Xplorers host Bossier-Shreveport Saturday
May 18, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Memphis Xplorers News Release
SOUTHAVEN --- The Memphis Xplorers reach the midway point of the 2006 season with a Week 8 match-up versus the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the DeSoto Civic Center. The Xplorers made what might be their most important and impacting acquisition of the season earlier this week when the team announced that Offensive Specialist Kevin Prentiss will be returning to the team.
Prentiss, the career franchise leader in scoring, receptions, receiving yards, touchdown receptions, kickoff return yards and kickoff return touchdowns, will be on the field in an Xplorers uniform for the first time in 2006. After completing his third af2 season with an ArenaCup Championship last season, the former Mississippi State Bulldog was signed by the Las Vegas Gladiators of the AFL for 2006 and played in their first three games before being waived. After getting some off-field and family issues taken care of, he told Head Coach Danton Barto that he was ready to return to the DCC turf.
The Xplorers are coming off a 48-41 loss at previously winless South Georgia last week that shook the team's confidence and dropped their record to 5-2. It also dropped them to sixth in the Weekly af2 Coaches' Poll. It was also the squad's second straight loss on the road. At home, the Xplorers have won eight consecutive home games going back to last season's playoffs and regular season.
For Barto, the return of Prentiss comes at a good time for his team and will serve a couple of purposes.
"I think he will help to return some of the swagger that we may have lost the last couple of weeks," he said. "He will also bring an extra factor that other teams will have to account for both offensively and on special teams."
The Xplorers and Battle Wings will renew a rivalry that dates back to each team's first season in af2, 2001, and spans nine total meetings. Memphis holds a 6-3 edge in the series entering Saturday's game and have won five of the last six. This is the lone meeting between the teams this season.
One thing that will be different about his year's game is the fact that the teams are not in the same division as was the case the past five seasons. The Xplorers are in the South Division of the American Conference while the Battle Wings are in the Midwest Division of the National Conference.
This game also has a similarity to Memphis' game last week at South Georgia in that Bossier-Shreveport is also winless at 0-6.
"Last week proved that you can't under estimate anyone, no matter what their record is," Barto said. "I expect Bossier to play hard. Obviously, we will need to play much better than last week."
Following this Saturday's game, the Xplorers play five of their last eight on the road.
The Memphis Xplorers...2005 ArenaCup Champions
Free Kids Tickets!!! For the May 20 game vs Bossier-Shreveport, fans that purchase one adult ticket can get up to two kids tickets (12 and under) for free.
Take advantage of the Xplorers 4-Pack or fantastic discounts for groups of 15 or more. Don't miss all the action of the "50-Yard Indoor War." For ticket information call the Xplorers office at 662-342-1755. Single game tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com, by calling 901-525-1515 or in person at the DeSoto Civic Center box office during business hours.
Listen to all the action on the radio home of the Xplorers, 730 ESPN.
Be sure to head to O'Charley's on Goodman Road in Southaven after every Xplorers home game for the official post game party.
Listen to the Danton Barto Show every Monday at 6pm on 730 ESPN live from The Fox and Hound in Southaven.
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