Albany Firebirds' Playbook: The Arena Crown

The Albany Firebirds have achieved two of their three goals so far this season. They locked up the number one seed, and they went undefeated. Now, one goal remains: to win a Championship. They could complete that with a win on Saturday for The Arena Crown. The game against Nashville will be played on Saturday, June 28th, at 1:00 Eastern on Vice TV. 

Last Week's Playoff Win 

The Firebirds defeated the Salina Liberty, 75-44, last weekend to advance to the Arena Crown. Quarterback Sam Castronova had 303 passing yards, eight touchdown passes, and two rushing touchdowns. All four of the Firebirds' receivers, Duane Brown, Darien Townsend, Marquel Wade, and Isaiah Scott, had two receiving touchdowns each. I asked head coach Damon Ware if that was planned. 

"It just worked out like that," Coach Ware told me. "We're just a bunch of selfless guys, and it's all about getting the ball to the open guy and making plays when you get your opportunity. It was great to see all our receivers do such a great job. Sam had never reached 10 total touchdowns in his career, so it was a good night to do it and reach some milestones in the game. The playoffs are where you can make your mark, and we were really motivated."

Brown finished with eight catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Scott had five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns. Townsend had four catches for 40 yards and two touchdowns, and finally, Wade had two catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns. 

Defensive back Markus Smith added a touchdown with a pick-six. He had two interceptions in the game and helped set the tone. The defense in general swarmed the Salina Liberty. Ezekiel Rose and Drew Singleton each had two sacks, Dejon Walden and Jamall Hickbottom added a sack as well. The victory advanced them to the championship game, The Arena Crown, at their home arena versus the Nashville Kats. 

The Arena Crown

The Firebirds will face the Kats in the Arena Crown on Saturday. They've played twice already this season, and in all forms of football, I've heard the old adage, "It's hard to beat a team three times in one season." Coach Ware had something else to say about that.

"Sometimes there are lines that don't make much sense to me. If I'm 2-0 going into the third game with somebody, of course, you feel pretty confident. However, that doesn't negate the work you have to put in. Winning any game in a professional sport is tough, so we don't ever take that lightly."

Coach Ware and the organization put in a lot of work to get here, starting from last year. After a loss in a championship game, coach Ware looked at the roster and structure and began rebuilding. The announcers call him the scientist, and in scientific terms, he maneuvered the equation to form a team that has won 11 straight games. 

"I like to self-analyze and scout, and I took a look at where we were as an organization. I dismantled our approach and rebuilt it, focusing on better defense and the right kind of supportive people for coaching. We've taken leaps in defense, achieved numerous victories, and maintained team consistency. We have 19 guys from training camp still with us, and that excites me." 

Coach Ware and the Firebirds will look to win one for the players, the coaches, the staff, as well as the fans. All have been a crucial part of the process, and he hopes to bring a ring with the Firebird on it to Albany this year. Don't miss the action this weekend on Saturday, June 28th, at 1:00 Eastern on Vice TV.