Lady Spartans Dance Team Announce Tryouts
La Crosse, WI: The La Crosse Spartans dance team, the Lady Spartans, will be holding their first tryouts for females interested in being a part of a professional football dance team. The tryouts will be held on Monday, August 9 and Tuesday, August 10 from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at Misty’s Dance Unlimited studios in Onalaska. Cost of the tryout is $30 per person which covers both days of the tryouts.
Participants will be asked to learn a routine and display abilities in dance and perform in front of a panel of judges. In addition, to performing at home games, the dance team is responsible for promoting the team in a positive way in the community throughout the year. All interested females need to be at least 21 years of age by March 1, 2011, unless previously a member of the team in 2010.
To register for the tryouts, contact Aubrey at 608-406-0465 or email danceteam@lacrossespartans.com.
Spartans Plan Bus Trip to Lambeau Field
Bus Trip Offered to Packers Family Night.
La Crosse, WI: The La Crosse Spartans are working together with a few of their corporate partners and are planning a bus trip to see the Green Bay Packers 10th annual Family Night on Saturday, August 7. The cost of the bus trip is only $50 which includes a ticket to the event, as well as free food and beverage on the bus and a tailgate party outside of Lambeau Field.
The bus will leave Impulse Bar in downtown La Crosse at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 7, and will return to La Crosse that night. Family Night at Lambeau Field begins at with a few activities at 5:30 p.m. with kickoff of the player scrimmage at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a fireworks display upon conclusion of the scrimmage at Lambeau.
To reserve your seat, contact the La Crosse Spartans office at 608-782-4461 prior to August 4. Seating is limited to the first 50 people to register.
Terrell, Spartans Win League Awards
Terrell-1st Team all IFL, Spartans win Community Award.
La Crosse, WI: The Indoor Football League has awarded both an individual Spartans player and the entire Spartans organization for their efforts this season. Darnell Terrell, who joined the Spartans two games into the season, was named to the IFL First-Team defense for the 2010 campaign. The University of Missouri graduate recorded 42 tackles, eight pass breakups and a forced fumble to go along with seven interceptions in 12 games. Terrell picked off four passes against the Chicago Slaughter on June 12, which earned him Player of the Week honors. He helped lead the Spartans defense which finished sixth in the league in yards surrendered (1,977.) He also contributed both as a wide receiver and kick returner for the Spartans this season.
The IFL also tabbed the La Crosse Spartans organization with the Community Relations award. The award is presented to the team that best exemplifies outstanding service and dedication to their community. The Spartans were recognized for their efforts on “Stuff the Bus”, “A Christmas to Remember”, and their day-to-day contributions of both time and resources to the La Crosse community. In addition, Spartans Head Coach Gilbert Brown has the Gilbert Brown Foundation which provides funding for several worthy causes for children in numerous communities.
For a full list of the first and second-team IFL offensive and defensive selections and the 18 different categories awarded by the league office, visit www.goifl.com/news.
INAGURAL SEASON CULMINATES AT HOME
Spartans face Extreme to finish off 2010 season.
La Crosse, WI: It all began in August 2009 as Chris Kokalis, Ken Moninski, and Bob Sullivan brought indoor football back to the city that had been missing it for seven years. Now the first official season of the La Crosse Spartans will come to a close on Saturday as the Spartans host the Bloomington Extreme at the La Crosse Center to end the 2010 campaign. While the wins have not come as easily as the team had hoped for La Crosse (3-10), they can end the season on a two-game winning streak if they can get past the Extreme.
Bloomington (8-5) has already beaten the Spartans twice this season, but the last contest came down to the wire as the playoff-bound Extreme won 40-37 in La Crosse on May 21st. Bloomington is already guaranteed a playoff spot and can actually share the Central North division title if they can beat La Crosse and Green Bay loses to Chicago. The Spartans have revenge in mind, however, and hope to secure win number four, which would tie the Spartans for the best record of any indoor football franchise ever to play in this city.
“It’s been a great season in a number of ways,” Spartans co-owner and General Manager Chris Kokalis said. “Obviously more wins would have been nice, but to end the season on a bit of a hot streak would speak volumes for the future of our franchise.”
Tickets for the Spartans’ final home game are on sale now and can be purchased for as low as $10 at the La Crosse Center box office or at ticketmaster.com.
Darnell Terrell Named Defensive Player of the Week
Team Meet & Greet set for Thursday as well.
La Crosse, WI: For the second time this season, a La Crosse Spartan has been honored as the most prolific player in the Indoor Football League for the week. Defensive back Darnell Terrell lead the Spartans to a 27-20 victory over the Chicago Slaughter this past weekend and in doing so was named the Vidswap.com IFL Defensive Player of the Week for week 16. Terrell picked off four Slaughter passes, forced a fumble, and recorded three tackles. The former University of Missouri standout now has seven interceptions this season, which is tied for third-best in the IFL.
Terrell has actually been a force in all three phases of the game for the Spartans this season. Defensively he has 39 tackles and seven pass break ups to go along with his seven INT’s. Meanwhile on the offensive side of the ball, he has caught three passes for 38 yards. Terrell is also second on the team with 279 kick return yards in just 11 games played. “DT” as he is known to his teammates, is the second Spartan to be honored after Mark Bonds was named Offensive Player of the Week in week nine.
The Spartans and their triple-threat star will take to the field for the final time this season this Saturday night. The Spartans will host the Bloomington Extreme at 7:30 p.m. June 19. Tickets for the game are on sale now for as low as $10.
Full Team Meet & Greet Announced
Perkins restaurant is proud to host a Spartans “meet and greet” this Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at their location at 1411 Rose St. in La Crosse. All team members and select coaches will be on hand to meet the public and giveaway prizes, including tickets to this Saturday’s game against the Bloomington Extreme. The event is open to the public and people are encouraged to meet the players for autographs and get to know the team on their final week here in La Crosse. For more information, contact the La Crosse Spartans office at 608-782-4461.
SPARTANS FACE PLAYOFF HOPEFULS AGAIN
La Crosse Heads to Chicago for Final Road Game
La Crosse, WI: For the third straight game, the La Crosse Spartans will be facing a team that needs a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Spartans (2-10) will make the short bus ride to Chicago to take on the Slaughter (6-6) this Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. Chicago needs at least one win in its final two games to secure a playoff spot and keep the pressure on Bloomington and Omaha for the conference’s fifth seed.
Saturday’s game will mark the second time this season the two teams have played. La Crosse notched its first win in franchise history against the Slaughter on April 30 in La Crosse by a score of 35-29. Despite the win, the Spartans lost the IFL’s third-leading rusher Mark Bonds to an injury and the Spartans have not been able to get their offense back on track since. Meanwhile, Chicago has recorded victories against division-leading Green Bay and put up an IFL-record 83 points two weeks ago against West Michigan.
Spartan Nation will be making the trip to try to help the team sweep the season series between the two teams. A bus load of 45 Spartan fans will make the trek to root on the expansion franchise as they try to close out the 2010 season with two victories and a 4-10 record. The Spartans will take on the Bloomington Extreme next Saturday, June 19 to round out their inaugural campaign.
Fans not heading to Chicago can listen to the game live on KQ98 radio or watch the game live on B2tv.com. Tickets to the Spartans final home game next weekend are currently on sale and can be purchased at the La Crosse Center box office or www.lacrossespartans.com.
SPARTANS TO BATTLE LOCAL BASEBALL TEAM
Spartans/Loggers to Help Local Libraries
La Crosse, WI: It’s not often when a professional indoor football team goes head-to-head against a collegiate summer baseball team. The La Crosse Spartans of the IFL will take on the La Crosse Loggers, La Crosse’s Northwoods League baseball team this Friday, June 11. The Spartans and Loggers will battle each other off the field, though, in a “sportacular” trivia contest organized by the La Crosse County Library.
Players from both squads will answer trivia questions to determine who La Crosse’s “smartest” franchise is. The contest will run from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Friday at the Onalaska Library as a kickoff to the libraries’ summer reading program. The public is invited to attend to ask questions, get autographs, and celebrate the La Crosse libraries and La Crosse’s two biggest sports franchises.
“We are very excited to be a part of this fun event,” Spartans General Manager Chris Kokalis said. “We are excited to be partnering with the La Crosse Loggers and the La Crosse County Libraries to raise awareness for children and the importance of reading, learning, and staying in school.
In addition to an hour of fun, all children under the age of 12 attending the event will receive a free ticket to the Spartans’ final regular season game against the Bloomington Extreme on Saturday, June 19.
SPARTANS HOPE TO TAME GRIZZLIES
Team Makes First-Ever Trip to Alaska
La Crosse, WI: The long awaited trip to Alaska came a week late, but the La Crosse Spartans have finally hit the road for the long trip north. The Spartans (2-9) hope to play the role of spoiler this Saturday when they take on the Fairbanks Grizzlies (6-5) at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. Fairbanks is in the midst of a heated playoff race in the Intense Conference of the IFL. The Grizzlies currently sit as a fifth-seed in the playoff hunt but could be as high as a three-seed unless La Crosse throws a wrench in those plans and secures its first road victory of the 2010 season.
The Spartans were slated to head to Alaska last week to play the Alaska Wild, but the Wild were unable to finish this season, giving the first-year franchise its second victory. In order to get win number three, the Spartans will have to overcome a strenuous two-day road trip and also overcome a three-hour time difference when they play Saturday night at 10:05 p.m. local time. La Crosse is 0-4 on the road this season and dropped its most recent road contest 54-18 in Bloomington, Illinois, on May 8.
Gilbert Brown’s squad will be on the road again next week as the team heads to Chicago on June 12, before returning home for the 2010 season finale against the Bloomington Extreme. The Spartans will host Bloomington for the second time this season as they round out their first season in the IFL on June 19.
Due to the unusual trip, the Spartans’ flagship station KQ98 will not be airing the broadcast this weekend. Fans can still listen live, however, at 820sports.com or watch the game live on the internet at b2tv.com.
Spartans Look to Put Wrinkle Into Playoff Picture
La Crosse Welcomes Bloomington to the Center
La Crosse, WI: Growing pains happen when you’re an expansion franchise in professional sports. The Spartans have gone through them in their inaugural season, but have shown plenty of promise that has generated a ton of optimism for this young team. One guarantee is that the La Crosse Spartans will not roll over and quit. They have an opportunity in these final weeks of the 2010 season to play the spoiler role and cause a huge wrinkle in the playoff picture. That begins this Friday when the team hosts the Bloomington Extreme for a 7:30 contest at the La Crosse Center. In their last contest on May 8th, the Extreme were victorious by a score of 54-18 and ever since the Spartans have been itching for a rematch.
The Extreme are currently ranked second in the Central North Division with a 5-5 overall record. Since taking over for Kenton Carr, newly appointed Head Coach Ted Schmitz has won two straight games and has his squad ready for yet another playoff run. Bloomington relies heavily on their defense to shut down opponents and are led by 2009 All-IFL First Team Linebacker Joe Bevis. The man in the middle currently ranks sixth in the league with 79 total tackles to go along with two interceptions and one sack.
La Crosse is hoping that the home crowd this weekend will give them a little advantage in this rematch. The team has had its ups and downs on offense this season, but always seem to step up their level of play at the La Crosse Center. Like the Extreme, the Spartans strength lies on the defense side of the ball. Since the departure of Linebacker Blake Freese to the CFL, Defensive Back Walner Belleus has elevated his play and become a leader on the field. He is among the league leaders in tackles with 48 and has contributed two interceptions and six pass breakups. Look for him to be matched up against Extreme Wide Receiver Johnny Grey for much of the game.
Before the game the Spartans, in partnership with Globe University, will be collecting non-perishable items that will be donated to La Crosse’s local food pantry Wafer. Monetary donations will also be taken for those who wish to donate to a great cause. Representatives from Globe will be collecting from the time doors open until approximately half way through the first quarter. In conjunction with this effort, the Spartans will offer a $1 off coupon to their June 19th game, also against Bloomington, as well as a raffle ticket for a signed Gilbert Brown Football. Tickets are still available by calling the Spartans office at 608-567-4299 or by visiting the La Crosse Center box office. Discounted tickets are also available for groups of 10 or more. For more information on tickets, or for general Spartans news, visit www.lacrossespartans.com.
Spartans and Globe University Partner for Community Effort
Fans Urged to Bring Non-Perishable Items to May 21st Game
La Crosse, WI: Community efforts were listed as a top priority for the La Crosse Spartans front office when they were accepted as an expansion franchise into the IFL last October. Their mission has, and continues to be, to give back to the area that has come to support them so much in their first season. On Friday, May 21st before the team’s game against the Bloomington Extreme, the Spartans in partnership with Globe University, will be collecting non-perishable items that will be donated to La Crosse’s local food pantry Wafer. Monetary donations will also be taken for those who wish to donate to a great cause. Representatives from Globe will be collecting from the time doors open until approximately half way through the first quarter.
In conjunction with this effort, the Spartans will offer a $1 off coupon to their June 19th game, also against Bloomington, as well as a raffle ticket for a signed Gilbert Brown Football. “The Spartans and Globe University are proud to be able to assist in the effort to help those less fortunate then ourselves,” stated Spartans Co-owner and General Manager Chris Kokalis. “I urge those attending to bring as many items as possible, as even one kind gesture can help many.”
The team hopes to bring a win back home this Friday with kickoff scheduled for 7:30. Tickets are still available by calling the Spartans office at 608-567-4299 or by visiting the La Crosse Center box office. Discounted tickets are also available for groups of 10 or more. For more information on tickets, or for general Spartans news, visit www.lacrossespartans.com.
Spartans Extremely Confident
Team Travels to Bloomington Looking for Win # 2
La Crosse, WI: After achieving their first win in team history last weekend, the La Crosse Spartans will be going for a couple of other “firsts” this Saturday when they take on the Bloomington Extreme: A first road victory, and their first winning streak. With an offensive unit running on all cylinders, an already stout defense, and a kicking game vastly improved since early in the season the Spartans seem to have put it all together just in time for a second half run in the crowded United Conference. After five straight home contests, the team gets back on the road to take on the Bloomington Extreme at the US Cellular Coliseum.
The Extreme are currently ranked third in the Central North Division with a 3-5 overall record. A 2009 playoff team, the Extreme have been disappointed by their 2010 start and announced this week that Ted Schmitz would be taking over as Head Coach for Kenton Carr. They largely lead by their defense which features 2009 First Team Linebacker Joe Bevis. The standout tackler currently ranks fifth in the IFL with 68 total tackles and has intercepted two passes in addition to his one sack. Bloomington is right in the thick of things as they challenge for a playoff spot in the seasons second half.
La Crosse is riding high after their first win last weekend against the Chicago Slaughter. The Defense continued their stellar play, limiting the amount of chances that star Running back Jarrett Payton could touch the ball. However they were given some devastating news during the week when it was determined that their own star Running back and one of the IFL’s top players Mark Bonds Jr. would need surgery to repair a torn Achilles. Without Bonds, look for Coach Gilbert Brown to allow Quarterback Buddy Rivera to put the air more often, especially with Wide Receivers Aaron Straiten and Antonio Overstreet playing at such a high level of late.
Kickoff in Bloomington is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, May 8th. Fans wishing to watch the game can log onto www.b2tv.com and purchase a season or individual game pass. The team will return home on Friday, May 21st against these same Extreme. Tickets are still available by calling the Spartans office at 608-567-4299 or by visiting the La Crosse Center box office. Discounted tickets are also available for groups of 10 or more. For more information on tickets, or for general Spartans news, visit www.lacrossespartans.com.
Spartans Second Half Begins with a Bang for Spartans
La Crosse Upends Slaughter for First Win in Team History
La Crosse, WI: It wasn’t how they wanted to begin their first season, but after Friday night’s victory against the Chicago Slaughter the La Crosse Spartans are feeling a sense of confidence as they begin the IFL’s second half. In their fifth straight home game, all in the month of April, the Spartans faithful came out to the La Crosse Center ready to see the team’s first win. They got what they came for as the team used a balance of offensive pressure and stout defense to net their first win in franchise history. At game’s end, the scoreboard read 35-29 and moved the Spartans to 1-7 on the year.
At the beginning of the game, it was evident that both defenses came to play. The two teams traded back and forth stops until Spartans Kicker nailed a 29 yard field goal to begin the scoring. On their next possession, Quarterback Buddy Rivera led a nine play, 45 yard drive into Slaughter territory, capping it off with a one yard scoring run to increase the lead to 9-0. Two Slaughter touchdowns and another by Spartans Running back Mark Bonds had the Spartans up 15-14 at halftime and feeling confident for their first victory.
To begin the second half it seemed that the game may turn back into the opponents favor. Star Running back Jarrett Payton finished off a seven play 33 yard drive by powering across the goal line from seven yards out. A Tavares Woodley run put the Slaughter up 22-15 to begin the third quarter. Rivera then, playing in just his second game as a Spartan, led two consecutive scoring drives, highlighted by a 35 yard scoring strike to Christopher Headd. Chicago came back with a score of their own to inch closer, but again the La Crosse defense came up big. Attempting to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, Defensive Back Paul Simpson intercepted a Randy Hutchinson pass in the Slaughter zone, setting up an Antonio Overstreet five yard scoring run and sealing the Spartans first win in team history. The Spartans now have the monkey off their back, and hope to continue this success as the season’s second half continues.
The team now gears up for a road contest against the Bloomington Extreme next Saturday, May 8th. Game time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the US Cellular Coliseum. Fans who wish to watch the game can purchase a season or individual game pass on www.b2livetv.com. The team is on the road until a May 21st home game also against Bloomington. Tickets are still available and can be purchased via the La Crosse Spartans website, www.lacrossespartans.com, or at the La Crosse Center box office. Discounted group tickets are also available by calling the team office at 608-567-4299.
Game Notes: The Spartans Defense held Hutchinson to under 50% passing and only 100 yards thru the air...Rivera completed 9 of 17 passes for 63 yards and one touchdown. He also ran for 29 yards and a score…Linebacker George Carpenter finished the game with five unassisted tackles, one sack, and one tackle for a loss…Payton ran seven times for 27 yards and two touchdowns while also catching two passes for 31 yards.
