New faces dot Cavalry roster

[cavfan]

Wyoming Cavalry fans will probably need a roster to name all the new players on the team this season.

While record-setting quarterback Matt Strand and his top receivers all return to lead the defending Western Conference champions of the American Indoor Football Association, the Cavalry welcome back just four players on the defensive side of the ball.

Saturday, all the Cavalry players along with coach Dan Maciejczak met with the media and their fans at the team’s annual Media Day.

Wyoming has been practicing “around town” since last Friday in anticipation of their season opener March 22.

“We’ll use the outdoor field at [Natrona County High School] and Poison Spider [School] let us use their facility for the whole week,” Maciejczak said. “We’ll practice in backyards, on concrete … wherever we can get it done.”

With so many new faces, Maciejczak said the Cavalry are still focusing on the basics.

“I think, personality-wise, we’re still trying to find ourselves,” he said. “We’ve still got the veteran group of guys, kind of the big dads. And we’ve got the new kids … they’re starting to fit in.

“I think the new kids have brought a little extra spunk to our older guys and are pushing them. And our younger kids are working hard because they’re looking for opportunities.”

The Cavalry still expect to light up the scoreboard on offense.

After all, they return Strand and leading receivers Dante Dudley, James Everage and BJ Charlton.

Last year the Cavalry rode that offense to a 13-3 record and a berth in AIFA Bowl III, where they lost 65-43 to the Reading (Pa.) Express.

Strand, who is entering his ninth season as the Cavalry signal-caller, is looking forward to the personnel changes.

“When you get a lot of new guys it makes it exciting to get out there and see what everybody can do,” Strand said.

And with most of those new guys on the defensive side of the ball, veteran defensive lineman Tomasi Kongaika said his role on the team has changed in the past two years.

“I’m like a grandpa now,” Kongaika laughed. “Right now we’re just working on the basics and trying to get them to adjust to playing the indoor game.

Contact sports reporter Jack Nowlin at [phone] or [e-mail].

[roozy]

I hope this is a good thing.... our major weakness last season was our defensive secondary. I hope we have some new DBs that can cover, bump at the line of scrimmage at put a hit for pass breakups instead of tackles for 10-15 yard gains. To the credit of last season's DBs, there were not a lot of yards after the catch.