The Erie RiverRats
are members of the American Indoor Football Association. The team plays its home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania.
|
ERIE RIVERRATS TICKETS
|
History
The RiverRats began play in 2007 as the
Pittsburgh RiverRats,
playing that season's home games at the
Rostraver Ice Garden in
Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania.
The RiverRats played their first game on February 3, 2007 on the road in
Tupelo, MS but lost 54-34 to the
Mississippi Mudcats. Their first home game was on February 18, 2007 which they lost 35-28 to the
Reading Express.
Pittsburgh won its first home game by beating the
Danville Demolition 47-21 on March 4, 2007, and then won its first away game by beating Danville a second time, on March 9, 2007, by a score of 34-29.
On August 20, 2006, the RiverRats signed quarterback David Dinkins, formerly of the
Erie Freeze of the AIFA, and designated him as the team's franchise player for the 2007 season.
The team finished their inaugural season at a respectable 7-7 record, good for fourth place in the Northern Conference and a wild-card playoff berth. Unfortunately, the Rats were eliminated in the first round, losing 42-24 to the eventual conference champions
Reading Express.
On
January 8,
2008 the RiverRats announced they would be leaving the Mon Valley in favor of Erie for the 2008 season. They will replace the city's previous AIFA team, the
Erie Freeze.
[1] The RiverRats have several Freeze connections, including many of the Freeze's best players: QB/WR David Dinkins, cornerback
Jovon Johnson (himself an Erie native), ace kicker J.R. Cipra, center
Jonathon Sitter, and defensive tackle Roosevelt Benjamin. League owner Michael Mink stated that he considers the RiverRats to be a consolidation of the original RiverRats and the Freeze
[2] with the team retaining the RiverRats name, franchise and management structure.
The team signed
Rod Rutherford, a former NFL backup, as the starting quarterback in the middle of the 2008 season. It is said that Dinkins recommended Rutherford to the team, and Dinkins (who originally was playing quarterback) moved to wide receiver to accommodate his arrival.
At the end of the 2008 season, five RiverRats (QB
Rod Rutherford, OL
Anthony Peluso, K
J. R. Cipra, LB
Glenroy Watkins, & LB
Roosevelt Benjamin) were named onto the AIFA Eastern Conference All-Star team.
Season-by-season
Note:
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties''
| Season
| W
| L
| T
| Finish
| Playoff results
|
| Pittsburgh RiverRats (AIFA)
|
| 2007
| 7
| 7
| 0
| 4th Northern
| Lost NC Round 1 (Reading)
|
| Erie RiverRats (AIFA)
|
| 2008
| 10
| 4
| 0
| 2nd EC Northern
| Lost ECN Round 1 (Reading)
|
| 2009
| 3
| 11
| 0
| 5th Northern
| --
|
| Totals
| 20
| 24
| 0
| (including playoffs)
|
2007 Season Schedule
| Date
| Opponent
| Home/Away
| Result
|
| February 3
| Mississippi Mudcats
| Away
| Lost 34-54
|
| February 18
| Reading Express
| Home
| Lost 28-35
|
| February 23
| Canton Legends
| Away
| Lost 11-45
|
| March 4
| Danville Demolition
| Home
| Won 47-21
|
| March 9
| Danville Demolition
| Away
| Won 34-29
|
| March 17
| Johnstown Riverhawks
| Away
| Lost 13-43
|
| March 30
| Johnstown Riverhawks
| Home
| Won 47-42
|
| April 14
| Florence Phantoms
| Home
| Won 66-60
|
| April 21
| Huntington Heroes
| Away
| Lost 34-55
|
| April 28
| Canton Legends
| Home
| Won 62-33
|
| May 6
| Reading Express
| Away
| Lost 40-57
|
| May 12
| Erie Freeze
| Away
| Won 52-45
|
| May 19
| Erie Freeze
| Home
| Won 86-72
|
| May 25
| Huntington Heroes
| Home
| Lost 26-69
|
| June 9
| Reading Express (Playoffs)
| Away
| Lost 24-42
|
2008 Season Schedule
| Date
| Opponent
| Home/Away
| Result
|
| March 9
| Carolina Speed
| Home
| Won 42-21
|
| March 15
| Canton Legends
| Away
| Won 38-24
|
| March 22
| Columbus Lions
| Away
| Won 54-48
|
| March 31
| Reading Express
| Home
| Lost 34-44
|
| April 11
| Huntington Heroes
| Away
| Lost 24-54
|
| April 18
| Baltimore Mariners
| Home
| Won 55-40
|
| April 25
| Baltimore Mariners
| Away
| Won 49-17
|
| May 3
| Canton Legends
| Home
| Won 50-48
|
| May 9
| Huntington Heroes
| Home
| Won 47-43
|
| May 17
| Huntington Heroes
| Away
| Won 52-31
|
| May 24
| Florence Phantoms
| Away
| Lost 27-57
|
| May 31
| Canton Legends
| Home
| Won 45-37
|
| June 7
| Reading Express
| Home
| Won 51-32
|
| June 14
| Reading Express
| Away
| Lost 26-66
|
| June 21
| Rochester Raiders¶
| Away
| Lost 6-41
|
| July 3
| Reading Express (Playoffs)
| Away
| Lost 57-67
|
¶ Exhibition match
References
- http://www.erieriverrats.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=175&Itemid=1
- This Week in the AIFA radio show. Our Sports Central. 17 January 2008.