Jul 26, 2008 - 8:09 PM
0 shoutsNEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- The San Jose SabreCats will look to repeat history Sunday when they face the Philadelphia Soul in ArenaBowl XXII.
The defending champion SabreCats (11-5) are making their second consecutive appearance and fourth in seven seasons in the title game. Last season, the SabreCats won their third ArenaBowl by defeating the Columbus Destroyers.
With a victory over the league-best Soul (13-3), the SabreCats will become the first team since the Tampa Bay Storm (1995-96) and only the third club to win four ArenaBowls, joining Tampa Bay (five) and Detroit (four).
"As a coaching staff, we talk about the chance of repeating as ArenaBowl champions a lot, but you have to treat this game as any other," said SabreCats coach Darren Arbet, who is looking to go 4-0 in the league's championship game.
San Jose enters the ArenaBowl on a roll, winning eight straight games and 10 of its last 11 overall. Two weeks ago, the SabreCats rolled to an 81-55 thrashing of the Grand Rapids Rampage in the American Conference Championship game.
While the SabreCats are used to the big stage, the Soul are making their first title game appearance. They have been led by a high-powered offense which leads the league in scoring at 62.0 points per game.
"We have had a special season here in Philadelphia," Soul coach Bret Munsey said.
Leading the way offensively for the Soul has been quarterback Matt D'Orazio and dynamic wide receiver Chris Jackson.
D'Orazio, who led the Chicago Rush to the title in 2006, paced the AFL in passer rating (131.3) and completion percentage (72.4) en route to winning the league's Quarterback of the Year Award.
In his first season in Philadelphia, Jackson earned his second AFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. He led the league in touchdowns (49), while ranking second in receptions (140), receiving yards (1,719), points (294) and yards from scrimmage (1,717).
Philadelphia booked its trip to the Big Easy with a 70-35 demolition of the Cleveland Gladiators at the Wachovia Center two weeks ago.
This is a rematch of a wild regular-season game in which the Soul overcame a 26-point deficit on the road for a 58-57 victory. D'Orazio provided the winning points with a five-yard touchdown run with 10 seconds remaining.
"The one thing I remember from that game is the locker room afterwards," Munsey said. "When you come back in a game like that on the road, cross country, against a great team and organization, it's a special time in your locker room.
"Both teams are different personnel-wise, and everything will be different on ArenaBowl Sunday."
