2002 AF2 season
The 2002 AF2 season was the third season of the AF2. It was preceded by 2001 and succeeded by 2003. The league champions were the Peoria Pirates, who defeated the Florida Firecats in ArenaCup III. This is also the first time that both conferences have the same division name (in that case, the American Conference Southern Division and the National Conference Southern Division, respectively). It is also the only season where both conferences have four divisions each, a la the 2002–present era of the NFL.
2002 AF2 season | |
---|---|
League | AF2 |
Sport | Arena football |
Regular season | |
Season champions | Tulsa Talons |
Playoffs | |
American champions | Florida Firecats |
American runners-up | Cape Fear Wildcats |
National champions | Peoria Pirates |
National runners-up | Birmingham Steeldogs |
ArenaCup III | |
Champions | Peoria Pirates |
Runners-up | Florida Firecats |
League info
New teams | Albany Conquest, Bakersfield Blitz, Cape Fear Wildcats, Fresno Frenzy, Hawaiian Islanders, Mobile Wizards, Mohegan Wolves, New Haven Ninjas, San Diego Riptide, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers |
Renamed / Relocated teams | None |
Defunct teams | Baton Rouge Blaze, Iowa Barnstormers, Lafayette Roughnecks, Lincoln Lightning |
Total teams | 34 |
Standings
Team | Overall | Division | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wins | Losses | Percentage | Wins | Losses | Percentage | |
American Conference | ||||||
Atlantic Division | ||||||
Cape Fear Wildcats | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 6 | 2 | 0.750 |
Richmond Speed | 12 | 4 | 0.750 | 7 | 1 | 0.875 |
Norfolk Nighthawks | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 4 | 4 | 0.500 |
Roanoke Steam | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 3 | 5 | 0.375 |
Greensboro Prowlers | 3 | 13 | 0.187 | 0 | 8 | 0.000 |
Northeast Division | ||||||
Albany Conquest | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 11 | 1 | 0.917 |
Rochester Brigade | 7 | 9 | 0.437 | 6 | 6 | 0.500 |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 6 | 6 | 0.500 |
New Haven Ninjas | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 5 | 7 | 0.417 |
Mohegan Wolves | 3 | 13 | 0.187 | 2 | 10 | 0.167 |
Eastern Division | ||||||
Macon Knights | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
Augusta Stallions | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
Carolina Rhinos | 5 | 11 | 0.312 | 1 | 5 | 0.167 |
Columbus Wardogs | 4 | 12 | 0.250 | 1 | 5 | 0.167 |
Southern Division | ||||||
Tallahassee Thunder | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 7 | 3 | 0.700 |
Florida Firecats | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 5 | 6 | 0.455 |
Jacksonville Tomcats | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 7 | 3 | 0.700 |
Charleston Swamp Foxes | 7 | 9 | 0.437 | 2 | 4 | 0.333 |
National Conference | ||||||
Southern Division | ||||||
Tennessee Valley Vipers | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
Birmingham Steeldogs | 11 | 5 | 0.687 | 5 | 2 | 0.714 |
Pensacola Barracudas | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 6 | 6 | 0.500 |
Mobile Wizards | 0 | 16 | 0.000 | 0 | 12 | 0.000 |
Central Division | ||||||
Tulsa Talons | 14 | 2 | 0.875 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
Arkansas Twisters | 11 | 5 | 0.687 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
Bossier City Battle Wings | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
Memphis Xplorers | 5 | 11 | 0.312 | 1 | 5 | 0.167 |
Midwest Division | ||||||
Peoria Pirates | 11 | 5 | 0.687 | 6 | 0 | 1.000 |
Quad City Steamwheelers* | 10 | 6 | 0.625 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
Wichita Stealth | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
Louisville Fire | 2 | 14 | 0.125 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 |
Western Division | ||||||
Bakersfield Blitz | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 7 | 2 | 0.778 |
San Diego Riptide | 7 | 9 | 0.437 | 5 | 4 | 0.556 |
Hawaiian Islanders | 5 | 11 | 0.312 | 4 | 5 | 0.444 |
Fresno Frenzy | 4 | 12 | 0.250 | 2 | 7 | 0.222 |
- Green indicates clinched playoff berth
- Purple indicates division champion
- Grey indicates best regular season record
* The Steamwheelers were banned from the playoffs for rule violations.
Playoffs
Division Championships | Conference Semifinals | Conference Championships | ArenaCup III | ||||||||||||||||
2 | Florida | 43 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Tallahassee | 31 | |||||||||||||||||
SD2 | Florida | 44 | |||||||||||||||||
ED1 | Macon | 28 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Augusta | 41 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Macon | 57 | |||||||||||||||||
SD2 | Florida | 43 | |||||||||||||||||
American Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
AD1 | Cape Fear | 23 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Rochester | 26 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Albany | 31 | |||||||||||||||||
ND1 | Albany | 30 | |||||||||||||||||
AD1 | Cape Fear | 46 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Richmond | 48 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Cape Fear | 57 | |||||||||||||||||
AC7 | Florida | 47 | |||||||||||||||||
NC3 | Peoria | 65 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Birmingham | 65 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Tennessee Valley | 51 | |||||||||||||||||
SD2 | Birmingham | 53 | |||||||||||||||||
CD1 | Tulsa | 34 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Arkansas | 32 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Tulsa | 34 | |||||||||||||||||
SD2 | Birmingham | 33 | |||||||||||||||||
National Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
MD1 | Peoria | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | San Diego | 40 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Bakersfield | 27 | |||||||||||||||||
WD2 | San Diego | 12 | |||||||||||||||||
MD1 | Peoria | 22 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Wichita | 36 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Peoria | 37 | |||||||||||||||||
Awards and honors
Regular season awards
Award | Winner | Position | Team |
---|---|---|---|
Offensive Player of the Year | Mitch Allner | Quarterback | Tulsa Talons |
Defensive Player of the Year | Kelly Snell | Defensive Specialist | Tennessee Valley Vipers |
Ironman of the Year | Kevin Harvey | Wide receiver/Defensive back | Richmond Speed |
Lineman of the Year | E. J. Burt | Lineman | Cape Fear Wildcats |
Built Ford Tough Man of the Year | Jeff Cogell | Lineman | Mohegan Wolves |
Rookie of the Year | Lincoln Dupree | Defensive Specialist / Kick Returner | Peoria Pirates |
Coach of the Year | Ron Selesky | Head Coach | Albany Conquest |
ArenaCup III
III | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Date | August 23, 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||
Arena | Carver Arena | ||||||||||||||||||
City | Peoria, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||||
Attendance | 7,552 | ||||||||||||||||||
Offensive Player of the Game | Cornell Craig | ||||||||||||||||||
Defensive Player of the Game | Lincoln Dupree | ||||||||||||||||||
Ironman of the Game | Titcus Pettigrew | ||||||||||||||||||
Winning Coach | Bruce Cowdrey | ||||||||||||||||||
Losing Coach | John Fourcade |
ArenaCup III was the 2002 edition of the AF2's championship game, in which the National Conference Champions Florida Firecats were defeated by the American Conference Champions Peoria Pirates in Peoria, Illinois by a score of 65 to 47.