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Week 2
Top Five
1. Phoenix Riders (2-0) - PR 74 - W 17-13 over (1-1) Dakota Totems - LW#2
I guess the #2 rating was too low or this squad. The Riders went on the road and beat a very good Dakota team. The offense didn't play its best game, especially quarterback Lorenzo Kaplan (two INTs), but they proved they can win with defense. This week they stay on the road and travel to Port City to face the (1-1) Steam. The Riders also moved one week closer to getting back starting RDE R.J. Gabbard. Last season he had eight sacks and four forced fumbles. He will be at full strength in three weeks.
2. Memphis Admirals (2-0) - PR 73 - W 35-7 over Columbus Catfish - LW#4
Wow. Were these guys impressive this week or what? Fresh off a 30-10 smashing of Port City, the Admirals had to prove themselves at home. After giving up an early first quarter TD pass the Admirals scored the next 35 points to dominate a very good Columbus team. In a game touted in the press clippings as a quarterback match-up for the ages Memphis starter Dusty Cowell made Corey Lincoln look like a rookie. Cowell lead his team to victory by throwing for 205 yards and three TDs (no INTs), while Lincoln played his team out of the game by throwing four interceptions. Next week the Admirals travel to Lake County to face a (1-1) Xtreme team that is fresh off its first win of the season.
3. Kalispel Stags – (2-0) PR 67 - W 20-16 over Pearl Harbor Defenders - LW#5
Kalispel management has tried to improve the talent at quarterback on this roster for years. After three straight years of picking a signal-caller in the second or third round, it looks like they got it right with their first choice after all. With just over two minutes left and his team down three points, Herb Nikolaus put the offense on his shoulders. He completed five of seven passes, driving from the Kalispel 24-yard line, leading his team to a nine-yard draw game winning touchdown by running back Jack Taylor, the first running play of the drive. Next week the Stags travel down to (1-1) Utah. This won't be an easy game, but it will definitely prove if they are deserving of the #3 spot in the rankings.
4. Yuma Aces (1-1) - PR 69 – L 29-32 to Washington Bombers - LW#2
Yuma went on the road and dominated a Washington Bombers squad for three quarters. With just over eight minutes left, the Aces lead 22-10, and seemed to have the game well in hand. Whoops. The Bombers scored 22 points in just under eight minutes to shock Yuma. I don't think the defense will be doing that again anytime soon. This is the only 1-1 team in the top five, but I still think this team is for real. They should be able to rebound next week at home against (1-1) North Liberty.
5. South Maryland Jaguars (2-0) - PR 71 – W 35-21 over Ohio Valley Showboats - LWNR
First time appearance for the South Maryland Jaguars...or Baltimore Bulls...whoever they are, this team is good. With a full team effort, the Jaguars spread the ball around offensively and held the Showboats passing attack to just 114 yards. Quarterback Gabe Mathews was 22/29 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Runningbacks JJ Roberson and Chris Meek each scored two touchdowns and combined for 135 rushing yards and five receptions. South Maryland stays at home this week to face a (1-1) Columbus Catfish team that just got an embarrassed. I would expect better things from them this week.
Bottom One
1. Portland Phantoms - PR 47 - L 6-30 to San Fransisco Bayhawks
Still number one! Wow. What a brutal performance. After taking an early 3-0 lead the Phantoms then gave up 30 straight points in three quarters, and only managed a late FG to reduce the margin. Nothing went right. Penalties (11). Turnovers (2). Poor passing game (84 yards). And no drives over 40 yards. Next week the Phantoms host the (1-1) Punx Phils. They are actually favored to win the game by two!
Game of the Week
Well, the game that was billed as the GOTW turned out to be a Varsity vs. JV match. The Admirals dominated the Catfish. For a primetime game, this sure was a snoozer.
Next weeks game of the week features one of the same teams as before. The Memphis Admirals travel to Lake County to face the defending Stevens Cup Champions the (1-1) Xtreme. The point spread is currently even. This game features two great QBs and two great defenses. Something has to give.
Player Spotlights
This weeks offensive spotlight is on Washington Bombers Quarterback Warren Poland. For those that do not remember, Poland was pegged the "missing link" by the local Seattle media outlets after the Bombers acquired him on draft day from the Dakota Totems. In his first season with the Bombers he was average at best throwing for 3,050 yards, 22 TDs, 18 INTs, 57% completion and six fumbles. After being booed by his home crown in the first game, questions began to swirl if he was in fact the answer this team was looking for. On Sunday, against one of the leagues best teams, Poland put those naysayers to rest, at least for one more week. He threw for 311 yards (his first time as a Bomber), three TDs (two in the final five minutes) to lead his team to 22 points in the final eight minutes in the win 32-29 win over Yuma. Not only did he not turn the ball over, he even recovered a fumble by RB Randy Richardson.
This weeks defensive spotlight is on St. Paul Bandits Defensive End Hugh "Moose" Adams. In the 20-7 victory over Utah, the veteran had three sacks, four hurries and a knockdown of Utah Bees' quarterback Lester Branch.
Extra Points
1. Washington Bombers MLB Donny Solomon is a full-time starter for the first time in his 4th season as a pro. He is quietly leading the league in tackles in the Bombers new 4-3 defense.
2. Last week the North Liberty Enforces lost starting wide receiver Patrick Siegrist for the season due to a compound leg fracture. This week they lost starting defensive end Bennie Baxter for the next three months because of a MCL injury. Who will be next?
Top Five
1. Phoenix Riders (2-0) - PR 74 - W 17-13 over (1-1) Dakota Totems - LW#2I guess the #2 rating was too low or this squad. The Riders went on the road and beat a very good Dakota team. The offense didn't play its best game, especially quarterback Lorenzo Kaplan (two INTs), but they proved they can win with defense. This week they stay on the road and travel to Port City to face the (1-1) Steam. The Riders also moved one week closer to getting back starting RDE R.J. Gabbard. Last season he had eight sacks and four forced fumbles. He will be at full strength in three weeks.
2. Memphis Admirals (2-0) - PR 73 - W 35-7 over Columbus Catfish - LW#4Wow. Were these guys impressive this week or what? Fresh off a 30-10 smashing of Port City, the Admirals had to prove themselves at home. After giving up an early first quarter TD pass the Admirals scored the next 35 points to dominate a very good Columbus team. In a game touted in the press clippings as a quarterback match-up for the ages Memphis starter Dusty Cowell made Corey Lincoln look like a rookie. Cowell lead his team to victory by throwing for 205 yards and three TDs (no INTs), while Lincoln played his team out of the game by throwing four interceptions. Next week the Admirals travel to Lake County to face a (1-1) Xtreme team that is fresh off its first win of the season.
3. Kalispel Stags – (2-0) PR 67 - W 20-16 over Pearl Harbor Defenders - LW#5Kalispel management has tried to improve the talent at quarterback on this roster for years. After three straight years of picking a signal-caller in the second or third round, it looks like they got it right with their first choice after all. With just over two minutes left and his team down three points, Herb Nikolaus put the offense on his shoulders. He completed five of seven passes, driving from the Kalispel 24-yard line, leading his team to a nine-yard draw game winning touchdown by running back Jack Taylor, the first running play of the drive. Next week the Stags travel down to (1-1) Utah. This won't be an easy game, but it will definitely prove if they are deserving of the #3 spot in the rankings.
4. Yuma Aces (1-1) - PR 69 – L 29-32 to Washington Bombers - LW#2Yuma went on the road and dominated a Washington Bombers squad for three quarters. With just over eight minutes left, the Aces lead 22-10, and seemed to have the game well in hand. Whoops. The Bombers scored 22 points in just under eight minutes to shock Yuma. I don't think the defense will be doing that again anytime soon. This is the only 1-1 team in the top five, but I still think this team is for real. They should be able to rebound next week at home against (1-1) North Liberty.
5. South Maryland Jaguars (2-0) - PR 71 – W 35-21 over Ohio Valley Showboats - LWNRFirst time appearance for the South Maryland Jaguars...or Baltimore Bulls...whoever they are, this team is good. With a full team effort, the Jaguars spread the ball around offensively and held the Showboats passing attack to just 114 yards. Quarterback Gabe Mathews was 22/29 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Runningbacks JJ Roberson and Chris Meek each scored two touchdowns and combined for 135 rushing yards and five receptions. South Maryland stays at home this week to face a (1-1) Columbus Catfish team that just got an embarrassed. I would expect better things from them this week.
Bottom One
1. Portland Phantoms - PR 47 - L 6-30 to San Fransisco BayhawksStill number one! Wow. What a brutal performance. After taking an early 3-0 lead the Phantoms then gave up 30 straight points in three quarters, and only managed a late FG to reduce the margin. Nothing went right. Penalties (11). Turnovers (2). Poor passing game (84 yards). And no drives over 40 yards. Next week the Phantoms host the (1-1) Punx Phils. They are actually favored to win the game by two!
Game of the Week
Well, the game that was billed as the GOTW turned out to be a Varsity vs. JV match. The Admirals dominated the Catfish. For a primetime game, this sure was a snoozer.
Next weeks game of the week features one of the same teams as before. The Memphis Admirals travel to Lake County to face the defending Stevens Cup Champions the (1-1) Xtreme. The point spread is currently even. This game features two great QBs and two great defenses. Something has to give.
Player Spotlights
This weeks offensive spotlight is on Washington Bombers Quarterback Warren Poland. For those that do not remember, Poland was pegged the "missing link" by the local Seattle media outlets after the Bombers acquired him on draft day from the Dakota Totems. In his first season with the Bombers he was average at best throwing for 3,050 yards, 22 TDs, 18 INTs, 57% completion and six fumbles. After being booed by his home crown in the first game, questions began to swirl if he was in fact the answer this team was looking for. On Sunday, against one of the leagues best teams, Poland put those naysayers to rest, at least for one more week. He threw for 311 yards (his first time as a Bomber), three TDs (two in the final five minutes) to lead his team to 22 points in the final eight minutes in the win 32-29 win over Yuma. Not only did he not turn the ball over, he even recovered a fumble by RB Randy Richardson.
This weeks defensive spotlight is on St. Paul Bandits Defensive End Hugh "Moose" Adams. In the 20-7 victory over Utah, the veteran had three sacks, four hurries and a knockdown of Utah Bees' quarterback Lester Branch.
Extra Points
1. Washington Bombers MLB Donny Solomon is a full-time starter for the first time in his 4th season as a pro. He is quietly leading the league in tackles in the Bombers new 4-3 defense.
2. Last week the North Liberty Enforces lost starting wide receiver Patrick Siegrist for the season due to a compound leg fracture. This week they lost starting defensive end Bennie Baxter for the next three months because of a MCL injury. Who will be next?
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