Post by rkozak201 on Jul 11, 2008 4:47:53 GMT -5
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
The Reading Express could have a hard time distinguishing the Florence Phantoms from the Lakeland Thunderbolts.
The Phantoms team that will visit Reading Saturday night will look a lot like the Lakeland team the Express lost to in last year's American Indoor Football Association championship game in Florence, S.C.
Former Thunderbolts general manager Bennie King brought several players with him to Florence when Lakeland suspended operations for the 2008 season.
But the biggest difference between last year's title game and this year's AIFA Eastern Conference championship game could be the venue.
The Phantoms (11-4) will play the Express (11-4) at 7 p.m. in the Sovereign Center, where Reading has won 19 straight. The winner will host the AIFA title game July 24.
"The atmosphere in here gets us by big time," Express wide receiver Carmelo Ocasio said.
The Reading crowd rattled Phantoms quarterback Omar Jacobs and his teammatse early and often April 19 when the Express rolled to a 66-30 victory in the Sovereign Center.
Since then, Florence has won 9-of-10, including eight straight, the latest a 55-9 rout of Huntington Monday in the South Division championship game.
Reading needed to rally in the last minute to defeat Erie 67-57 Saturday night in the East Division championship game.
Rob Flowers threw his seventh touchdown pass of the game to Shawn Foxworth with 15 seconds left to put Reading ahead before Trent Jones intercepted a pass on the goal line and returned it 50 yards as time expired in the see-saw shootout.
"This is the kind of game we needed to get out of our systems early in the playoffs and to let us know we can win this type of game," Jones said.
Last year's AIFA title game, won by Lakeland 54-49, also went down to the wire.
Current Phantoms players who played in that game for Lakeland include speedy wide receiver A.J. Bennett, offensive linemen Junior Louissanint and Al'Tariq Brown, linebacker Eric Potchney and defensive backs Otheese Wells and Larry Thompson.
Thompson, who started this season with Huntington, had 34 interceptions for Lakeland last season.
In addition, former Lakeland linebackers coach Tavares Bowens was named head coach three weeks before the Phantoms began their season.
He later brought in Aso Pogi to be the offensive coordinator and backup quaterback. Pogi was Lakeland's starting quarterback last year.
Reading has a mixture of veterans from last year's team and several newcomers.
Flowers replaced two-year starting quarterback Tom Stetzer and threw for 56 touchdowns and ran for 22, one short of the franchise record.
Former Central Catholic standout Yardon Brantley joined Carmelo Ocasio and Shawn Foxworth to give the Express three dangerous wide receivers.
Ocasio, who missed four games due to injury, leads the Express with 24 touchdown receptions and needs two more to give him 100 for his three-year career.
Foxworth, who missed three games, has a team-high 84 receptions.
Other Express players who will be in their third straight conference championship game include offensive lineman Mark Stout, defensive linemen Brett Kolk and Mike Schwebel, linebacker Matt Sola and kicker Erik Rockhold.
"For some of the guys out here this is our last go-round," Ocasio said. "We have the best opportunity coming out here knowing we can finish off the championship game at home."
Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
Reading Eagle
The Reading Express could have a hard time distinguishing the Florence Phantoms from the Lakeland Thunderbolts.
The Phantoms team that will visit Reading Saturday night will look a lot like the Lakeland team the Express lost to in last year's American Indoor Football Association championship game in Florence, S.C.
Former Thunderbolts general manager Bennie King brought several players with him to Florence when Lakeland suspended operations for the 2008 season.
But the biggest difference between last year's title game and this year's AIFA Eastern Conference championship game could be the venue.
The Phantoms (11-4) will play the Express (11-4) at 7 p.m. in the Sovereign Center, where Reading has won 19 straight. The winner will host the AIFA title game July 24.
"The atmosphere in here gets us by big time," Express wide receiver Carmelo Ocasio said.
The Reading crowd rattled Phantoms quarterback Omar Jacobs and his teammatse early and often April 19 when the Express rolled to a 66-30 victory in the Sovereign Center.
Since then, Florence has won 9-of-10, including eight straight, the latest a 55-9 rout of Huntington Monday in the South Division championship game.
Reading needed to rally in the last minute to defeat Erie 67-57 Saturday night in the East Division championship game.
Rob Flowers threw his seventh touchdown pass of the game to Shawn Foxworth with 15 seconds left to put Reading ahead before Trent Jones intercepted a pass on the goal line and returned it 50 yards as time expired in the see-saw shootout.
"This is the kind of game we needed to get out of our systems early in the playoffs and to let us know we can win this type of game," Jones said.
Last year's AIFA title game, won by Lakeland 54-49, also went down to the wire.
Current Phantoms players who played in that game for Lakeland include speedy wide receiver A.J. Bennett, offensive linemen Junior Louissanint and Al'Tariq Brown, linebacker Eric Potchney and defensive backs Otheese Wells and Larry Thompson.
Thompson, who started this season with Huntington, had 34 interceptions for Lakeland last season.
In addition, former Lakeland linebackers coach Tavares Bowens was named head coach three weeks before the Phantoms began their season.
He later brought in Aso Pogi to be the offensive coordinator and backup quaterback. Pogi was Lakeland's starting quarterback last year.
Reading has a mixture of veterans from last year's team and several newcomers.
Flowers replaced two-year starting quarterback Tom Stetzer and threw for 56 touchdowns and ran for 22, one short of the franchise record.
Former Central Catholic standout Yardon Brantley joined Carmelo Ocasio and Shawn Foxworth to give the Express three dangerous wide receivers.
Ocasio, who missed four games due to injury, leads the Express with 24 touchdown receptions and needs two more to give him 100 for his three-year career.
Foxworth, who missed three games, has a team-high 84 receptions.
Other Express players who will be in their third straight conference championship game include offensive lineman Mark Stout, defensive linemen Brett Kolk and Mike Schwebel, linebacker Matt Sola and kicker Erik Rockhold.
"For some of the guys out here this is our last go-round," Ocasio said. "We have the best opportunity coming out here knowing we can finish off the championship game at home."
Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.