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Wildcats Game Notes

May 21, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2)
South Georgia Wildcats News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Cape Fear Wildcats (4-2) @ Roanoke Steam (4-3)
Date: May 25, 2002
Kickoff: 2:30pm
Site: Roanoke Civic Center (8,373)
TV: none
Radio: News/Talk 1230 WFAY & ESPN Radio 1450 (Emerson Phillips & Allen Smothers)
Officials: Jack Paschal (Referee), Dan O'Brien (Umpire), Scott Peterson (Head Linesman), Brian McGready (Line Judge), Clement Hall (Back Judge)
Series Record: first meeting
Streaks: Cape Fear guns for its third straight win while Roanoke tries to make it five wins in the last six games.
It's the first of two meetings in an eight-day span. Cape Fear and Roanoke will meet again next Saturday at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC.
Coaches: CPF -- Chris Siegfried 3-2, 1st year
ROA – Steven Jerry 11-12, 2nd year

THE STAKES: Second place in the American Conference's Atlantic Division is at stake as the ‘Cats currently trail the Steam by half a game in the standings. The winner gets a leg up in the battle for the #2 playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

THE SERIES: It's the first-ever regular season meeting between Cape Fear and Roanoke. The two teams met in Fayetteville for a controlled preseason scrimmage on March 23, but both teams' rosters have since changed considerably.

THE IFs:

If Cape Fear defeats Roanoke, it would ...
· Give the Wildcats sole possession of second place in the Atlantic Division
· Give the Wildcats a 3-1 division record
· Give the Wildcats a three-game win streak

· 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).

Steam head coach Steven Jerry enters his second season with the Roanoke Steam. Last year he guided the team to within a game of the playoffs and a 7-9 mark. Jerry served as the offensive coordinator for the Norfolk Nighthawks and assistant coach at William and Mary, Tight End Coach at the University of Central Florida, and quarterbacks coach at Siena College. Jerry attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on an athletic scholarship and played four years for the Tarheels as a quarterback and a receiver. After graduating from UNC, Coach Jerry was recruited by the AFL and played three years as wide receiver/defensive back for the Albany Firebirds, one year each for the Grand Rapid Rampage and the New England Sea Wolves.

FAMILIAR FACES: Wildcats OL/DL Jon Hall started/played games with the Steam in 2000.

CAPE FEAR WILDCATS Injury Report:
Pos. Name Injury Status
FB/LB Wilmont Perry Knee 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 battle for second place in the Atlantic Division: "Two teams from our division will make the playoffs, and it doesn't look like anybody's going to catch Richmond. That means four teams battling for the last spot, and we believe it'll go to the team that wants it most."

Wildcats head coach Chris Siegfried on ‘Cats DS Kenton Rickerson, who leads the team in tackles, interceptions and passes defended: "I don't know if there's a better defensive specialist in the league."

DROPBACK: Last week the expansion Wildcats picked up their second straight win with a 57-32 home triumph over the Norfolk Nighthawks. The ‘Cats opened the season with back-to-back road wins over Norfolk (69-19) and New Haven (38-20) before losing 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. The following week Cape Fear earned its first-ever home win, 38-19 over the Charleston Swamp Foxes.

Roanoke started the year with consecutive lopsided losses to Richmond before reeling off four straight wins to pass the Wildcats in the Atlantic Division standings. Last week Roanoke had their win streak snapped in a 37-32 loss at Albany,

MILESTONES: A win will give the Wildcats their first-ever three-game win streak.

FORWARD MOTION: The Wildcats and Steam will square off again next Saturday night at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC.

NOTES/TRENDS:

Sack attack: The ‘Cats and the Steam are currently tied for third in the league with 19 sacks. Of the 16 af2 teams that have played six games this season, nobody has more sacks than the Wildcats. The "Feline Frenzy": The Wildcats have the top-ranked defensive unit in the league. The Wildcats lead the league in total defense, allowing opponents just 161 yards of offense per game. They also rank first in pass defense (146ypg allowed) and fourth in rushing defense (14ypg allowed).

Move the chains: Roanoke ranks second in the league with 120 first downs, but the Steam are ranked 25th in scoring offense (37ppg).

Red zone or dead zone? The Steam and the Wildcats are ranked 28th and 29th, respectively, in red zone offense. The Steam have converted 19-of-29 red zone chances, including 14 touchdowns and five field goals. The Wildcats have converted 16-of-25 opportunities – all 16 scores for the Wildcats have been touchdowns.

Start #3 for Mike Gluski: The three-year af2 veteran quarterback came to Cape Fear in a trade with the Macon Knights three weeks ago, and he's 14-3 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 eight touchdowns and zero interceptions in ten quarters of work. Gluski has never lost a home start (7-0), and he's 7-3 lifetime away from home.

PLAYERS/MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

Wildcats OL/DL E.J. Burt: Burt leads the league with 10.5 sacks in six games. The Nighthawks gave up five 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 first in the league with four 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.

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