRE (4-1)
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2004 - FREEDOM HALL (15,646) 7:30 P.M ET

Coming off a big victory over Wilkes-Barre Scranton last week the Albany Conquest head south to Louisville looking to avenge a loss in the final seconds earlier in the season to the Fire. This will be the first game for new Albany head coach Rick Buffington, but Buffington is no stranger to Albany or the af2. Buffington was head coach of the AFL Albany Firebirds from 1990 to 1993 and in 2000 Buffington was the head coach of the af2 New Haven Ninjas. In last week's victory for the Conquest, D BRYANT led the charge. While he only threw two touchdowns, he rushed for three; including the game winning score, a 13-yard run with twelve seconds remaining in the game. While Bryant gets it done with his legs, Louisville quarterback MATT SAUK does it the old fashion way, with his arm. Last week Sauk threw ten touchdown passes in Louisville's win over Memphis. This was a team record and only two other quarterbacks have thrown for ten or more touchdowns in a single game in af2 history. JAMES SCOTT's performance last week of 14 catches for 201 yards including six touchdowns also set team records for Louisville. Also, the Fire defense recovered four fumbles in the redzone changing the momentum of the game. To top it off, the Fire have one of the af2's best kickers, MARC SAMUEL. The only four field goals Samuel has missed have all been over 50 yards or longer attempts. He leads the af2 in points for kickers with 44. Next week Louisville travels to Green Bay to play the Blizzard, while the Conquest go home to play the Macon Knights.

COLUMBUS WARDOGS (1-4) AT MACON KNIGHTS (1-4)
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2004 - MACON COLISEUM (7,182) 7:30 P.M ET

The Columbus Wardogs travel to Macon, Georgia to take on the Knights. Both the Wardogs and Knights are struggling but seeing another 1-4 team across the field is just what each team is looking for. Columbus is currently on a three game losing streak while Macon has yet to find the 2003 form when they advanced all the way to the ArenaCup championship game. But there is talent on both sides of the ball for both teams. Columbus receiver ADRIAN COCKFIELD leads the af2 in receptions with 52 and is averaging more than ten catches a game. On a personal note, last week Cockfield received his psychology degree from Albany State University. Perhaps Cockfield can use this knowledge to get in the head of Macon's LAVAR RAINEY who leads Macon in interceptions with three and pass break ups with five. On offense for the Knights JAMAAL GARMAN has ten touchdown receptions, eight more than next receiver on the team. He will go up against TERENCE SAMUEL of the Wardogs, who has four interceptions, two pass breakups and thirteen tackles on the season. But Columbus will need to improve their line play as they only have one sack on the season. Macon and Columbus will play one more time this season, at Columbus June 19.

ARKANSAS TWISTERS (1-4) AT MEMPHIS XPLORERS (2-3)
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2004 - DESOTO CIVIC CENTER (8,400) 8:00 P.M ET

After losing a shootout against Louisville last week 70-63, the Memphis Xplorers return home to face the Arkansas Twisters. Memphis falls into the category of a team which is probably better than their record indicates. Their three losses have come to three 4-1 teams, Birmingham, Tennessee Valley and Louisville. Arkansas has lost to Birmingham and Tennessee Valley also. The Twisters are still struggling to adjust to the loss of quarterback RICKY HERBERT who retired before the start of the season. KEVIN WILLIAMS began trying to take over for Herbert on a high note, with a victory over San Diego, since then he has struggled to get it going. The Twisters have reason to be optimistic though with the return of one of the af2's best players, LENNIE JOHNSON. Johnson began the season injured but returned three games ago. Last week he caught his first touchdown pass of the season, putting him at 93 career touchdowns. For the Xplorers, they can be summed in one name, KEVIN PRENTISS. Last week Prentiss returned three kickoffs for touchdowns and caught another pass for a touchdown. He may have returned a few more kicks back last week, but Louisville began kicking away from Prentiss. On offense, Prentiss has seven receiving touchdowns for 445 receiving yards. The Twisters will need to slow him down if they want to get their second victory on the season. Arkansas and Memphis will meet one more time this season, July 16.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (4-1) AT PEORIA PIRATES (2-4)
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2004 - PEORIA CIVIC CENTER (9,772) 8:00 P.M ET

Both the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers and Peoria Pirates are coming off of tough losses last week. The Pioneers entered last week ranked number one on the af2 Coaches' Poll. This week they have fell to number three in the poll because of a 52-45 loss to previously winless Albany. Peoria needs to bounce back from a 47-20 loss last week at home to rival Quad City if they want to stay in the playoff race. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton brings in two players with three interceptions each, KYLE GROVE and AMEER RILEY. Grove leads the team with 26.5 tackles while Riley has 16.5, good for fourth on the team. On offensive TIM HICKS has been solid under center for the Pioneers. Hicks had been excellent at not turning the ball over, but last week he threw third quarter interception that set up a touchdown for Albany, the only score in the third quarter. The score put Albany ahead and gave them the momentum. Hicks will face a better defense this week against Peoria. The Pirates enter are giving up 31.8 rushing yards per game, fourth in the af2, and 206.3 passing yards per game, seventh in the league. FRANK WEST leads this Pirates defense in interceptions and tackles while CASEY URLACHER leads the team in sacks with 2.5 while leading the team in rushing on the other side of the ball with 63 total yards. This is the first meeting between these two teams, and the only meeting this season.

TULSA TALONS (3-2) AT LAREDO LAW (0-5)
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2004 - LAREDO ENTERTAINMENT CENTER (8,000) 8:30 P.M ET

Coming off of a victory over Bossier-Shreveport last week the Tulsa Talons travel to Laredo to take on the Law. Laredo is still looking for their first victory after their loss last week to Oklahoma City. Tulsa's MITCH ALLNER is on a record setting pace for all-purpose yards. He is currently averaging 246.8 yards per game, if he keep up this average he will total 3,948 all-purpose yards on the season, eclipsing the old record of 4,472. Part of the credit for Allner's receiving numbers need to go to quarterback MICHAEL WALL. Wall was a backup last season for the Talons, but has stepped in to throw 33 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Any football coach will tell you can never have enough depth at quarterback so the Talons have also brought in af2 veteran quarterback BOB BEES. Last week both Wall and Bees received playing time. At quarterback for Laredo, both JOSH ROGERS and ROCKY PEREZ have seen significant time, both throwing nine touchdown passes. Last week Perez was the starter and played the entire game. TRACO RACHAL is no doubt the leader of the Law defense. He leads the team in tackles, interceptions and pass break ups. In fact his 25.5 tackles is 17 more tackles then the number two tackler on the Law. As division rivals the Talons and Law play each other a total of three times this season. The next match up is July 3 in Laredo. The final meeting is the last week of the season, July 13 in Tulsa.

WICHITA STEALTH (5-0) AT QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS (5-1)
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2004 - THE MARK OF THE QUAD CITIES (9,437) 8:30 P.M ET

The top two teams according to the af2 Coaches' Poll meet in the Quad Cities as the Steamwheelers host the Wichita Stealth. This is the second time this season one versus two have played each other. In Week 3 then number two Tennessee Valley visited Quad City, and the Steamwheelers were victorious 47-29. In this game, Wichita brings in the top defense in the league as the give up an average of only 28.4 points per game. The Steamwheelers have the second rated defense in the af2 giving up only 31.5 points per game. On the offensive side Quad City has two main offensive threats, TIM DOGE and JEFF HEWITT. Their combined receiving yards of 1,218 yards make up 78% of the Steamwheelers' total offensive. On the other hand the Stealth feature a balanced receiving corps. Six different Wichita receivers have caught ten or more passes. Only one receiver has more than 200 receiving yards, ANTHONY GRIFFIN, but Griffin only has one touchdown reception. DAMON THOMPSON leads the Stealth in touchdown receptions with six. By moving the ball around quarterback AARON SPARROW has been able to keep all of his receivers happy, but then again being af2's only undefeated team contributes to that happiness also. When you have the two leading defenses, chances are the game is going to come down to a defensive play. On the field will be fifteen players have at least one sack on the season, seven for the Stealth and eight for the Steamwheelers, look for one of these guys to make the difference. Who ever comes out on the short end will have to wait till the playoffs to gain revenge as this is the only meeting between the Stealth and Steamwheelers this season.

BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT BATTLE WINGS (2-4) AT TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS (4-1)
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2004 - VON BRAUN CENTER (6,642) 8:30 P.M ET

The Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings travel to Tennessee Valley to take on the Vipers. The Vipers made a quarterback change last week that had mixed results. Veteran quarterback BRYAN SNYDER was benched in favor of JOSH KELLETT. While the Vipers were victorious over Arkansas, Kellett had three passes intercepted. Kellett probably won't be able to do that against a Battle Wings team that despite their 2-4 record has reason to be optimistic with a victory two weeks ago over the Islanders and only a six point loss to Tulsa last week. Quarterback SHERARD POTEETE leads the Battle Wings. He is third in the af2 in rushing with 90 yards and has thrown for 22 touchdown passes. Half of these touchdown passes have gone to BO SMITH, the Week 6 Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Week. His seven touchdown (four receiving, three on kickoff returns) performance last week earned him this award. As a kick returner Smith ranks third in the league averaging 28.8 yards per game. Smith going against HENRY FREEMAN of the Vipers will be a match up to watch. Freeman has four interceptions this season, tied for second in the af2, and has returned one for a touchdown. He also leads the team in tackles with 22.5. Not to be out done, the Battle Wings have a playmaker on defense also. SHADERICK MCAFEE leads the af2 in forced fumbles with five. While on offense McAfee is the Battlewings' second leading receiver with 21 catches and three touchdown receptions. As division rivals the Battle Wings and Vipers will play one more time this season, the second to last week of the season, July 23 in at Bossier-Shreveport.

SAN DIEGO RIPTIDE (1-4) AT BAKERSFIELD BLITZ (3-2)
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2004 - CENTENNIAL GARDEN (9,000) 10:00 P.M ET

For the second time this season the San Diego Riptide travel to Bakersfield to take on the Blitz. Bakersfield won the meeting earlier in the season 57-54 with a late defensive stand. This week the Riptide are looking for the upset and have reason to be optimistic. Last week San Diego took the Hawaiian Islanders to overtime before losing by one on a two-point conversion by the Islanders. Also, this week the Blitz are short handed, with their second leading receiver STEVE WOFFORD on the short-term injured list. Wofford's 28 catches for 393 and six touchdowns will be missed. ERIC MAHANKE and the rest of the Blitz receiving corps will have to pick for the absence of Wofford. Blitz quarterback CHAD ELLIOT has been solid this season throwing for 1,406 yards and 28 touchdown passes. While he has thrown eight interceptions, this stat is deceiving as four of them came in Bakersfield's season opening loss at Tennessee Valley. On defense Bakersfield has a solid pass rush with two players, BEN MCCOMBS and KEVIN CARROLL, who have 2.5 sacks. The Riptide defense is lead by RYAN SMITH. Smith leads the team in interceptions with two, is third with fifteen tackles and has two pass break ups on the season. The Riptide have brought in a new kicker, 38 year old RICH EHMKE, who played with the Steamwheelers and Conquest last season. San Diego and Bakersfield will meet two more times this season.

RIO GRANDE VALLEY DORADOS (3-2) AT CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES (0-5)
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2004 - SELLAND ARENA (8,300) 10:30 P.M ET

The Rio Grande Valley Dorados travel to Fresno, California to take on the Central Valley Coyotes. The Dorados have one of the top defenses in the af2 with seven players who have 1.5 sacks or more, seven players with ten or more tackles on the season and 21 total tackles for a loss. This squad is the top rushing defense in the league, giving up an average of only 3.8 yards per game and less than one yard per rush. KARLETO THOMAS (who leads the team in tackles for a loss with five) and the rest of the Dorados defense will need to be on their game to stop the Coyotes' explosive receiver, KENYATTE MORGAN. Morgan leads the team with 37 receptions (ninth in the league) for 447 yards and six touchdowns. He also gets the Coyotes going on kick returns. His 657 kickoff return yards leads the af2. He has returned two kickoffs and one missed field goal back for touchdowns. On defense for Central Valley VONKEITH SPENCER leads the team in interceptions with four and tackles with 22.5. Dorados quarterback WILL BURCH will look to avoid throwing another interception to Spencer, and instead look to reach 125 career touchdown passes. He currently sits at 121 touchdown passes on his career. MANWELL TALBERT has eight touchdown catches on the season to lead the Dorados. This will be the only meeting between the Dorados and Coyotes this season.



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