Amarillo Dusters
Template:Afl2 team The Amarillo Dusters are a professional arena football team in the af2 league. The Dusters began play in 2004 as a charter member of the Intense Football League, a small indoor football league based in Texas. They won the championship in their first and only season with the IFL. The following year, the Dusters became the first team to leave the Intense Football League and join the af2. The team plays their home games at Amarillo Civic Center.
The team was featured on an episode of Only in America, a show that airs on the Discovery Times channel.
On December 21, 2008 the Dusters introduced a new color scheme for the team. The new colors were revealed as Crimson, Grey, and Black.[1]
IFL success
The Amarillo Dusters finished their only season in the Intense Football League with a 13-3 record en route to a league championship. Coach Don Carthel lead the Dusters to the cup as they defeated the Lubbock LoneStars. The Dusters would abandon their spot in the IFL to play in the af2. Carthel would take the head coaching job at West Texas A&M mid-way into the first Dusters af2 season. Steve Perdue took over the Head Coaching job but, never had the success Carthel had.
2005 season
In their first year in the af2, the Amarillo Dusters reached the playoffs with an 8-8 record, which was good enough for a wildcard. The Dusters, lead by Julian Reese, came from 21 points down at the start of the 4th quarter to quiet the Cox Convention Center crowd to win Round 1 over the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz. The Dusters fell in Round 2 to the eventual-af2 champion Memphis Xplorers.
2006 season
The Dusters tried to build off of the moderate success they had in 2005. However, in 2006, the team suffered many injures and failed to make it to the af2 playoffs. Quarterback Steve Panella was injured early in the season, forcing numerous backups to take the job. The Dusters then lost receivers. They ended the season with a 4–12 record.
2007 season
Looking to rebound after the previous losing season, injuries plagued the Dusters' offense. After a win against the Lubbock Renegades in Week 2, Steve Panella required hand surgery, putting him out for the season. The Dusters struggled for the remainder of the year but were still able end the Quincy Carter-led Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings' perfect season with a 51–49 upset.
2008 season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 29 | Tulsa Talons | Away | L 13–69 |
| 2 | April 5 | Central Valley Coyotes | Home | W 71–60 |
| 3 | April 12 | Austin Wranglers | Home | W 65–40 |
| 4 | April 19 | Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings | Away | W 55–48 |
| 5 | April 26 | Arkansas Twisters | Away | L 46–53 |
| 6 | May 3 | Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz | Home | W 58–21 |
| 7 | May 10 | Lubbock Renegades | Home | L 35–69 |
| 8 | May 17 | Stockton Lightning | Away | L 31–40 |
| 9 | May 24 | BYE | ||
| 10 | June 1 | Austin Wranglers | Away | L 55–66 |
| 11 | June 7 | Arkansas Twisters | Home | L 28–46 |
| 12 | June 14 | Rio Grande Valley Dorados | Home | W 49–35 |
| 13 | June 21 | Lubbock Renegades | Away | L 49–60 |
| 14 | June 28 | Tulsa Talons | Home | W 48–33 |
| 15 | July 5 | BYE | ||
| 16 | July 14 | Tri-Cities Fever | Away | W 51–31 |
| 17 | July 21 | Lubbock Renegades | Home | W 42–35 |
| 18 | July 26 | Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz | Away | L 51–58 |
| Post Season (Round 1) | August 2 | Tulsa Talons | Away | W 68–65 |
| Post Season (Round 2) | August 9 | Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings | Away | W 59-45 |
| Post Season (Round 3) | August 16 | Spokane Shock | Away | L 49-79 |
Death of Donte Newsome
On July 5, 2008, Dusters running back Donte Newsome was shot to death outside of a nightclub in Huntington, West Virginia, home of his alma mater Marshall University.[2]
Future
On October 25, 2007, the Dusters signed a contract to remain at the Amarillo Civic Center until at least 2011. It was announced that their offices would be moving into the historic Paramount Building in Downtown Amarillo.
Season-by-season record
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo Dusters (IFL) | |||||
| 2004 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1st League | Won Round 1 (S.A. Stampede) Won Intense Bowl I (L. Lone Stars) |
| Amarillo Dusters (af2) | |||||
| 2005 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 4th NC Midwest | Won NC Round 1 (Oklahoma City) Lost Semifinals (Memphis) |
| 2006 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 5th NC Midwest | -- |
| 2007 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 5th NC Central | -- |
| 2008 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 4th NC Central | Won NC Round 1 (Tulsa) Won NC Semifinals (Bossier-Shreveport) Lost NC Championship (Spokane) |
| 2009 | -- | -- | -- | NC Central | -- |
| Totals | 41 | 46 | 0 | (including IFL & af2 playoffs) | |
Roster
| # | Player | Position | Acquired | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 
|
Jacob Felton | K | 2005 | West Texas A&M |
| # | Player | Position | Acquired | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
|
Aaron Williams | DB | 2008 | Cal Poly |
| 6 |
|
Don Hooks | DB | 2008 | West Texas A&M |
| 21 |
|
Jermaine Keyes | DB | 2008 | Kentucky State |
| 3 |
|
Terick Thomas | DB | 2008 | Marshall |
| 7 |
|
Musa Nash | LB | 2008 | Fort Valley State |
| 37 |
|
Josh Mayfield | LB | 2008 | Cal Poly |
| 11 |
|
Jared Williams | DE | 2008 | Texas Tech |
| 33 |
|
Val Stinson | DE | 2008 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville |
| # | Player | Position | Acquired | College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 |
|
Julian Reese | QB | 2008 | Indiana State | |
| 14 |
|
Joel Steele | QB | 2008 | Anderson University | |
| 1 |
|
Jim Lukowiak | WR | 2008 | Southern Connecticut State | |
| 8 |
|
Craig Fulton | WR | 2008 | Northeastern State | |
| 10 |
|
Art Membrilla | WR | 2008 | West Texas A&M | |
| 29 |
|
Wallace House | FB | 2008 | Fordham University | |
| 30 |
|
Kalavai Blanchard | OL | 2008 | West Texas A&M | |
| 72 |
|
Josh Kline | OL | 2008 | Northern State | |
| 84 |
|
Tavares Dishmon | OL | 2008 | Kentucky State | |
| 89 |
|
Aaron Turner | OL | 2008 | East Central University | |
| 55 |
|
Randy Degg | C | 2008 | Northwood University | |
| 69 |
|
Jerome Roberts | NT | 2008 | Joliet Junior College | |
Notable players
Present
- Craig Fulton Jr., WR
- Jim Lukowiak, WR
- Julian Reese, QB
Past
- Donte Newsome, RB/LB
- Julian Reese, QB
- Jarrod Rouanzoin, WR/LB/QB
- Kendell Walker, WR/DB/KR
Notes
- ^ "Dusters unveil new website and team colors". af2.com. arenafootball2. 2008-12-21. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ Dusters remember fallen teammate