Wildcats Game Notes

Published on May 14, 2002 under arenafootball2 (af2)
South Georgia Wildcats News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Norfolk Nighthawks (1-4) @ Cape Fear Wildcats (3-2)
Date: May 18, 2002
Kickoff: 7:30pm
Site: Cumberland County Crown Coliseum (8,920)
TV: none
Radio: none
Officials: Jack Paschal (Referee), Dan O'Brien (Umpire), Scott Peterson (Head Linesman), Brian McGready (Line Judge), Clement Hall (Back Judge)
Series Record: Cape Fear leads 1-0
Streaks: The Wildcats gun for a season sweep of the series with Norfolk and their second straight win at home while the Nighthawks try to avoid a two-game losing streak and their fourth consecutive road loss to start the '02 season
Coaches: CPF -- Chris Siegfried 3-2, 1st year
NOR – Tony Missick 1-4, 1st year

THE STAKES: The 3-2 Wildcats need a win to keep pace with the Roanoke Steam for second place in the American Conference's Atlantic Division standings. The 1-4 Nighthawks desperately need a win to get back on track and in the playoff hunt.

THE SERIES: The Wildcats shocked the league when they spanked the Nighthawks 69-19 in both teams' season opener at Norfolk's Scope Arena on April 6. Norfolk looks for payback in the first meeting between the two teams at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville.

THE IFs:

If Cape Fear defeats Norfolk, it would ...
· Give the Wildcats a sweep of the two-game regular season series with the Nighthawks
· Give the Wildcats their second two-game win streak of the season
· Be the Nighthawks fourth straight road loss to start the season

· HEAD COACHES: Wildcats head coach Chris Siegfried is the first former af2 player to become an af2 head coach. Siegfried played WR/DB/LB for the 2000 Augusta Stallions that went 14-4 and won the first-ever af2 American Conference regular season championship before losing to the Tennessee Valley Vipers in the playoff semifinals. Siegfried played in all 18 games and caught 72 passes. He scored 13 touchdowns and finished third on the team in tackles. He set team records (since broken) for most receptions in a game (13 vs. Jacksonville Tomcats) and longest kickoff return (45 yards @ Greensboro).

Nighthawks head coach Tony Missick begins his first year as the head man in Norfolk, where he spent the 2001 season as the defensive coordinator. Missick was the defensive coordinator for the Richmond Speed during the 2000 season.

FAMILIAR FACES: Wildcats FB/LB Charles Gunnings played six games with the Nighthawks in 2000. The Laurinburg, NC native recorded seven tackles one interception and 28 yards rushing in six games with Norfolk.

Norfolk QB Will Burch played for Wildcats head coach Chris Siegfried last year with the Macon Knights. Burch started six games in Macon while Siegfried was the Knights' offensive coordinator.

CAPE FEAR WILDCATS Injury Report:
Pos. Name Injury Status
FB/LB Russ Lindgren MCL Long-term IR
FB/LB Charles Gunnings Thigh Short-term IR
DS Kelvin Suggs Ankle Short-term IR
WR/LB Troy Esprit Ankle Short-term IR

THIS WEEK'S QUOTES:

Wildcats head coach Chris Siegfried on the rematch: "Norfolk will be ready to play. We beat them in there place, and they'd like to return the favor. I'm sure they want to show us they're not the same football team that we beat on April 6."

DROPBACK: Last week the expansion Wildcats snapped a two-game losing streak and picked up their first-ever home win with a 38-19 triumph over the Charleston Swamp Foxes. The ‘Cats opened the season with back-to-back road wins over Norfolk (69-19) and New Haven (38-20) before losing by one point at home to unbeaten Augusta (44-45) on a last-second, 44-yard field goal. The ‘Cats jumped out to a 13-0 lead at Richmond before falling to the Speed (36-28) on May 2.

Norfolk lost its first three games of the season before scoring a 58-51 win over the expansion Mohegan Wolves on May 4. The Nighthawks were unable to maintain momentum from the win, however, and lost 27-23 at Roanoke last week.

MILESTONES: The Wildcats scored their first-ever home win last week in a 38-19 victory over Charleston. Tonight the ‘Cats will try to make it two wins in a row at the Cumberland County Crown Coliseum.

FORWARD MOTION: The Wildcats trail Roanoke by half a game for second place in the Atlantic Division standings, and the ‘Cats and the Steam will play twice in an eight day span beginning next Saturday afternoon at the Roanoke Civic Center.

After tonight's game the Nighthawks return to Norfolk for consecutive home games against Carolina and Greensboro.

NOTES/TRENDS:

Fear the "Feline Frenzy": The Wildcats have the top-ranked defensive unit in the league. The Wildats lead the league in total defense, allowing opponents just 148 yards of offense per game. The Feline Frenzy knocked Norfolk quarterback Will Burch out of the game with an injury and went on to rack up six sacks, two touchdowns and two safeties on the night.

The Nighthawks have had difficulty protecting their quarterbacks this year – nobody has allowed more sacks (21) than the ‘Hawks.

The ‘Cats are currently tied for fourth in the league in the sacks. Of the 18 af2 teams that have played five games this season, nobody has more sacks than the Wildcats (15).

Start #2 for Mike Gluski: The Wildcats offense struggled early in the season, especially in the red zone. But the arrival of three-year af2 veteran quarterback Mike Gluski has given Wildcats coaches reason to believe the offense will improve in the coming weeks.

Gluski came to Cape Fear in a trade with the Macon Knights two weeks ago, and he's 13-3 lifetime as an af2 starter. Gluski worked with Wildcats head coach Chris Siegfried last year in Macon, where SIegfried was the Knights' offensive coordinator. Gluski took over the Wildcats offense at the start of the second half of the Richmond game, and he's thrown four touchdowns and zero interceptions in six quarters of work. He and his new teammates are still getting familiar with one another, but it should only be a matter of time before the ‘Cats offense is firing on all cylinders.

PLAYERS/MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

Wildcats OL/DL E.J. Burt: Burt leads the league with 7.5 sacks in five games and had three sacks in the first meeting with Norfolk. The Nighthawks gave up seven sacks in last week's loss to Roanoke.

Burt recorded a sack for a safety in each of the Wildcats' first two games. He had three sacks in the season opener at Norfolk and had two more last week at Richmond. He's also tied for second in the league with three forced fumbles.

KEY DATES IN WILDCATS HISTORY:

April 6, 2002 – first franchise win, 69-19 @ Norfolk

April 20, 2002 – first-ever regular season home game, a 45-44 loss to the Augusta Stallions

May 10, 2002 – first-ever home win, a 38-19 victory over the Charleston Swamp Foxes.

BUILT FORD TOUGH AWARD (selected by coaches) The Built Ford Tough Award is a national recognition award given after every game to the player or players on each team best demonstrating determination and toughness in that game. The award honors the players who made a game-saving tackle or score-saving tackle, threw a key block on the big play or exhibited physical sacrifice or consistent tough blocking and tackling on both sides of the ball. The honored players receive a helmet sticker that recognizes the Built Ford Tough Player of the Game.

Week Opp. Player
2 @ Norfolk DS Kenton Rickerson
3 @ New Haven WR/LB Seth Gutz
4 AUGUSTA WR/LB Seth Gutz
5 @ Richmond FB/LB Wilmont Perry
6 CHARLESTON WR/LB Hosea Friday

GAME MVP AWARD (selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
2 @ Norfolk OL/DL E.J. Burt
3 @ NewHaven OS Lavel Bailey
4 AUGUSTA WR/DB Norman Mason
5 @ Richmond WR/DB Norman Mason
6 CHARLESTON FB/LB Clenton Cochran

GAME IRONMAN AWARD (selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
2 @ Norfolk OL/DL E.J. Burt
3 @ New Haven OL/DL E.J. Burt
4 AUGUSTA WR/LB Troy Esprit
5 @ Richmond WR/LB Seth Gutz
6 CHARLESTON WR/DB Norman Mason

ADT Defensive Player AWARD (selected by media) Week Opp. Player
2 @ Norfolk DS Kenton Rickerson
3 @ New Haven DS Kelvin Suggs
4 AUGUSTA DS Kenton Rickerson
5 @ Richmond OL/DL E.J. Burt
6 CHARLESTON DS Kenton Rickerson

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