Post by David on Jul 19, 2019 21:01:02 GMT -8
Portland Forest Dragons History
1997 Season: How to Train Your Dragon
Year One
Regular Season Record: 2-12 (4th in Central Division)
Playoff Record: None
Coaches: Don Frease (Head Coach) // Stan Brock (Interim Head Coach)
The Inaugural Season of the Portland Forest Dragons began in the 1997 Arena Football Season season.
Before moving to Portland, the franchise was established as the Memphis Pharaohs in 1995. They played their home games at the Memphis Pyramid and made the playoffs in their inaugural season with a 6-6 record. Their second season was less successful, as the Pharaohs would not win a single game, finishing the season at 0-14.
In 1997, the team would relocate to Portland, Oregon with a new identity: the Forest Dragons. They would call the city's two-year old arena, the Rose Garden, their home.
Portland was the only team to relocate in 1997, and were one of four new teams (Nashville Kats, New Jersey Red Dogs, New York CityHawks).
As a result of the franchise relocating from Memphis to Portland, the Forest Dragons were members of the Central Division of the American Conference. Their division rivals consisted of the Iowa Barnstormers, Milwaukee Mustangs, and the Texas Terror.
The Forest Dragons would start off right with a win over Milwaukee in the Inaugural Opener at the Moda Center. It would be the bright spot in an otherwise abysimal season as Portland would go on a 8-game losing streak. In the middle of the losing streak, Portland would fire head coach Don Frease. Frease, who had been with the franchise since it's inaugural 1995 season as the Pharaohs, was fired after a 1-5 start and replaced with Portland, Oregon native Stan Brock, a former NFL Offensive Tackle and the Forest Dragons' radio analyst. Under Brock, Portland would eventually snap the losing streak at home against the Florida Bobcats, but Portland would lose the final four games of the season to finish in the Central Division basement with a 2-12 record.
1997 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS
The 1997 AFL schedule was set up so that all 14 teams played 14 games in 14 weeks with no bye weeks.
The following is the results of Portland's 1997 schedule (bold teal green denotes home games).
MAY
Week 1 -- Sun, May 4 - Milwaukee Mustangs (W 45-41)
Week 2 -- Sat., May 10 - Texas Terror (L 46-63)
Week 3 -- Sat., May 17 - at Iowa Barnstormers (L 13-60)
Week 4 -- Fri. May 23 - Orlando Predators (L 9-40)
JUNE
Week 5 -- Mon., June 2 - at New York CityHawks (L 27-45)
Week 6 -- Sat., June 8 - Iowa Barnstormers (L 36-56)
Week 7 -- Fri., June 13 - Arizona Rattlers (L 30-49)
Week 8 -- Fri., June 20 - at San Jose SaberCats (L 29-42)
Week 9 -- Fri., June 27 - at Anaheim Piranhas (L 48-57)
JULY
Week 10 -- Mon., July 7 - Florida Bobcats (W 45-33)
Week 11 -- Fri., July 11 - at Texas Terror (L 37-57)
Week 12 -- Fri., July 18 - at Orlando Predators (L 14-58)
Week 13 -- Sat., July 26 - San Jose SaberCats (L 34-40)
AUGUST
Week 14 -- Fri., August 1 - at Milwaukee Mustangs (L 33-60)
AWAY VENUES
Anaheim Piranhas - Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim; Anaheim, California
Iowa Barnstormers- Veterans Memorial Auditorium; Des Moines, Iowa
Milwaukee Mustangs - The Bradley Center; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
New York CityHawks - Madison Square Garden; Manhattan, New York City, New York
Orlando Predators - Orlando Arena; Orlando, Florida
San Jose SaberCats - San Jose Arena; San Jose, California
Texas Terror - The Summit; Houston, Texas
Individual Statistic Leaders
Passing
Chad Davis - 112/207, 1,250 yards, 25 TD, 4 INT
Ben Bennett - 63/124, 792 yards, 14 TD, 6 INT
Jason Stiles - 27/58, 406 yards, 7 TD, 4 INT
Bob Stockham - 19/44, 252 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Mose Phillips - 34 attempts, 100 yards, 2 TD
Charles Frederick - 20 attempts, 75 yards, 3 TD
Chad Davis - 20 rush, 60 yards, TD
Ryan Benjamin - 18 rush, 56 yards, TD
Receiving
Ryan Benjamin - 61 receptions, 713 yards, 10 TD
Melvin Bonner - 47 receptions, 676 yards, 12 TD
Billy Owens - 40 receptions, 381 yards, 7 TD
Brian Greene - 31 receptions, 488 yards, 3 TD
Dante Lewis - 21 receptions, 241 yards, 4 TD
Kick Returns
Ryan Benjamin - 66 returns, 713 yards, 4 TD
Brian Greene - 20 returns, 374 yards, 0 TD
Kicking
Daron Alcorn - 27/61 FG, 45/51 XP, 126 points
Defensive
Dee Grayer - 57 total tackles, 8 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble,
Chris Poston - 41 total tackles, 5 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery
Billy Owens - 35.5 total tackles, 2 pass breakups
Dante Lewis - 31.5 total tackles, 2 pass breakups
Brian Greene - 30 total tackles, 4 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery
Mose Phillips - 20.5 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery
Melvin Bonner - 15 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries
Justin Starck - 15 total tackles
LaMont Woods - 14 total tackles, 1 pass breakup
Steve Robinson - 14 total tackles, 1.0 sacks
Akaba Delaney - 13.5 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
Tom Holmes - 13 total tackles, 3.0 sacks, 1 pass breakup
Tom Briggs - 11 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 pass breakup
Chris Butterfield - 7 total tackles, 2.0 sacks
Chris Baus - 6.5 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 pass breakup
Honors and Awards
Second Team All-Arena Team Daron Alcorn (K)
