AFLWA > News > AFL Top 8 Poll

May 10, 2005
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mark Anderson
702-379-0154

Force tops Tampa Bay to stay on top of poll

GEORGIA WINS TO KEEP NO. 1 RANKING

LAS VEGAS (AFLWA) – The Georgia Force maintained its No. 1 ranking in the Arena Football League Writers Association (AFLWA) Top 8 Poll, receiving 16 of the 17 first-place votes.

Georgia (10-4) kept its top ranking thanks to a 52-40 victory over Tampa Bay, which dropped the Storm two spots to No. 7. This weekend, the Force hosts the Dallas Desperados (7-6-1), and the Storm (8-6) is at home against the No. 2 New York Dragons. New York (9-5) advanced four places after defeating the Columbus Destroyers 56-44.

The next two teams also moved up four spots — No. 3 Los Angeles Avengers and No. 4 Colorado Crush.

Los Angeles beat San Jose 54-42, dropping the SaberCats three places to No. 6. The Avengers (9-5) host the Las Vegas Gladiators (8-6), and the SaberCats (8-6) are at the Arizona Rattlers (5-9).

Colorado, which received the other first-place vote, edged the New Orleans VooDoo 63-57. The Crush (9-5) hosts the Nashville Kats (6-7-1).

The Orlando Predators fell three slots to No. 5 following their 56-42 loss to the Austin Wranglers. Orlando (9-6) is off.

Last in the poll, the Chicago Rush tumbled four spots to No. 8 after it was defeated 61-43 by Arizona. Chicago (8-6) is at home against the Grand Rapids Rampage (2-12).

AFLWA TOP 8 POLL
Rk.	Team [1st Place]	W-L	Pts.	LW
1.	Georgia Force [16]	10-4	134	1
2.	New York Dragons	9-5	99	6
3.	Los Angeles Avengers	9-5	96	7
4.	Colorado Crush [1]	9-5	78	8
5.	Orlando Predators	9-6	77	-
6.	San Jose SaberCats	8-6	44	3
7.	Tampa Bay Storm [2]	8-6	34	5
8.	Chicago Rush	8-6	15	4
Others receiving votes: Las Vegas Gladiators 13, Nashville Kats 9, New Orleans VooDoo 9, Dallas Desperados 4.

The AFLWA, founded at the start of the 2004 season, is a national organization made up of media members who cover the Arena Football League. Mark Anderson of the Las Vegas Review-Journal is the AFLWA's founder and executive director.

2005 AFLWA Rankings (No 1. team):
• Preseason (San Jose) • Feb. 1 (Tampa Bay) • Feb. 8 (Tampa Bay) • Feb. 15 (Orlando) • Feb. 22 (New Orleans) • March 1 (New Orleans)	• March 8 (New Orleans) • March 15 (New York) • March 22 (Georgia) • March 29 (Georgia) • April 5 (Colorado) • April 12 (Colorado)	• April 19 (Georgia) • April 26 (Orlando/San Jose) • May 3 (Georgia) • May 10 (Georgia) • May 17 (Georgia) • May 24 (Georgia)