2007 Pittsburgh RiverRats season

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
2007 Pittsburgh RiverRats season
OwnerJeff Hauser
Head coachShawn Liotta
Home fieldRostraver Ice Garden
101 Gallitin Rd
Belle Vernon, PA 15012
Results
Record7-7
Division place4th
Playoff finishLost North Quarterfinals (Express) 24-42
  • ← 2006
  • Pittsburgh RiverRats
  • 2008 →

The

American Indoor Football Association
(AIFA) franchise. The Explosion began play in 2007 as the Pittsburgh RiverRats, playing that season's home games at the
American Indoor Football League (AIFL) team.[2] In August 2006, more arguments came about the RiverRats name as a team in the Eastern Indoor Football League, called the 3 River Rats, had intentions of suing the RiverRats to retain the naming rights of the team.[3]

On August 20, 2006, the RiverRats signed quarterback David Dinkins, formerly of the Erie Freeze of the AIFA, and designated him as the team's franchise player for the 2007 season.[4]

The RiverRats played their first game on February 3, 2007 on the road in

Mississippi Mudcats.[5] Their first home game was on February 18, 2007 which they lost 35-28 to the Reading Express. Pittsburgh won its first home game by beating the Danville Demolition 47-21 on March 4, 2007, and then won its first away game by beating Danville a second time, on March 9, 2007, by a score of 34-29.[6] On May 19, 2007, the RiverRats set an AIFA single game record when they scored 86 points in a single game.[7]

The team finished their inaugural season at a respectable 7-7 record, good for fourth place in the Northern Conference and a wild-card playoff berth.[8] However, the RiverRats were eliminated in the first round, losing 42-24 to the eventual conference champions Reading Express.[9]

Schedule

Regular season

Date Opponent
Home/Away
 Result
February 3
Mississippi Mudcats
 Away Lost 34-54
February 18 Reading Express Home Lost 28-35
February 23 Canton Legends Away Lost 11-45
March 4 Danville Demolition Home Won 47-21
March 9 Danville Demolition Away Won 34-29
March 17 Johnstown Riverhawks Away Lost 13-43
March 30 Johnstown Riverhawks Home Won 47-42
April 14 Florence Phantoms Home Won 66-60
April 21 Huntington Heroes Away Lost 34-55
April 28 Canton Legends Home Won 62-33
May 6 Reading Express Away Lost 40-57
May 12 Erie Freeze Away Won 52-45
May 19 Erie Freeze Home Won 86-72
May 25 Huntington Heroes Home Lost 26-69
June 9 Reading Express (Playoffs) Away Lost 24-42

Standings

Team Overall Division
Wins Losses Percentage Wins Losses Percentage
Northern Division
Reading Express 14 2 0.875 12 1 0.923
Canton Legends 10 4 0.714 9 3 0.750
Huntington Heroes 10 4 0.714 9 3 0.750
Pittsburgh RiverRats
 7 7 0.500 6 6 0.500
Johnstown Riverhawks 6 9 0.400 5 6 0.417
Danville Demolition 1 12 0.077 1 11 0.083
Erie Freeze 1 13 0.071 1 11 0.083
Southern Division
Lakeland Thunderbolts 11 2 0.846 9 2 0.818
Mississippi MudCats 11 3 0.786 9 3 0.750
Tallahassee Titans 11 3 0.786 9 3 0.750
Carolina Speed 7 7 0.500 5 6 0.417
Montgomery Bears 5 9 0.357 4 8 0.333
Florence Phantoms 4 9 0.308 4 7 0.364
Baltimore Blackbirds 1 12 0.077 1 7 0.111
Gulf Coast Raiders 0 3 0.000 0 3 0.000
  • Green indicates clinched playoff berth
  • Purple indicates division champion
  • Grey indicates best league record

References

  1. ^ Phil Axelrod (August 5, 2006). "River Rats to debut in American Indoor Football League in 2007, will play in Rostraver". www.post-gazette.com. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  2. ^ Shawn Liotta (August 18, 2010). "Reading Express Moving to IFL". www.shawnliotta.com. Shawn Liotta. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  3. ^ Jeff Oliver (August 7, 2006). "Legal fight looms over name". www.triblive.com. Trib Total Media, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  4. ^ "RiverRats sign 2005 AIFL MVP Dinkins". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 20, 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  5. ^ "RiverRats Fall to Mississippi in Season Opener". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. February 7, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  6. ^ "RiverRats rally to beat Danville". www.triblive.com. Trib Total Media, Inc. March 10, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  7. ^ Jeff Oliver (May 21, 2007). "RiverRats score 86 to reach AIFA playoffs". www.triblive.com. Trib Total Media, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  8. ^ "RiverRats Prepare For First Round Playoff Matchup Against Reading". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. June 7, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  9. ^ Brian Rippey (June 10, 2007). "Express rolls past Pittsburgh". www2.readingeagle.com. Reading Eagle Company. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2007_Pittsburgh_RiverRats_season&oldid=853712734"