AFLWA > News > Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll

April 15, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Derry
504-232-9944

Soul rallies past San Jose to stay No. 1

PHILADELPHIA TOPS SCHUTT
SPORTS AFL TOP 12 POLL

LAS VEGAS (AFLWA) – With a flurry in the final minute against the defending champions, the Philadelphia Soul maintained its hold on the top spot in the Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll heading into Week 8.

Despite trailing at No. 8 San Jose throughout – and 20-0 at the end of the first quarter – the Soul rolled in the fourth quarter, scoring 30 points. Quarterback Matt D’Orazio, in for the injured Tony Graziani, ran in a score from five yards out to get Philly within one. Clifton Smith then ran in a 2-point conversion for the 58-57 win at HP Pavilion. The Soul garnered nine of 15 first-place votes from the Arena Football League Writers Association.

Dallas, which is at No. 2 for the third straight week after holding the top spot for the first five, gained one first-place vote over last week with a 55-44 win over No. 5 New Orleans. The VooDoo dropped for the first time since entering the poll in Week 3.

Orlando and Chicago, at No. 3 and No. 4 respectively, each moved up a spot after winning this past week. The Predators topped Grand Rapids 75-56, and the Rush beat winless Kansas City 49-42.

The biggest riser was Colorado, which jumped four spots to No.6 after winning on the road at No. 10 Cleveland 69-66. Arizona, which nipped Tampa Bay 63-62, moved up three places to No. 9.

New York, at No. 11, and Los Angeles, at No. 12, entered with wins. Georgia, which had its bye week, moved up from eighth to seventh.

SCHUTT SPORTS TOP 12 POLL (APRIL 15)
Rk.	Team [1st Place]	W-L	Pts.	Pvs.	This week
1.	Philadelphia Soul [9]	7-0	174	1	at Columbus
2.	Dallas Desperados [6]	7-0	171	2	Idle
3.	Orlando Predators	5-2	138	4	at No. 7 Georgia
4.	Chicago Rush	5-2	137	5	vs. Grand Rapids
5.	New Orleans VooDoo	5-2	129	3	at No. 9 Arizona
6.	Colorado Crush	3-3	89	10	at Kansas City
7.	Georgia Force	3-3	79	8	vs. No. 3 Orlando
8.	San Jose SaberCats	3-4	72	6	at Utah
9.	Arizona Rattlers	3-3	62	12	vs. No. 5 New Orleans
10.	Cleveland Gladiators	3-3	55	7	at No. 12 Los Angeles
11.	New York Dragons	3-4	27	-	at Tampa Bay
12.	Los Angeles Avengers	3-4	23	-	vs. No. 10 Cleveland
Others receiving votes: Tampa Bay 13, Columbus 1.
Dropped out: Tampa Bay (9), Grand Rapids (11).

Schutt Sports, the sports gear company with a reputation for innovation, is sponsoring this season's Top 12 Poll. Its website is schuttsports.com.

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.

2008 AFLWA Rankings (No 1. team):
• Preseason (Dallas) • March 5 (Dallas) • March 12 (Dallas) • March 19 (Dallas) • March 25 (Dallas) • April 1 (Philadelphia)	• April 8 (Philadelphia) • April 15 (Philadelphia) • April 22 (Philadelphia) • April 29 (Philadelphia) • May 6 (Philadelphia) • May 13 (Dallas)	• May 20 (Chicago) • May 27 (Dallas) • June 3 (Dallas) • June 10 (Philadelphia) • June 17 (Philadelphia) • June 24 (Philadelphia)