SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2008 - Von Braun Center (6,642) 8:30 P.M. ET
The Tennessee Valley Vipers host the Manchester Wolves Saturday night in the American Conference Championship at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala. The winner advances to the 2008 ArenaCup title game. These two teams have met just once in their histories. The Vipers hold a 1-0 series edge thanks to a 47-30 victory in the second round of the 2003 playoffs when the Wolves were based in Connecticut and were known as the Mohegan Wolves. In this year's postseason, No. 7 seed Manchester has scored upset wins over No. 2 seed South Georgia and No. 3 seed Green Bay to get to the conference championship. The Wolves have been one of the hottest teams in the league, winning six straight and 10-of-11 overall. In a thrilling matchup last week, the Wolves beat the Blizzard, 55-54, on a last second 2-point conversion run by QB BRIAN JONES. Jones' performance was crucial in the victory (6 TD passes, 2 TD runs). The four-year af2 veteran signal caller was pressed back into duty last week after an injury to starter JAMES PINKNEY, who started 12 regular season games and one playoff game (first round win). Jones started two games for Manchester earlier this year but injured his shoulder and missed the remainder of the regular season. This will be his fourth start of the year overall. Jones helped guide the now defunct Memphis Xplorers to three straight postseason appearances (2004-06) and an ArenaCup title in 2005. Memphis was coached at the time by current Wolves head man DANTON BARTO. Barto became just the fourth coach in af2 history to reach 60 career coaching victories with Manchester's semifinal win. The team's top candidate for Ironman of the Year honors is WR/LB BRADLY CHAVEZ. Chavez has been the team leader and has stepped up his offensive game in the playoffs (16 catches, 134 yards, four TDs). On defense, DB DAHNEL SINGFIELD has led the Wolves in tackles in the playoffs and also led them in the regular season. The Vipers are coming into Saturday's Conference Championship game as a confident group after a 34-30 upset win at No. 1 seed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. After WR ALONZO NIX caught a six-yard TD pass from KEVIN EAKIN with just seven seconds to play, Tennessee Valley preserved the win on a last second tackle on their own 2-yard line. Eakin has been solid for the Vipers all season with 51 passing touchdowns and three rushing scores. He has had a very strong playoff run as well. Leading receiver WR MAURICE BROWN has caught three of Eakin's seven touchdown passes. Nix leads the squad in receptions in the postseason with 23 grabs for 214 yards and two TDs. WR/DB TRAVIS BLANCHARD, Tennessee Valley's top candidate for Ironman of the Year, has been a playmaker on both sides of the ball, recording an interception on defense and a TD reception and two TD runs on offense. DL ERIC SCOTT is the team's top pass rusher. Scott led the team with 17.5 sacks during the regular season and has a team-best 4.0 through two playoff games. If Jones can handle the Vipers defensive pressure, expect this game to go down to the wire.
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