Stop Action 07/10/2008

Minor league football notes

GENESEE COUNTY — While all four of our area semi-professional football teams were off last weekend for the holiday, this season’s gridiron action has only served to intensify the summer’s heat, and things can only get hotter from here.

After going 4-5 during the 2007 North American Football League (NAFL) season, the Genesee County Patriots are getting set to kick off the 2008 campaign this Saturday at Atwood Stadium in Flint by hosting the Tri-City Thunder in the first contest of a three-game home stand. Despite not playing any preseason matches, the Patriots will go on to face the Tri-County Strength on July 19 and July 26 they play the Indiana Warriors.

In their initial campaign in the United States Football Association, the Michigan Admirals are 1-2 with one game being cancelled after four weeks of action. The Admirals also play their home games at Atwood Stadium in Flint, which was opened June 8, 1929, and currently has a seating capacity of 11,000.

Last year Michigan went 6-3-1 in its final season in the NAFL as a Northern Conference-Great Lakes Region-Central Lakes Division rival of the Patriots. The Admirals were playoff-eligible last season but did not participate in the postseason, instead choosing to leave the league over a dispute regarding unpaid fees. Michigan plays Saturday at Battle Creek.

Taking over that NAFL divisional assignment are the Lapeer County Lions, a first-year organization that went 3-0 in the preseason. The Lions begin their inaugural campaign Saturday at Almont High School when they play the Flint Fury in a non-league match-up.
The Fury, who play in the Mid-Continental Football League, will also start the 2008 season Saturday at Almont after going 1-1 during the preseason. Last year Flint came in at 1-7 and in 2006 the team was 4-8. — M.S.