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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, June 28, 2003

Islanders, Steamwheelers in showdown

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

 •  Who: Quad City Steamwheelers (9-2) vs. Hawaiian Islanders (9-3)

When: 7:30 tonight

Where: Blaisdell Arena

Radio: KUMU2 1500AM

Admission: $10 upper level (unreserved) for adults and $7 ages 4-17. Lower level is sold out. Parking is $3. Fan Appreciation Night: Discounted tickets: 50 percent off all general admission tickets ($5 adults; $3.50 students) if purchased at the Neal Blaisdell box office. First 1,000 fans will receive a free hot dog and soda.

Quad City Steamwheelers head coach Rich Ingold has had the Midas Touch of late, leading his team to a nine-game winning streak after consecutive losses to open the arenafootball2 season.

The Hawaiian Islanders have put up an intimidating roadblock at Blaisdell Arena, winning nine in a row at home dating to last season.

Something will have to give tonight when the teams meet at 7:30 in a matchup of division leaders.

When asked about Quad City's winning streak, Islanders head coach Cal Lee said: "I'm more concerned about how we perform. We need to take care of ourselves."

The Steamwheelers (9-2) and Islanders (9-3) are all but assured playoff berths, but the game is critical because division winners with the top two overall records in each conference will receive a bye in the first round.

Quad City's last loss was April 4 to the visiting Islanders, 53-52.

Islanders wide receiver/defensive back Darrell Jones expects the Steamwheelers to come out fired up tonight.

"We all know it's going to be a good game, a dog fight until the end," he said.

Quad City, of the National Midwest Division, didn't practice all last week because of an open date.

"The thing in arena football is the scheming," Ingold said. "It's not like the outdoor game; you only need a couple days to prepare scheme-wise. The main thing is we got healthy."

The Islanders, of the National West Division, struggled to a 39-38 victory at the San Diego Riptide this past Saturday. The Islanders have won three games this season by one point and another by two. They've also trailed in the second half in their last five victories.

"We're real blessed," said Jones, who led the team in receptions during a 5-11 inaugural season. "We're more mature and learned how to finish games, where last year we were losing close games because we were young."

The Islanders are 6-0 at home this season.

"I think of it as a home game we must win because right now we're undefeated at home," Islanders wide receiver/defensive back Anthony Arceneaux said. "And our goal at the beginning of the year was to stay undefeated at home and that's enough motivation for us."

Quad City leads the 27-team af2 in total offense (288.2 yards per game) and is second in scoring offense (53.5 ppg).

The Steamwheelers also lead the league in fewest penalty yards (34.4 per game) and are second in turnover margin (plus-1.09 per game).

"I demand a lot and don't put up with penalties," Ingold said. "We only have one personal foul (penalty), which was a roughing the passer penalty, which I don't count because sometimes you need to rough up the other quarterback."

Quad City has committed 10 turnovers all season, while the Islanders committed six in one game (June 14 against Peoria).

"Turnovers usually hurt you and whoever does the most damage as far as turnovers are concerned is going to have a hard time winning this game," Lee said.

Notes: The Islanders activated fullback/linebacker Chris Paogofie from the injured list and placed wide receiver/defensive back Darrick Branch on the list.