Bemidji Axemen

Bemidji Axemen
Founded 2013
Current season 2015
League Indoor Football League (2014-present)
Conference United (2014-present)
Team history Bemidji Axemen (2014-present)
Based in Bemidji, Minnesota
Arena Sanford Center
Colors Red, Blue, Silver, White
                   
Owner(s) Phil Sallberg
Nate Coffin
Dan Skaug
Adam Barnhardt
Head coach Dixie Wooten
General Manager Adam Barnhardt
Championships (0)
Conference titles (0)
Playoff berths (0)
Dancers The Axes
Mascot Axel the Axeman
Website http://www.bemidjiaxemen.com/

The Bemidji Axemen are a professional indoor football team based in Bemidji, Minnesota. The Axemen joined the Indoor Football League (IFL) as an expansion team in 2013, and first took the field for the 2014 season. They currently participate in the United Conference of the IFL. The Axemen play their home games at the Sanford Center in Bemidji.

The Axemen are the first-ever indoor/arena football team to call Bemidji home, as well as Minnesota's first indoor/arena football team since the Duluth-Superior Lumberjacks and the Mankato-based Minnesota Purple Rage both played in the original Indoor Football League for the 2000 season, the league's last before folding.

History

On July 15, 2013, the Bemidji Pioneer reported that the IFL was looking to expand to Northern Minnesota and the Sanford Center, with a press conference taking place three days later on July 18.[1] League expansion director and Cedar Rapids Titans owner Chris Kokalis would state that for a team to begin play for the 2014 season, ownership had to be found between late August and early September at the latest. Reports of a potential ownership group forming surfaced on August 15.[2] Five days later, on August 20, the IFL confirmed that an agreement had been reached and a team would indeed be coming to Bemidji, with an official press conference scheduled for the following day.[3][4]

The team was officially named the Bemidji Axemen on September 5, 2013; the name is partly meant to reflect Bemidji's history and incorporated the Paul Bunyan tale so linked with the area.[5] On February 22, 2014 the Axemen won their inaugural regular season game, claiming victory over the Green Bay Blizzard.[6] The team performed well through early May, posting a 5-4 record, but then collapsed with 5 consecutive losses to complete the season at 5-9 and 3rd place in the United Conference. Fuller was fired after the end of the season.

Under the leadership of new head coach Dixie Wooten, the Axemen struggled out of the gate, dropping their first two games.

Players

Current roster

Bemidji Axemen roster
Quarterbacks
  • 10 Dante Perez

Running Backs

  •  5 Mulku Kalokoh
  •  7 DeMario Pippen

Wide Receivers

  •  1 Ryan Balentine
  •  9 Derrick Foster
  •  3 Josh Jarboe
  • 24 Joshua Lailson
Offensive Linemen
  • 63 Terrance Clark
  • 50 Henry Orelus
  • 77 Sini Tauauve'a
  • 70 Kasimili Uitalia
  • 55 Neemia Vitale

Defensive Linemen

  • 12 Dalton Etimani
  • 32 Rony Nelson
  • 18 Paramore Tapa
  • 99 Ino Vitale
Linebackers
  • 28 Jory Johnson

Defensive Backs

  • 21 Eric Gordon
  •  4 Tony Grimes
  • 20 Ben Kargbo
  •  8 Adam Lucas
  • 17 Larry Miller, Jr.
  •  6 Scooter Rogers
  •  2 Antonie Tharpe

Kickers

  • 34 Zach Pulkinen
Injured Reserve
  • 15 Darnell Williams WR

Transfer List

  • -- Xavier Boyce WR

Refused to Report

  • -- Tino Tuilata OL

Rookies in italics
Roster updated April 29, 2015
25 Active, 3 Inactive

→ More rosters

All-League selections

Awards and honors

The following is a list of all Axemen players who have won league Awards

Season Player Position Award
2014 Cody Kirby Quarterback Adam Pringle

Coaches

Head coaches

Name Term Regular Season Playoffs Awards
W L T Win% W L
Robert Fuller 2014 5 9 0 .357 0 0
Dixie Wooten 2015-present 2 6 0 .250 0 0

Current staff

Bemidji Axemen staff
Front Office
  • Owner/President – Ross Ladehoff
  • Owner - Phil Sallberg
  • Owner - Nate Coffin
  • Owner - Dan Skaug
  • General Manager - Adam Barnhardt
  • Head Athletic Trainer - Matt Morris
  • Equipment Manager - Matt Hietala
  

Head Coach

  • Head Coach – Dixie Wooten

Offensive Coaches

  • Wide Receivers – Lee Patten
  • Offensive Assistant - Pete Nelson


Defensive Coaches

  • Defensive Coordinator – Anquanius Frazier
  • Defensive Line - Andy Endemann

Statistics and records

Season-by-season results

Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.

League Champions Conference Champions Division Champions Wild Card Berth League Leader
Season Team League Conference Division Regular season Postseason Results
Finish Wins Losses Ties
2014 2014 IFL United 3rd 5 9 0
2015 2015 IFL United 2 6 0
Totals 7 15 0 All-time regular season record (2014-2015)
0 0 - All-time postseason record (2014-2015)
7 15 0 All-time regular season and postseason record (2014-2015)

References

  1. ↑ Hageman, John (July 15, 2013). "Indoor Football League officials to visit Bemidji". Bemidji Pioneer. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  2. ↑ Hittinger, Jack (August 15, 2013). "Possible ownership group lined up for IFL franchise". Bemidji Pioneer. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  3. ↑ Hittinger, Jack (August 20, 2013). "It's official: Bemidji gets IFL franchise". Bemidji Pioneer. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  4. ↑ Community "IFL Announces Expansion Team in Northern Minnesota". Indoor Football League. August 20, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  5. ↑ Hittinger, Jack (September 5, 2013). "IFL team name: Bemidji Axemen (with video)". Bemidji Pioneer. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  6. ↑ Hittinger, Jack (February 22, 2014). "Indoor football: Axemen stop Green Bay in season opener". Bemidji Pioneer. Retrieved March 24, 2014.

External links