Post by David on Mar 31, 2016 14:52:19 GMT -8
Former Tr-Cities kicker Brady Beeson joins the Spokane Empire (image courtesy of Tri-Cities Fever)
3.31.16 -
A day before the Spokane Empire hit the field for the first time since March 12, the team made a number of roster moves in preparation for their Friday night tilt with the Iowa Barnstormers.
On Thursday, the Empire signed veteran arena kicker Brady Beeson to the active roster. Beeson (6'2'', 215 lbs) is a 4-year veteran out of the University of St. Thomas.
The 4-year veteran arena kicker joins the Empire as the team seeks to stabilize the position. He becomes the team's third kicker to suit up for the Empire this season. Kicker Pat Clarke, who was tabbed to be the team's primary kicker, was placed on short-term injured reserve prior to the regular season. Clarke was expected to return this week against Iowa, but his recovery did not go as planned and he was placed on season ending injured reserve. To make room for Beeson, the Empire released K Taylor Russolino.
Russolino (6'0'', 180 lbs) was signed before the March 12 game against the Billings Wolves, replacing struggling K Dan Kleckner. In his one game with Spokane, Russolino was 0 for 1 on field goal attempts and 2 for 2 on extra points.
There's likely a trust factor between Beeson and head coach Adam Shackleford; Beeson was a member of the Tri-Cities Fever and played under Shackleford for two and a half seasons
Beeson joined Tri-Cities just before the 2012 IFL Playoffs. He would spend next two seasons as the Fever's primary kicker. After the 2014 season, he would go on to sign with the Portland Thunder of the Arena Football League. He entered the 2015 season as the Thunder's primary kicker. In a Week 1 victory against the Los Angeles KISS, he went 6 for 6 on extra point attempts. The next week, he was replaced by K Zach Ramirez after head coach Mike Hohensee expressed displeasure with Beeson's kickoffs. Soon afterward, Beeson rejoined the Fever and finished out the season. In two and a half seasons with the Fever, he became the team's all-time leading scorer by a kicker, converting 59 field goals and 165 extra points for a total of 342 total points.
Prior to joining Tri-Cities, Beeson played college football at the University of St. Thomas. He set three then-school records, including most extra points in a game (9), and most extra points in a season (58), and points in a season as a kicker (79). Prior to that, he played three years at St. John's University as the team's backup kicker.
Empire LB Pasquale Vacchio (image courtesy of David Stufflebeam / Spokane Empire)
The Empire also re-activated LB Pasquale Vacchio from the short-term injured reserve. In two games with the Empire, Vacchio (6'1'', 230 lbs) tallied 14.0 total tackles and 3 pass breakups. He will likely start opposite LB Nick Haag on Friday night.
Vacchio's activation fills in the roster spot vacated by DL Byron Bennett. Bennett (6'3'', 210 lbs) was placed on the team's transfer list, earning a tryout in the new Major League Football spring league. He was the team leader with 3.5 total sacks in 2 games, and tied for first with 5.0 tackles for loss.
- DKH
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