Soul defeat Gladiators, 62-61

Philadelphia -- Defensive back Eddie Moten made a leaping interception of a two-point conversion pass attempt with five seconds remaining to give the Philadelphia Soul a 62-61 victory over the Cleveland Gladiators Saturday night before a crowd of 16,637 at the Wachovia Spectrum.

The game-saving play preserved a comeback win for the playoff-bound Soul against a motivated Cleveland team needing a win to advance its own post-season aspirations. The loss dropped the Gladiators to 8-7 on the season.

With the victory, the Soul improved to 12-3 and maintained at least a share of the Eastern Division lead with one game remaining in the regular season. Philadelphia will go after its franchise-record 13th victory Sunday afternoon, June 22, against the New York Dragons at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. A win over the Dragons will assure the Soul of homefield advantage in the playoffs and against the Dallas Desperados, who the Soul defeated twice this year.

Dallas beat New York on Saturday night to remain tied with the Soul at 12-3.

The Soul's first playoff game is expected to take place at the Wachovia Complex on July 5 or 6 if there is a bye or the weekend of June 28. The Conference Championship games are set for July 12 and Arena Bowl XXII will be held on Sunday, July 27, in New Orleans.

Soul quarterback Matt D'Orazio hit wide receiver Chris Jackson for three touchdowns, including a 15-yarder with 37 seconds remaining to put the Soul ahead, 62-55. The Gladiators answered with an impressive drive culminating in a nine-yard touchdown from quarterback Raymond Philyaw to Otis Amey with just five seconds left. Instead of kicking the extra point to force overtime, the Gladiators decided to go for the victory with a two-point conversion, setting up Moten's heroics.

The Soul jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first three minutes with D'Orazio hitting Brent Holmes on a pair of one-play touchdown drives, the first covering 38 yards and the second 14. Cleveland closed to within six points several times during the first half and trailed at intermission, 41-35, behind two late touchdown passes from Philyaw to Amey.

With starting quarterback Tony Graziani sidelined by the concussion suffered last week in Dallas, D'Orazio was stellar once again, completing 25-of- 39 passes for 283 yards and six touchdowns. He also ran for two scores.

As he continues to chase Arena Football League all-time receiving records, Jackson registered nine catches for 104 yards. He now needs 231 yards to surpass Barry Wagner as the league's lifetime receiving yards record. He now has 48 touchdowns, a new personal single-season record, and he is the third player in the history of the league to amass over 2,000 points.

Philyaw completed 26-of-38 passes for 319 yards and six touchdowns.

The win also avenged an earlier season loss by the Soul in Cleveland.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defeat Wolves 68-50

Pioneers Blaze Past Conquest 69-27

Gladiators Hand Soul First Loss of the Season, 67-55

Kosar’s Gladiators Defeat Elway’s Crush, 50-46

Rivermen Boosters Sponsoring Blood Drive July 19

Destroyers' comeback falls short

COLUMBUS, OH - The Columbus Destroyers, presented by Germain, lost to the Grand Rapids Rampage 63-60 Saturday night on Huntington Field at Nationwide Arena in front of 12,831 fans.

With 1:04 left in the game Columbus (3-12) defensive lineman Michael Landry sacked Grand Rapids (5-10) quarterback James MacPherson, forcing a fumble, which was recovered by Tremaine Neal on the Rampage 14 yardline. The Destroyers could not take advantage of the opportunity, turning the ball over on downs with 0:02 remaining in the game.

Destroyers' wide receiver C.J. Johnson took home Offensive Player of the Game honors finishing the game with nine catches for a career-high 162 receiving yards and four touchdowns, which also tied a career best. Columbus quarterback Matt Nagy had another 300-plus yard passing game, ending this contest with 343 yards and six touchdowns, completing 24 of 38 passes.

Down 7-3 in the first quarter, Nagy found wide receiver Derek Lee for a 27-yard touchdown catch. Lee finished the game with eight catches for 159 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Grand Rapids responded with a three-play touchdown drive, allowing them to regain a four-point lead at the close of the quarter.

With 10:12 remaining in the second quarter, Columbus quarterback Justin Zwick made his debut as an AFL quarterback. On his first play from scrimmage, the rookie threw the ball from his own end zone, finding C.J. Johnson for a 47-yard touchdown. The play gave the destroyers a three-point lead, 24-21. After the teams traded touchdowns on the next four drives, Matt Thomas intercepted a MacPherson pass in the end zone to conclude the first half with a score of 38-35 in favor of Columbus.

Rampage defensive back Chris Martin opened the second half with his second kickoff return for touchdown of the night, taking back the lead for Grand Rapids. Columbus responded with pass and catch score from Nagy to Lee, to give the Destroyers a 45-42 advantage.

The Destroyers found themselves down by two scores after Bowling Green product Cole Magner caught two touchdowns, giving Grand Rapids a 56-45 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Johnson scored with 3:47 remaining in the game when Nagy found him for a 22-yard pass and catch. Wide receiver Rasheed Marshall played quarterback on the two point conversion, which he converted with a run from the three yardline.

The Destroyers will play their final regular season game Saturday, June 21, as they travel to take on the Cleveland Gladiators at Quicken Loans Arena. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (ET).

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defeat Wolves 68-50

Pioneers Blaze Past Conquest 69-27

Thomas and Destroyers’ defense come up big in the second half

Stamps Training Camp - Day 11 Recap

Here's a quick summary of Day 11 of Calgary Stampeders training camp:

Transactions

Add receiver Eddie Montgomery

Disable defensive back Willie Byrd

Injuries

Offensive lineman Jesse Newman (knee), offensive lineman Derek Armstrong (tricep) and defensive lineman Pat MacDonald (shoulder) are out indefinitely.

Defensive back Crance Clemons, defensive back Chijioke Onyenegecha, defensive back Willie Byrd, linebacker Shannon James, defensive back Julian Battle, defensive end Juwan Simpson and defensive end Terrence Patrick are day-to-day.

Upcoming schedule

Thursday, June 12: Practice from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Media can scrum head coach/GM John Hufnagel and players on the field after practice. The Edmonton Eskimos don't arrive until Friday.

Friday, June 13: Pre-season opener against the Eskimos at McMahon Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Visit Stampeders.com for a comprehensive roundup of the day and all Stamps news.

Stamps Sign Three

Eskimos Release Hollis

Ianni hopes for exciting summer

Eskimo Training Camp Notes - Day 11

Today's practice was accompanied by weird weather. The afternoon started with sunny skies, which then quickly turned black. Rain sent media, fans and some Eskimo staff seeking cover. The rain continued on for five minutes and was again replaced with sunny skies. While some people complained, injured DL Justin Cooper welcomed the rain saying he prefers it to the warm weather.

With Friday's first pre-season game against Calgary on everybody's mind, many rookies are looking forward to having a spot on the starting line-up for the game. There is one rookie who managed to get his first start today. Assistant Therapist Nate Hay finally got moved up from his "water boy" ranks to starter, quite literally. Nate got to blow the air horn which signals the beginning of warm-up and drills. After his inaugural "blow", Nate shouts to rookie DB Bradley Robinson, "That one was for you Brad!" Nate Hay will be replacing Terrill Lobo as Assistant Therapist as Terrill has taken a job as Head Athletic Therapist with the Oil Kings. Wide receiver Clarence Moore welcomed Hay in his new roll with enthusiasm after the horn went to start drills. "T.O (Terrill) is about to be out! We've got a new horn now! Whooo!"

Quotes:

Head Coach Danny Maciocia feels that Friday's pre-season game against Calgary is a great chance to rest some of the veterans and to see what the rookies can do. "I have a good feel for what Tucker does and KP brings and the healthy Kelly Campbell, what he can do. It just gives a chance to the Jamison's and Prator's of the world, the Challengers and see what they can do out there...and we're taking the same mindset with every other position really."

Offensive Line Coach Ronnie Vinklarek gets high praises from Danny Maciocia. Today, the Eskimo Head Coach told the media that Vinklarek is the best line coach he has ever been around. "He is well respected, he is a no nonsense kind of guy. He will work you hard. He takes care of his unit. He is well respected around the league," says Maciocia. "He is well balanced. He is dialed in and he can crack a joke every once in awhile. But if you don't get it done he will get after you and he doesn't have a problem calling you out in a group. There is clearly a respect for him and I'm sure the respect is mutual with him and his players. He has been a great addition here."

Releases: None

Injuries:

- Jason Tucker (back)

- Ron "Goldie" McClendon (quad)

- Adam Braidwood (knee)

- Kelly Campbell (quad)

- Justin Cooper (calf)

- Bradley Robinson (hamstring)

Tomorrow's Practice Schedule:

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Walk Thru

1:10 pm

Practice Field/Clarke Stadium

Players and coaches are available on-field to the media following the training session.

2008 Eskimo Training Camp returns to Clarke Stadium on Sunday, June 8 at 1pm. The team travels to Calgary for the first pre-season game on June 13 at 7:00pm and returns home for the second pre-season game on June 19 vs. Saskatchewan at 7:00pm. For more information on the Edmonton Eskimos visit our website at www.esks.com.

The Edmonton Eskimo Football Club is one of the most successful teams in CFL history with 13 Grey Cup championships and a North American pro-sports record of 34 consecutive years in the playoffs. A community-owned team, the Eskimos pride themselves on giving back to the community that has supported the organization throughout its illustrious history.

Blue Bombers release two from training camp roster

Fanfest Cancelled

Ianni hopes for exciting summer

Roughrider Training Camp - Day Eleven

The following is the Day 11 report from the 2008 Saskatchewan Roughrider Training Camp.

ROSTER MOVES

Add import defensive back Dre Dokes

INJURIES

RB Reggie Bradshaw (quad)

RB Henri Childs (groin)

RB Quentin Griffin (groin)

LB Maurice Lloyd (groin)

OL Jeremy O'Day (ankle)

QB Drew Tate (shoulder)

TODAY

The Green and White moved indoors to the University of Regina to avoid the weather conditions. The players held a light walk-thru in preparation for Friday's first exhibition game versus B.C.

TONIGHT

Players will meet with their positional coaches and continue learning the playbook at Luther College in advance of Friday's pre-season game versus B.C.

TOMORROW

Players and coaches will be back at Mosaic Stadium for a walk-thru which should run from 9:00 am to 10:30 am.

Revs embrace return to normalcy

Lions kick off 2008 with Rookie Camp

Blue Bombers release two from training camp roster

Aeros Update

Roughrider Training Camp - Day #4

Seven Teams Can Clinch Playoff Berths in Week 16

NEW YORK - The Cleveland Gladiators (8-6), Colorado Crush (4-10), Georgia Force (9-5), Grand Rapids Rampage (4-10), New Orleans VooDoo (8-6), New York Dragons (8-6) and Utah Blaze (5-10) can clinch playoff berths this weekend as the Mitsubishi Motors Drive to ArenaBowl XXII New Orleans eyes the finish line.

The Chicago Rush (10-4) can clinch home-field advantage throughout the American Conference playoffs with a win or a San Jose SaberCats (9-5) loss. The SaberCats can clinch their third consecutive Mitsubishi Motors Western Division title with a win or an Arizona Rattlers loss.

The Philadelphia Soul (11-3) can clinch the Mitsubishi Motors Eastern Division title and home-field advantage throughout the National Conference playoffs with a win coupled with a Dallas Desperados (11-3) loss.

Following is each team's postseason-clinching scenario for Week 16:

The CHICAGO RUSH clinch home-field advantage in the American Conference with the following scenarios:

1) Chicago Rush win

2) San Jose SaberCats loss

The COLORADO CRUSH clinch an American Conference playoff spot with the following scenario:

1) Colorado Crush win + Grand Rapids Rampage loss + Kansas City Brigade loss

The GRAND RAPIDS RAMPAGE clinch an American Conference playoff spot with the following scenario:

1) Grand Rapids Rampage win + Los Angeles Avengers loss

The SAN JOSE SABERCATS clinch the Western Division and a first-round bye with the following scenarios:

1) San Jose SaberCats win

2) Arizona Rattlers loss

The UTAH BLAZE clinch an American Conference playoff spot with the following scenarios:

1) Colorado Crush loss

2) Grand Rapids Rampage loss

The PHILADELPHIA SOUL clinch the Eastern Division and home-field advantage in the National Conference with the following scenario:

1) Philadelphia Soul win + Dallas Desperados loss

The GEORGIA FORCE clinch the Mitsubishi Motors Southern Division and a first-round bye with the following scenario:

1) Georgia Force win

The GEORGIA FORCE clinch a National Conference playoff spot with the following scenarios:

1) Tampa Bay Storm loss

2) New York Dragons loss

3) New Orleans VooDoo + Cleveland Gladiators loss

The NEW YORK DRAGONS clinch a National Conference playoff spot with the following scenarios:

1) New York Dragons win + Orlando Predators loss

2) New York Dragons win + Tampa Bay Storm loss

3) New York Dragons win + New Orleans VooDoo loss by two-or-more points + Georgia Force win + Cleveland Gladiators win

The NEW ORLEANS VOODOO clinch a National Conference playoff spot with the following scenario:

1) New Orleans VooDoo win

The CLEVELAND GLADIATORS clinch a National Conference playoff spot with the following scenarios:

1) Cleveland Gladiators win + Tampa Bay Storm loss + Georgia Force win

2) Cleveland Gladiators win + Tampa Bay Storm loss + Orlando Predators loss

Desperados WR/DB Earns Honor for the Second Consecutive Week

Marlies Announce Dates For Western Conference Finals

Bus Into The Wolves Den With The IceHogs

Kosar’s Gladiators Defeat Elway’s Crush, 50-46

Former American Idol Contestant To Perform At Silverbacks Home Finale

America's Heroes Night at the Amarillo Civic Center for Dusters game

AMARILLO, Texas The Amarillo Dusters take the field at home again this Saturday, battling the Rio Grande Valley Dorados. This weekend is also Flag Day and Father's Day, so the Dusters are honoring America's Heroes at the game, including military, police, firefighters, dads, and many other community heroes.

"It is so important as a professional sports team to do what we can in honoring the men and women that make it possible to do what we do every day," said Dusters vice president, Joe Morgado.

At halftime of the game, military personnel will be having an enlistment ceremony to swear in new recruits. There will also be many prizes and giveaways throughout the night.

The Amarillo Civic Center is also will also be selling $.50 hot dogs at the concession stands.

"The $.50 hot dogs are back by popular demand and available while they last," said Amarillo Civic Center director, Kris Miller. "In the past, we have gone through 2500 to 3000 hot dogs!"

From 4:30 to 5:30 on Saturday, dads and kids with game tickets are invited to come onto the field with a few of the Dusters and play catch.

"We are giving this very unique opportunity to be out on the field with the team before the game. It is something that we hope parents and kids will treasure as a special memory," Morgado said. "Football, family, and $.50 hot dogs; what more could a dad ask for on Father's Day!"

Tickets start at just $16 and are on sale now. Reserve yours by calling the Dusters Box Office at 806.350.7277 or visit www.dustersfootball.com or stop by any Panhandle Tickets outlet.

Dusters Food Drive With The High Plains Food Bank

Unlikely heroes shine for Columbus