When the 2006 season began, the Green Bay Blizzard looked to improve
upon their 9-7 record and first-ever playoff appearance in 2005. By
the time the final gun sounded in Florida on Saturday night, they
had done a whole lot more than that: they were on their way to
Puerto Rico as the 2006 af2 American Conference Champions.

By posting a 60-47 win over the #1-seeded Florida Firecats (14-4) in
front of 5,410 fans at Germain Arena, the #2-ranked Blizzard (12-6)
advanced to ArenaCup7, which will be played next Saturday, August
26th at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The win
is the next in a succession of Blizzard firsts: their first 10-win
season, their first Division Title, and the first time they've
reached the Championship Game.

In ArenaCup7, the Blizzard will face the National Conference
Champion Spokane Shock (16-2) , who advanced to the championship
with a 48-30 win over the Arkansas Twisters (12-7) on Saturday
night. The Shock are helmed by 2006 af2 Head Coach of the Year Chris
Siegfried, who led the expansion team to the league's best regular
season record at 14-2. Siegfried is also the af2's all-time
winningest coach with a career record of 55-26. Prior to joining the
Shock this year, he had already won back-to-back Division
Championships with the Cape Fear (now South Georgia) Wildcats in
2002 and 2003.

Against the Firecats, the Blizzard offense came out swinging and
never let up. QB James MacPherson started out completing 17 of his
first 18 passes, and finishing 23-of-28 for 282 yards and 7 TDs. He
would go on to win Schutt Offensive Player of the Game honors for
his performance. His favorite target on the night was OS Brent
Holmes, who paced all Blizzard receivers with 8 receptions for 103
yards and 2 TDs.

The Blizzard drew first blood on their opening possession, scoring a
TD and taking a 6-0 lead. They then extended the margin to 13-0
after picking off the Firecats' first pass of the game, setting the
stage for MacPherson to hit Holmes for an 11-yard TD.

Firecats QB Chris Wallace answered with a 4-yard TD pass to WR/LB
Brittney Tellis to get on the scoreboard, but the Blizzard kept the
offensive train rolling with TDs on their next two possessions to
take a 27-6 lead. Both teams then traded scores, and at halftime the
Blizzard led 40-20.

Though the Blizzard never trailed in this game, they did have to
work for the win. The Firecats chipped away at the Blizzard lead to
come within 6 points, 53-47, with less than a minute to play. On the
ensuing onside kick attempt, WR/LB Robert "Superman" Garth scooped
up the kick and returned it for a TD, sealing the 60-47 victory for
the Blizzard.

Blizzard DS Randee Drew led the defense with 7.5 tackles and an INT
on his way to being named ADT Defensive Player of the Game. WR/DB
Luke Leverson had 4 catches for 17 yards, plus 2 tackles, 2 pass
break-ups and an INT of his own, and was named US Army Ironman of
the Game for his efforts.