What's new in af2

by Walter L. Johnson II
Published on July 1, 2002 under arenafootball2 (af2)

Yours truly was in Columbus, Ga. Saturday night to see the Columbus Wardogs host the Carolina Rhinos in a battle of 2-9 arenafootball2 teams. Sure, both teams have had lousy seasons so far, with the Wardogs having lost five games in a row, while the Rhinos had dropped six straight contests. Still, a win by either team went a long way towards building for next season.

The Rhinos took less than two minutes to score first, grabbing a 7-0 lead. But that was the only time Carolina would find itself on top, as it was all Wardogs from there. It took just one possession for Columbus to even the score, as the tandem of quarterback Jeff Welsh and wide receiver Shamari Buchanan connected for a 32-yard touchdown. Then the Wardogs held the Rhinos scoreless in the second quarter to take a 35-14 lead into the lockerroom.

The somber moment of the night came with just eight seconds left in the first half, as Rhinos offensive specialist Nick Johnson lay motionless on the field for at least ten minutes after colliding into the wall. What made that moment amazing was that both teams gathered just above mid-field to say a prayer for Johnson as he was carried from the field in a stretcher. Something like that reminds sports fans everywhere that this is only a game, and certainly, arena football is no different from any other sport.

The Rhinos would make things slightly interesting in the second half, closing to within 42-28, only to have the Wardogs' Michael Scott all but put the game out of reach with a 55-yard kickoff return for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Final score: Columbus-56, Carolina-28. The win snapped a five-game losing streak for Columbus, while Carolina's skid was extended to seven games. The same two teams will meet each other next weekend in Greenville, S.C.

While the Rhinos and Wardogs are playing out the string for the 2002 af2 season, last year's "Expansion Team of the Year", the Macon Knights (11-2) are fighting neck-and-neck with the Augusta Stallions (11-1) for first place in the American Conference Eastern Division, with both teams having already clinched playoff berths. Friday night, the Knights kept their division title and homefield advantage hopes alive by downing American Conference Southern Division leader Tallahassee 66-43 at the Macon (Ga.) Coliseum.

Despite the loss, the Thunder (7-5) kept a slim one-game lead in the American South thanks to some help from the last-place Memphis Explorers (5-8). Saturday night in Fort Myers, Fla., the Explorers stunned the Florida Firecats 34-32 in a thriller. The loss evened Florida's record at 6-6, and it doesn't get any easier for the Firecats next weekend either, as they make the long bus ride to Augusta to face the red-hot Stallions.

By the way, by virtue of the Richmond Speed (10-2) knocking off the American Northeast Division champion Albany (N.Y.) Conquest (10-2) 66-59 Saturday night, the Stallions now own the best overall regular season record in af2. And yes, the Explorers are really in last place, in the National Conference Central Division, that is. Memphis currently trails 7-5 Arkansas, 8-5 Bossier City, and 10-2 Tulsa.

Finally, the American Conference Southern Division could become one big logjam come next Friday night, with the Jacksonville Tomcats (5-7) playing host to the Tallahassee Thunder in the "War on I-10." A Florida upset win at Augusta, combined with a Tallahassee loss at Jacksonville, and even a Charleston shocker over Richmond could set up a potential three-way tie for second place in the division at 6-7, with the Thunder dropping to 7-6 should they lose. It is important because only the top two teams in each division make it to the playoffs. With just four weeks left in the regular season, every game is crucial for all four teams in the American South if they hope to extend their respective seasons well into August.

That's all for now. By the way, the Wardogs drew 3,500-plus fans to the Columbus (Ga.) Civic Center for Saturday's game, which isn't bad for a team that's out of playoff contention. That speaks to the fun and excitement of arena football, in my opinion. With that said, have a good week.

arenafootball2 Stories from July 1, 2002

• What's new in af2 - OSC Original by Walter L. Johnson II
• Week 14 Recaps - af2
• Knights Quiet the Thunder; Put Pressure on Augusta - Macon Knights
• McNew's Kick Wins it for Knighthawks - Norfolk Nighthawks
• Huge Second Quarter Overwhelms Wolves - Mohegan Wolves

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.