Reading Express

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Reading Express
Image:Express.PNG
Founded 2006
Arena Sovereign Center
Based in Reading, Pennsylvania
Colors blue, silver
League American Indoor Football Association
Head coach Ollie Guidry
President of Football Operations Bernie Nowotarski
Official Dance Team Smokin' Hot Steam Team

The Reading Express are a professional arena football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a 2006 expansion team from the American Indoor Football Association. They play their home games at Sovereign Center.

On Sunday, March 26, 2006, the Express won the AIFL's very first overtime game 41-38 against the Johnstown Riverhawks on the road, as kicker Erik Rockhold booted the game-winning 45-yard field goal.

On Friday, May 12, 2006, the Express managed to knock the Erie Freeze out of the #1 spot in the conference by getting revenge 59-48.

At the end of their inaugural year, the Express held the highest record in the AIFL's Northern Conference, at 12-2. This, however, was padded by two games against amateur outdoor franchises-- the Cumberland Cardinals and a team known as the Philadelphia Scorpions, both of which were blowouts.

In the opening round of the 2006 AIFL Playoffs, the Express managed to knockout the fourth-seeded Huntington Heroes with a 56-23 victory. In the Northern Conference championship game, they faced the second-seeded Canton Legends for the Northern Conference title and a chance to participate in the American Bowl. Unfortunately, the Express got derailed as they got shutout in the second half and fell 44-24. Even though they fell one game shy of the league championship, it wasn't a total loss. WR Carmelo Ocasio was named the 2006 Northern Conference Offensive MVP.[1]

The Express' main mascot is a train conductor uniform-claded horse named "Loco".

[edit] Season-By-Season

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties

Season W L T Finish Playoff Results
Reading Express (AIFL)
2006 12 2 0 1st Northern Lost NC Championship (Canton)
Reading Express (AIFA)
*2007 6 1 0 1st Northern --
Totals 19 4 0 (including playoffs)

* = Current Standing

[edit] 2007 Season Schedule

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
February 18 Pittsburgh RiverRats Away Won 35-28
February 25 Erie Freeze Home Won 46-38
March 3 Tallahassee Titans Away Lost 37-47
March 10 Baltimore Blackbirds Home Won 78-6
March 16 Erie Freeze Away Won 50-35
March 23 Canton Legends Away Won 50-19
March 31 Huntington Heroes Home Won 48-18
April 7 Johnstown Riverhawks Away
April 14 Canton Legends Home
April 21 Danville Demolition Away
April 28 Montgomery Bears Home
May 6 Pittsburgh RiverRats Home
May 12 Johnstown Riverhawks Home
May 19 Huntington Heroes Away
May 21 Baltimore Blackbirds Away
June 2 Danville Demolition Home

[edit] External links

American Indoor Football Association (AIFA)
Northern Conference Southern Conference
Canton Legends | Danville Demolition | Erie Freeze | Huntington Heroes | Johnstown Riverhawks | Pittsburgh RiverRats | Reading Express Baltimore Blackbirds | Carolina Speed | Florence Phantoms | Gulf Coast Raiders | Lakeland Thunderbolts | Mississippi Mudcats | Montgomery Bears | Tallahassee Titans
Defunct AIFL/AIFA teams: AIFL Ghostchasers | Binghamton Brigade/Brigadiers | Carolina Ghostriders | Carolina Sharks | Chattahoochee Valley Vipers | Syracuse Soldiers
Related articles: American Indoor Football Association | American Bowl | Arena football | Indoor football


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Sports teams based in the Delaware Valley Wachovia Center Wachovia Spectrum
Baseball MLB: Philadelphia Phillies, Minor League: Lehigh Valley IronPigsReading PhilliesTrenton ThunderWilmington Blue Rocks
Independent League: Camden RiversharksLancaster Barnstormers
Basketball NBA: Philadelphia 76ers, ABA: Reading Railers, USBL: Delaware Stars
Football NFL: Philadelphia Eagles, AFL: Philadelphia Soul, AIFA: Reading Express, CIFL: Lehigh Valley Outlawz
Hockey NHL: Philadelphia Flyers, AHL: Philadelphia Phantoms, ECHL: Reading RoyalsTrenton Titans
Lacrosse MLL: Philadelphia Barrage, NLL: Philadelphia Wings
Rugby RSL: Philadelphia Whitemarsh RFC, AMNRL: Glen Mills BullsNew Jersey SharksPhiladelphia Fight
Soccer MISL: Philadelphia KiXX, USLPDL: Delaware DynastyReading Rage
Softball NPF: Philadelphia Force
Tennis WTT: Philadelphia Freedom
College athletics
(NCAA Div. I)
Drexel UniversityLa Salle UniversitySaint Joseph's UniversityTemple UniversityUniversity of PennsylvaniaVillanova University