# 2002 AF2 season

The 2002 AF2 season was the third season of the AF2. It was preceded by 2001 and succeeded by 2003. The league champions were the Peoria Pirates, who defeated the Florida Firecats in ArenaCup III. This is also the first time that both conferences have the same division name (in that case, the American Conference Southern Division and the National Conference Southern Division, respectively). It is also the only season where both conferences have four divisions each, a la the 2002–present era of the NFL.

## League info

| New teams | Albany Conquest, Bakersfield Blitz, Cape Fear Wildcats, Fresno Frenzy, Hawaiian Islanders, Mobile Wizards, Mohegan Wolves, New Haven Ninjas, San Diego Riptide, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers |
| Renamed / Relocated teams | None |
| Defunct teams | Baton Rouge Blaze, Iowa Barnstormers, Lafayette Roughnecks, Lincoln Lightning |
| Total teams | 34 |

## Standings

| Team | Overall | Overall | Overall | Division | Division | Division |
| Team | Wins | Losses | Percentage | Wins | Losses | Percentage |
| American Conference |||||||
| Atlantic Division |||||||
| Cape Fear Wildcats | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 6 | 2 | 0.750 |
| Richmond Speed | 12 | 4 | 0.750 | 7 | 1 | 0.875 |
| Norfolk Nighthawks | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 4 | 4 | 0.500 |
| Roanoke Steam | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 3 | 5 | 0.375 |
| Greensboro Prowlers | 3 | 13 | 0.187 | 0 | 8 | 0.000 |
| Northeast Division |||||||
| Albany Conquest | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 11 | 1 | 0.917 |
| Rochester Brigade | 7 | 9 | 0.437 | 6 | 6 | 0.500 |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 6 | 6 | 0.500 |
| New Haven Ninjas | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 5 | 7 | 0.417 |
| Mohegan Wolves | 3 | 13 | 0.187 | 2 | 10 | 0.167 |
| Eastern Division |||||||
| Macon Knights | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
| Augusta Stallions | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
| Carolina Rhinos | 5 | 11 | 0.312 | 1 | 5 | 0.167 |
| Columbus Wardogs | 4 | 12 | 0.250 | 1 | 5 | 0.167 |
| Southern Division |||||||
| Tallahassee Thunder | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 7 | 3 | 0.700 |
| Florida Firecats | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 5 | 6 | 0.455 |
| Jacksonville Tomcats | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 7 | 3 | 0.700 |
| Charleston Swamp Foxes | 7 | 9 | 0.437 | 2 | 4 | 0.333 |
| National Conference |||||||
| Southern Division |||||||
| Tennessee Valley Vipers | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
| Birmingham Steeldogs | 11 | 5 | 0.687 | 5 | 2 | 0.714 |
| Pensacola Barracudas | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 6 | 6 | 0.500 |
| Mobile Wizards | 0 | 16 | 0.000 | 0 | 12 | 0.000 |
| Central Division |||||||
| Tulsa Talons | 14 | 2 | 0.875 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
| Arkansas Twisters | 11 | 5 | 0.687 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
| Bossier City Battle Wings | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Memphis Xplorers | 5 | 11 | 0.312 | 1 | 5 | 0.167 |
| Midwest Division |||||||
| Peoria Pirates | 11 | 5 | 0.687 | 6 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Quad City Steamwheelers* | 10 | 6 | 0.625 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Wichita Stealth | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Louisville Fire | 2 | 14 | 0.125 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 |
| Western Division |||||||
| Bakersfield Blitz | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 7 | 2 | 0.778 |
| San Diego Riptide | 7 | 9 | 0.437 | 5 | 4 | 0.556 |
| Hawaiian Islanders | 5 | 11 | 0.312 | 4 | 5 | 0.444 |
| Fresno Frenzy | 4 | 12 | 0.250 | 2 | 7 | 0.222 |
* Green indicates clinched playoff berth
* Purple indicates division champion
* Grey indicates best regular season record
* The Steamwheelers were banned from the playoffs for rule violations.

## Playoffs

| Division Championships | Division Championships | Division Championships | | | Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Championships | Conference Championships | Conference Championships | | ArenaCup III | ArenaCup III | ArenaCup III |
| 2 | Florida | 43 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Tallahassee | 31 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Tallahassee | 31 | | | SD2 | Florida | 44 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | ED1 | Macon | 28 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Augusta | 41 | | | ED1 | Macon | 28 | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Macon | 57 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Macon | 57 | | | | | | SD2 | Florida | 43 | | | | |
| American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | SD2 | Florida | 43 | | | | |
| American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | American Conference | AD1 | Cape Fear | 23 | | | | |
| 2 | Rochester | 26 | | | | | | | | | AD1 | Cape Fear | 23 | | | | |
| 1 | Albany | 31 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Albany | 31 | | | ND1 | Albany | 30 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | AD1 | Cape Fear | 46 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Richmond | 48 | | | AD1 | Cape Fear | 46 | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Cape Fear | 57 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Cape Fear | 57 | | | | | | | | | | AC7 | Florida | 47 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | NC3 | Peoria | 65 |
| 2 | Birmingham | 65 | | | | | | | | | | | | | NC3 | Peoria | 65 |
| 1 | Tennessee Valley | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Tennessee Valley | 51 | | | SD2 | Birmingham | 53 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | CD1 | Tulsa | 34 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Arkansas | 32 | | | CD1 | Tulsa | 34 | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Tulsa | 34 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Tulsa | 34 | | | | | | SD2 | Birmingham | 33 | | | | |
| National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | SD2 | Birmingham | 33 | | | | |
| National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | National Conference | MD1 | Peoria | 79 | | | | |
| 2 | San Diego | 40 | | | | | | | | | MD1 | Peoria | 79 | | | | |
| 1 | Bakersfield | 27 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Bakersfield | 27 | | | WD2 | San Diego | 12 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | MD1 | Peoria | 22 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Wichita | 36 | | | MD1 | Peoria | 22 | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Peoria | 37 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Awards and honors
### Regular season awards

| Award | Winner | Position | Team |
| Offensive Player of the Year | Mitch Allner | Quarterback | Tulsa Talons |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Kelly Snell | Defensive Specialist | Tennessee Valley Vipers |
| Ironman of the Year | Kevin Harvey | Wide receiver/Defensive back | Richmond Speed |
| Lineman of the Year | E. J. Burt | Lineman | Cape Fear Wildcats |
| Built Ford Tough Man of the Year | Jeff Cogell | Lineman | Mohegan Wolves |
| Rookie of the Year | Lincoln Dupree | Defensive Specialist / Kick Returner | Peoria Pirates |
| Coach of the Year | Ron Selesky | Head Coach | Albany Conquest |

## ArenaCup III

ArenaCup III was the 2002 edition of the AF2's championship game, in which the National Conference Champions Florida Firecats were defeated by the American Conference Champions Peoria Pirates in Peoria, Illinois by a score of 65 to 47.

### Scoring Summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Florida Firecats | Peoria Pirates |
| 1 | 10:34 | 2 | 38 | 1:45 | Florida Firecats | Anthony Dixon 28-yard touchdown reception from Bryan Sparacino, Brandon Kornblue kick Good | 7 | 0 |
| 1 | 5:23 | 7 | 31 | 5:11 | Peoria Pirates | Cornell Craig 19-yard touchdown reception from Jerome Hurd, Kraig Baker kick Failed | 7 | 6 |
| 2 | 9:37 | 7 | 39 | 4:08 | Peoria Pirates | 28-yard field goal by Kraig Baker | 7 | 9 |
| 2 | 6:17 | 5 | 45 | 3:20 | Florida Firecats | Dedric Maffet 3-yard touchdown run, Brandon Kornblue kick Failed | 13 | 9 |
| 2 | 4:41 | 1 | 55 | 0 | Peoria Pirates | Lincoln Dupree 55 yard Kickoff Return Touchdown, Kraig Baker PAT | 13 | 16 |
| 2 | 0:20 | 1 | 26 | 0:08 | Peoria Pirates | Cornell Craig 26-yard touchdown reception from Jerome Hurd, Kraig Baker kick Good | 13 | 23 |
| 3 | 11:04 | 5 | 13 | 3:56 | Florida Firecats | 29-yard field goal by Brandon Kornblue | 16 | 23 |
| 3 | 9:29 | - | - | - | Florida Firecats | Interception returned 12 yards for touchdown by Anthony Dixon, Brandon Kornblue kick Good | 23 | 23 |
| 3 | 8:51 | | | | Florida Firecats | Deryl Lynn Safety | 25 | 23 |
| 3 | 6:59 | 2 | 9 | 1:04 | Peoria Pirates | Jason Short 3-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed | 25 | 29 |
| 3 | 1:44 | 3 | 45 | 1:42 | Peoria Pirates | Brandon Campbell 22-yard touchdown reception from Walter Church, Kraig Baker kick Good | 25 | 36 |
| 4 | 14:54 | | | | Peoria Pirates | Ken Bouie Safety | 25 | 38 |
| 4 | 11:35 | 5 | 40 | 3:19 | Peoria Pirates | Cornell Craig 5-yard touchdown reception from Walter Church, Kraig Baker kick Good | 25 | 45 |
| 4 | 7:31 | 2 | 10 | 1:04 | Peoria Pirates | Jason Short 4-yard touchdown run, Kraig Baker kick Good | 25 | 52 |
| 4 | 4:14 | 4 | 45 | 3:17 | Florida Firecats | Magic Benton 39-yard touchdown reception from Josh Rogers, 2-point rush succeeds | 33 | 52 |
| 4 | 3:38 | | | | Peoria Pirates | Lincoln Dupree 10 yard kickoff return Touchdown, Kraig Baker PAT Blocked | 33 | 58 |
| 4 | 2:30 | 1 | 31 | 1:08 | Florida Firecats | Magic Benton 31-yard touchdown reception from Josh Rogers, 2-point Kevin Huntley pass from Josh Rogers succeeds | 41 | 58 |
| 4 | 0:55 | 3 | 16 | 1:35 | Peoria Pirates | Walter Church 12-yard touchdown run, Kraig Baker kick Good | 41 | 65 |
| 4 | 0:25 | 5 | 30 | 0:30 | Florida Firecats | Kevin Huntley 11-yard touchdown reception from Josh Rogers, 2-point pass from Josh Rogers fails | 47 | 65 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | Florida Firecats | Peoria Pirates |