The Reading Express will kick off their 2011 regular-season Saturday night at the Sovereign Center taking on their IFL Atlantic Division opponent, the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks. This marks the first game in what promises to be one of the fiercest rivalries in the Indoor Football League. The teams are separated by a mere 50 miles. The new rivalry is timely for the Express, which lost its most recent rival, the Baltimore Mariners, with the move to the IFL.
Right now, their Eastern Pennsylvania base is perhaps the only similarity between the Express and Steelhawks. While the Express join the IFL in 2011, the team has a rich, five-year history of success in the indoor game. The team won the 2009 AIFA National Championship and posts a 64-20 overall record. Meanwhile, the expansion Lehigh Valley Steelhawks embark on their very first season – and first game – in indoor professional football.
The Steelhawks’ roster tends to look like a “Who’s Who” of past favorites of Express fans. Guys like Isaiah Grier, Marcus Sergeant, Chad Clark and Mores Manoyrine all stand the chance to suit up for the Steelhawks on Saturday. In the coaching ranks, the Steelhawks Defensive Coordinator Kelly Logan is a former Express staffer. This will surely add to the rivalry if they square off against some former teammates on the Express, including veterans Carmelo Ocasio, Matt Sola and Erik Rockhold.
Saturday’s home opener marks the start of the season for both teams, both hoping to leave The Reading Hospital Medical Group Field with a 1-0 record to start the season.
Game Details: Saturday’s kick-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. at Sovereign Center. Doors open at 6:00. Tickets are going fast, so order yours today. Call the Reading Express at 610.372.7277 to get your seats for the home opener.
Reading Express Indoor Professional Football will begin the 2011 season on Saturday, February 26, on The Reading Hospital Medical Group Field at Sovereign Center against the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks. Tickets are now on sale at www.expressindoorfootball.com, or you can call 610.372.PASS (7277) to order.
The Reading Express is one of the most established franchises in indoor football. In five seasons, the team has amassed an overall record of 64-20 with four playoff appearances, two conference titles and the 2009 AIFA National Championship. In 2011, Reading will begin play as a new member of the Indoor Football League.
