Post by cavfan on Mar 23, 2009 16:12:13 GMT -5
By JACK NOWLIN
Star-Tribune staff writer
Sunday, March 22, 2009 2:06 AM MDT
The Wyoming Cavalry want to prove that the West is the best.
After losing to the Florence (S.C.) Phantoms in the championship game of the American Indoor Football Association last season, the Cavs begin this season with the added incentive of knowing the winner of the West Division will host AIFA Championship Bowl III.
This also marks the 10th season for the Cavalry and indoor football in Casper.
"It's exciting to think that we can host [the championship game] for our fans," Cavalry Director of Business Operations Argeri Layton said. "I'm excited to bring it to this community with the support they've shown us in 10 years.
"I'm very excited to say, 'You know what? After 10 years, here we are.'"
The Cavs are no strangers to title games, having played in culminating events in 2001 as a member of the National Indoor Football League, in 2007 in the Professional Indoor Football Championship and last year.
All those games, however, were on the road and the past two didn't leave a good impression on the Cavs, and not just because they ended up on the losing end.
The '07 game against the Fayetteville (Ark.) Guard was an unofficial contest arranged by the teams' owners shortly after the NIFL folded.
And the general consensus last year was that neither AIFA officials nor the Phantoms ownership did what they could to drum up interest in the title game.
All of which makes Layton even more intent that this year's championship game is at the Casper Events Center.
"I would like to get the chance to show the hospitality that we do out West," she said. "I'd be lying if I didn't say I'd like the opportunity to showcase what we do.
"It's not that we're the best or that we do things better than anybody else. ... But after doing it for so long you just want the opportunity."
The Cavs hope to get that opportunity on July 25.
To do so, Wyoming will have to finish either first or second in the West Division in order to qualify for the playoffs.
The Cavs captured the conference crown last year with an 11-3 mark, then beat Arizona in the first round of the playoffs and Mississippi for the conference title.
This year the Cavs will compete against the expansion Utah Valley Thunder, the Ogden (Utah) Knights -- last year's Utah Saints -- and the returning New Mexico Wildcats, which is basically a combination of last year's team and the now-defunct Arizona franchise.
So while Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak expects the competition to be better, he knows hosting the championship game would be a reward not only for the Cavalry players and the organization, but also for the fans.
Now in his third year leading the Cavs, Maciejczak said the Cavs' fan support is second to none.
"It's an extra bonus because the last two years we had to travel to the East Coast and I felt like we weren't treated as well," he said. "Now everybody can come to our place and play in front of our fans.
"And for our fans to be able to see a championship game is a bonus. Because our players are here because of the fans and the enjoyment they get playing in front of them."
And the Cavalry playing in front of their fans on July 25 would be a perfect way to cap the organization's 10-year anniversary in Casper.
"That's the goal," Layton said.
Contact sports reporter Jack Nowlin at (307) 266-0528 or jack.nowlin@trib.com.
Cavalry Tracker
MONDAY: Wyoming at Utah Valley, 7 p.m.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: This is the 10-year anniversary of the Cavalry, who began play in the Indoor Football League in 2000 as the Casper Cavalry.
TAKE TWO: The Cavalry will compete in the American Indoor Football Association for the second straight year. In 2008 Wyoming won the Western Conference before losing to the Florence (S.C.) Phantoms in AIFA Championship Bowl II.
HOME COOKING?: The winner of the West Division will host AIFA Championship Bowl III on July 25.
SHE SAID IT: "It's exciting to think that we can host [the championship game] for our fans." -- Argeri Layton, Cavalry director of business operations.
MEET AND GREET: Fans can meet coach Dan Maciejczak and Cavalry players at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Hilton Garden Inn.
Star-Tribune staff writer
Sunday, March 22, 2009 2:06 AM MDT
The Wyoming Cavalry want to prove that the West is the best.
After losing to the Florence (S.C.) Phantoms in the championship game of the American Indoor Football Association last season, the Cavs begin this season with the added incentive of knowing the winner of the West Division will host AIFA Championship Bowl III.
This also marks the 10th season for the Cavalry and indoor football in Casper.
"It's exciting to think that we can host [the championship game] for our fans," Cavalry Director of Business Operations Argeri Layton said. "I'm excited to bring it to this community with the support they've shown us in 10 years.
"I'm very excited to say, 'You know what? After 10 years, here we are.'"
The Cavs are no strangers to title games, having played in culminating events in 2001 as a member of the National Indoor Football League, in 2007 in the Professional Indoor Football Championship and last year.
All those games, however, were on the road and the past two didn't leave a good impression on the Cavs, and not just because they ended up on the losing end.
The '07 game against the Fayetteville (Ark.) Guard was an unofficial contest arranged by the teams' owners shortly after the NIFL folded.
And the general consensus last year was that neither AIFA officials nor the Phantoms ownership did what they could to drum up interest in the title game.
All of which makes Layton even more intent that this year's championship game is at the Casper Events Center.
"I would like to get the chance to show the hospitality that we do out West," she said. "I'd be lying if I didn't say I'd like the opportunity to showcase what we do.
"It's not that we're the best or that we do things better than anybody else. ... But after doing it for so long you just want the opportunity."
The Cavs hope to get that opportunity on July 25.
To do so, Wyoming will have to finish either first or second in the West Division in order to qualify for the playoffs.
The Cavs captured the conference crown last year with an 11-3 mark, then beat Arizona in the first round of the playoffs and Mississippi for the conference title.
This year the Cavs will compete against the expansion Utah Valley Thunder, the Ogden (Utah) Knights -- last year's Utah Saints -- and the returning New Mexico Wildcats, which is basically a combination of last year's team and the now-defunct Arizona franchise.
So while Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak expects the competition to be better, he knows hosting the championship game would be a reward not only for the Cavalry players and the organization, but also for the fans.
Now in his third year leading the Cavs, Maciejczak said the Cavs' fan support is second to none.
"It's an extra bonus because the last two years we had to travel to the East Coast and I felt like we weren't treated as well," he said. "Now everybody can come to our place and play in front of our fans.
"And for our fans to be able to see a championship game is a bonus. Because our players are here because of the fans and the enjoyment they get playing in front of them."
And the Cavalry playing in front of their fans on July 25 would be a perfect way to cap the organization's 10-year anniversary in Casper.
"That's the goal," Layton said.
Contact sports reporter Jack Nowlin at (307) 266-0528 or jack.nowlin@trib.com.
Cavalry Tracker
MONDAY: Wyoming at Utah Valley, 7 p.m.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: This is the 10-year anniversary of the Cavalry, who began play in the Indoor Football League in 2000 as the Casper Cavalry.
TAKE TWO: The Cavalry will compete in the American Indoor Football Association for the second straight year. In 2008 Wyoming won the Western Conference before losing to the Florence (S.C.) Phantoms in AIFA Championship Bowl II.
HOME COOKING?: The winner of the West Division will host AIFA Championship Bowl III on July 25.
SHE SAID IT: "It's exciting to think that we can host [the championship game] for our fans." -- Argeri Layton, Cavalry director of business operations.
MEET AND GREET: Fans can meet coach Dan Maciejczak and Cavalry players at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Hilton Garden Inn.