2014 Continental Indoor Football League season

Last updated

2014 CIFL season
League Continental Indoor Football League
Sport Indoor Football
DurationFebruary 3, 2014 – May 5, 2014
Regular season
Season champions Saginaw Sting
Season MVP Thomas McKenzie (MAR)
Postseason
North Division championsErie Explosion
  North Division runners-upSaginaw Sting
South Division championsMarion Blue Racers
  South Division runners-upNorthern Kentucky River Monsters
2014 CIFL Championship Game
ChampionsErie Explosion
  Runners-upMarion Blue Racers
CIFL seasons
2015 

The 2014 Continental Indoor Football League season was the Continental Indoor Football League's ninth overall season. The regular season started on Monday February 3, with the Northern Kentucky River Monsters visiting the Bluegrass Warhorses at the Alltech Arena, and ended with the 2014 CIFL Championship Game, the league's championship game held on May 18.

Contents

The Erie Explosion successfully defended their championship from the previous year with a win over the Marion Blue Racers in the championship.

Teams

The Kane County Dawgs, Kentucky Drillers and Owensboro Rage folded either during or after the 2013 season. The addition of the Bluegrass Warhorses, Chicago Slaughter, Kentucky Xtreme and the Northern Kentucky River Monsters prompted the league to make North and South Divisions for the 2014 season. The Slaughter folded in January, so the Chicago Blitz franchise was formed to take their place in 2014.

The Detroit Thunder, Kentucky Xtreme, Bluegrass Warhorses and Port Huron Patriots all ceased operations during the 2014 season.

Schedule

For the 2013 season there was a 10-game, 14-week regular season running from February to May. Each team hosted 5 games, and had five away games. [1]

Regular season standings

TeamOverallDivision
WLTPCTWLTPCT
North Division
y-Saginaw Sting 910.900610.857
x-Erie Explosion 820.800510.833
Chicago Blitz 730.700420.667
z-Port Huron Patriots 180.111160.143
z-Detroit Thunder 080.000060.000
South Division
y-Marion Blue Racers 820.8006001.000
x-Northern Kentucky River Monsters 730.700520.714
Dayton Sharks 640.600430.571
z-Bluegrass Warhorses 170.125150.167
z-Kentucky Xtreme050.000040.000

Playoffs

Division Championships CIFL Championship Game
      
1 Saginaw 15
2Erie46
N2Erie38
S1 Marion 26
1Marion56
2 Northern Kentucky 40

Coaching changes

Pre-season

Team2014 Coach2013 Coach(es)Reason for leavingStory/Accomplishments
Kentucky Xtreme LaKunta FarmerRoy McMillenResignedIn August, 2013, the Xtreme named, Defensive Coordinator LaKunta Farmer, the team's second head coach after Roy McMillen announced his resignation. [2]

Midseason

TeamInterim coachOriginal coachReason for leavingStory/Accomplishments
Port Huron Patriots NoneDemar CrawfordMutual decisionCrawford left the Patriots under disputed circumstances. Crawford claims he resigned from the team because the ownership was not paying its employees; most of the team's players resigned with him, forcing the team to play its next game with replacement players. Owner Jude Carter claimed Crawford had conducted in conduct detrimental to the team. [3] After one game without a head coach, the Patriots prematurely ended their season. [4]
Northern Kentucky River Monsters Mike GoodpasterBrian SchmidtFiredSchmidt left the River Monsters after three games and joined the staff of the Erie Explosion. [5] Goodpaster was previously the team's defensive coordinator. [6]
Saginaw Sting James Perry IIFred TownsendMutual decisionJust one day before the Sting's playoff game, head coach Fred Townsead announced his resignation. [7] Line Coach James Perry II was named the teams interim head coach.

Awards

Regular season awards

AwardWinnerPositionTeam
CIFL MVP Thomas McKenzie Defensive endMarion Blue Racers
Offensive Player of the Year Aaron Smetanka QuarterbackErie Explosion
Defensive Player of the YearSpencer SmithLinebackerSaginaw Sting
Special Teams Player of the Year Julie Harshbarger KickerChicago Blitz

1st Team All-CIFL

Offense
QuarterbackA. J. McKenna, Saginaw
Juice Williams, Chicago
Running backDeShawn Hayes, Saginaw
Richard Stokes, Erie
Wide receiverDavid Brown, Chicago
Daryl Gooden, Saginaw
Ricardo Lenhart, Northern Kentucky
Mike Tatum, Marion
Offensive lineman Eric Brim, Saginaw
Dave McQuiston, Erie
Robert Price, Marion
Frank Straub, Northern Kentucky
Defense
Defensive lineman Tim Green, Erie
Stephen Johnson, Erie
Desmond Kenner, Saginaw
Thomas McKenzie, Marion
DeAndre Mosely, Chicago
Linebacker David James, Northern Kentucky
Spencer Smith, Saginaw
Defensive back Tommy Harris, Northern Kentucky
Viterio Jones, Dayton
Ricardo Kemp, Erie
Special teams
Kicker Julie Harshbarger, Chicago

2nd Team All-CIFL

Offense
Quarterback Tommy Jones, Dayton
Aaron Smetanka, Erie
Running backA. J. Jimmerson, Port Huron
Bryant Pascascio, Chicago
Wide receiverEugene Cooper, Dayton
Bryceson Lawrence, Marion
Kent McDonald, Chicago, Derrick Sherer
Offensive lineman Anthony Bullock, Chicago
Josh Ellison, Dayton
William Haase, Marion
Defense
Defensive end Shonn Bell, Chicago
Luke Scarbough, Northern Kentucky
James Spikes, Marion
Linebacker Justin Barnes, Saginaw
Jon D'Angelo, Erie
Sam Fornelli, Chicago
Defensive back Donte Johnson, Dayton
Ahoma Maxwell, Northern Kentucky
LaTreze Mushatt, Saginaw
Steve Witherspoon, Marion
Special teams
Kicker Dustin Zink, Northern Kentucky

[8]

References

  1. "Weekly Schedule". www.ciflfootball.com. Continental Indoor Football League. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
  2. Jonathan Lintner (August 17, 2013). "Doss' LaKunta Farmer tabbed as Kentucky Xtreme arena football team's coach". www.courier-journal.com. Gannett. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  3. Joseph Hayes (April 13, 2014). "Port Huron Patriots lose, 114-0, without coach and regulars". www.thetimeshearld.com. The Time Herald. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  4. Patriots season ends two games left Herald Sun[ dead link ]
  5. "Brian Schmidt- Assistant Coach : Erie Explosion". Archived from the original on April 30, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
  6. Mike Perleberg (February 27, 2014). "Goodpaster Is River Monsters' New Head Coach". www.eaglecountryonline. Wagon Wheel Broadcasting. Archived from the original on April 30, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  7. Cory Butzin (May 7, 2014). "Saginaw Sting head coach resigns on the eve of playoff opener against defending champion Erie". www.mlive.com. Michigan Live LLC. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  8. "CIFL Announces All-League Teams for 2014". www.ciflfootball.com. Continental Indoor Football League. May 27, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
2014 Continental Indoor Football League team seasons
Bluegrass Chicago Dayton Detroit Erie Kentucky Marion Northern Kentucky Port Huron Saginaw