Avengers Must Face First Playoff Game with New Injuries
Steven Herbert
Saturday July 27, 2002
Tony Plantin and Mathias Vavao will be sidelined for the game against the Tampa Bay Storm because of injuries sustained in the regular-season finale last Saturday, coach Ed Hodgkiss said.
Plantin slightly tore the meniscus of his right knee and could return to action in the semifinals Aug. 10-11 if the Avengers advance that far, Hodgkiss said. Vavao fractured his left foot.
"It`s tough to replace those guys," Hodgkiss said. "They`ve been consistent players for us all year long. Plantin`s really the heart and soul of those guys up there."
Plantin started all 14 of Los Angeles` regular-season games and led the team with four quarterback sacks, was seventh in tackles (17.5) and twice selected as the Ironman of the Game.
Vavao played in 11 of 14 games, making 7.5 tackles. Plantin and Vavao both made four receptions.
Losing Plantin and Vavao means the Avengers will “have to be a little smarter in our protection,” Hodgkiss said.
La’Zerius White and Dan Greer, who both joined the team after the start of the season and seen spot duty, will get additional playing time due to Plantin and Vavao’s absences, Hodgkiss said.
“La’Zerius White brings us protection,” Hodgkiss said. “I’m very confident in that. Dan Greer is a pretty good rusher.”
The 6-foot-4, 320-pound White started 36 consecutive games at left guard for Arkansas in a collegiate career that was completed in the 2001 season. White signed with Los Angeles June 13 and has played in four games, starting one.
The 6-foot-1, 275-pound Greer played three games with the Avengers during their inaugural 2000 season, spent the 2001 season with the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe, before re-signing May 3 and going on to play eight games, including the final three.
Saturday’s game will be the second meeting of 2002 between Los Angeles, 8-6 in regular-season play, and the Storm (6-8). The Avengers were 38-24 winners May 17 at Staples Center. The 24 points were the least allowed by Los Angeles in 2002, and the 38 points the fewest it scored.
However, the results of the May 17 game could be moot because of the massive changes on Tampa Bay’s roster. The Storm has added 12 players since then, including key offensive weapons, wide receiver/linebacker David Saunders, kick returner Antoine Toliver, offensive specialist Calvin Schexnayder and WR/DB Alvin Ashley.
Tampa Bay was also forced to make a change at kicker. Pete Elezovic was signed Thursday to replace Mike Black, who sustained a knee injury in the regular-season finale.
Elezovic is in his fifth season in the league and was its Kicker of the Year in 1996 as a rookie with the Albany Firebirds. During Elezovic’s 1997 and 1998 seasons with Albany, Hodgkiss was his special teams coach.
Saunders is its second-leading receiver with 53 catches for 610 yards and a team-leading 14 touchdowns. Toliver had a team-record 317 return yards in last Saturday’s playoff-clinching 67-61 overtime victory over Georgia.
Schexnayder entered the 2002 season fourth in league history in touchdowns scored with 158, fifth in scoring with 984 points, sixth in receiving yards with 7,495 yards, and ninth in receptions with 523.
Ashley is one of only three players in AFL history to have over 6,000 receiving yards and 6,000 combined kick return yards.
“Tampa Bay is much improved on offense,” Hodgkiss said. “We`ve got to do a good job on defense. We have to do a good job on kickoff coverage, which we’ve been strong in all year. [Toliver] is very talented, one of the best I’ve ever seen.”
Steven Herbert began covering Arena Football in 1988, the league’s second season. He has covered the sport for The Associated Press, Arizona Republic, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Providence Journal-Bulletin, Palm Beach Post, Daily Oklahoman and other publications. Herbert has also written on college and NFL football for The Washington Post and spent five years as a Los Angeles Times staff writer.
