1998 Quarterfinal Previews
Points
pile up during round one action
STOW
(AP) - The Erie League playoffs kicked off with a bang this weekend as three
teams topped the century mark in their opening round contests. Kirk Pavelich's
Midnight Vigilantes led the way with a 118-68 thumping of Dave Bell's
Bonecrushers, establishing a new league record for most points scored in a
playoff game. The previous high water mark was held by Brad Rzyczycki's Cosmic
Monsters, who scored 114 in a victory over Jody Barth's Callouses in round one
action last year.
The
Vigilantes did all of their damage despite getting just one point from the
quarterback position. Workhorse running back Jamal Anderson led the way with 26
points for Pavelich's squad, in addition to 23 from wide receiver Derrick
Alexander and 21 from running back Napoleon Kaufman.
Club
division rivals the Kardiac Kids and the Atomic Punks both scored 110 this week,
as Jody Barth's Kids drilled Jim Damicone's King Salmons 110-69 while Keith
Kuratko eliminated his brother Mike's Hostile Omish 110-79. Kids wide receiver
Randy Moss, the odds-on favorite to win this year's rookie of the year award,
scored 36 points to set a new league record for most points scored in a playoff
game. Running back Emmitt Smith contributed 25 points while Drew Bledsoe, broken
finger nonetheless, chipped in 21 to help Barth win his first ever post-season
game.
Quarterback
Troy Aikman, a mid-season waiver wire acquisition, led the Punks with 25 points
while wide receiver Wayne Chrebet added 22. Kuratko, who now has 12 career
post-season victories, will face Brad Rzyzycki's Cosmic Monsters for a third
time in the playoffs. The Monsters took the 1994 contest 106-78, en route to
Rzyczycki's first Fantasy Bowl appearance, while Kuratko's Baluchitherium squad
won the 1995 meeting 78-74.
Playoff
newcomer Jim White and his Screaming Eagles knocked off Storm Thomas' Gargoyles
86-83 in the final contest of the opening round. Free agent acquistions Priest
Holmes and Vinny Testaverde led the way for the Eagles, scoring 24 and 18 points
respectively. Now all White has to do is keep the magic going this week against
the top seeded Donikers and their fantasy guru Sam Profio, who sports a league
best .759 career winning percentage.
#1
- Donikers-DTL (Sam Profio): 4-3 in the post-season. Captured the top
seed with a league-best 9-3 record. 881 points scored (73.4 average). Fantasy
Bowl runners-up, 1995 and 1996. Last Fantasy Bowl Tournament appearance - 1997,
losing to Gargoyles 73-49. Top scorers: RB R.Smith (injured) 158, QB Flutie 134,
Atlanta team 117, RB Dillon 110.
#8 - Screaming Eagles (Jim White): 2-1 in the post-season. 1998, 7-6 record. 864 points scored (66.5 average). First appearance in the Fantasy Bowl Tournament after going 1-1 in the 1997 Consolation Bowl Tournament. Top scorers: QB McNair 176, QB Testaverde 169, WR K.Johnson 134, RB P.Holmes 121.
Last
meeting - Week 4, 1998, won by Donikers-DTL 72-50. Donikers lead series 1-0.
First post-season meeting.
#2
- Captain Tripps (Matt Rzyczycki): 2-6 in the post-season. 1998, 8-4
record. 909 points scored (75.8 average). Last Fantasy Bowl Tournament
appearance - 1997, losing to Gargoyles 76-54 in third place game. Top scorers:
RB T. Davis 261, QB T.Green 173, WR T.Owens 135, QB Moon 113.
#7
- Midnight Vigilantes (Kirk Pavelich): 6-5 in the post-season. 1998, 9-4
record. 1,057 points scored (81.3 average). Fantasy Bowl champions in 1995. Win
over Bonecrushers this week was first post-season victory since the 103-80
Fantasy Bowl win over the Donikers in 1995. Top scorers: RB J.Anderson 220, WR
Freeman 159, QB Banks 152, Denver team 111, RB Kaufman 108, K Del Greco 104.
Last meeting - 1996, won by Captain Tripps 77-67. Captain Tripps leads series 2-1. First post-season meeting.
#3
- Psychedelic B's (Bryan Vince): 4-2 in the post-season. 1998, 8-4
record. 864 points scored (72.0 average). Fantasy Bowl champions, 1996. Last
Fantasy Bowl Tournament appearance - 1996, beating the Donikers-DTL 74-63 in
Fantasy Bowl Seven. Top scorers: QB Plummer 186, RB Hearst 164, WR Harrison 112.
#6
- Kardiac Kids (Jody Barth): 1-3 in the post-season. 1998, 9-4 record.
1,083 points scored (83.3 average). Winner of the Bradley Rzyczycki Regular
Season Points Scored Champion Trophy for the second consecutive year. This
week's win over the King Salmons was the first post-season win in the history of
the franchise. Top scorers: QB
Bledsoe 207, RB E.Smith 186, WR Moss 164, RB B.Sanders 163, WR Mathis 120,
Oakland team 110.
Last
meeting - Week 8, 1998, won by Kardiac Kids 78-22. Kardiac Kids lead series
#4
- Cosmic Monsters (Brad Rzyczycki): 6-4 in the post-season. 8-4 record.
944 points scored (78.6 average). Fantasy Bowl runners-up in 1994 and 1997. Last
Fantasy Bowl Tournament appearance - 1997, losing to LTP 60-59 in Fantasy Bowl
Eight. Top scorers: QB Favre 214, RB F.Taylor 176, WR Galloway 114, WR J. Smith
110, RB Staley 103
#5
- Atomic Punks (Keith Kuratko): 12-9 in the post-season. 1998, 9-4
record. 1,068 points scored (82.2 average). Fantasy Bowl champions in 1990,
runners-up in 1991. Win over Hostile Omish this week was first post-season
victory since the 91-76 first round win over the Midnight Vigilantes in 1996.
Top scorers: RB E.George 147,
Last meeting - Week 9, 1998, won by Atomic Punks 95-89. Cosmic Monsters lead series 4-3. Cosmic Monsters won 106-78 in 1994 playoffs while Baluchitherium (Atomic Punks) won 78-74 in 1995.