The 2010 Fort Wayne Firehawks season was the first season for the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) franchise. In November 2009, the FireHawks were announced as the successor team to the Fort Wayne Freedom. Owners J. Michael Loomis and John Christner purchased the assets left from the Freedom franchise, who had played the two seasons before the FireHawks were announced. Christner's first action as General Manager was naming former Freedom head coach Willie Davis as the team's first head coach. On December 9, 2009, it was confirmed that Loomis and Christner would take over the entities that used to run the Freedom. Before the season started, the team announced they had signed Katie Hnida as the team's placekicker. Hnida is best known for becoming the first woman to score a point in an NCAA football game and speaking out during the recruiting scandal at her first school, the University of Colorado.
According to The Journal Gazette in 2011, former players said they were still owed from the 2010 season. Team owner Mike Loomis did not confirm or deny the reports in that article. The team drew about 2,000 fans per game, according to CIFL stats.
Players
Signings Position Player 2009 team QB Kota-Carone Colors Fort Wayne Freedom DB Terry Moore Milwaukee Bonecrushers WR Justin Wynn Fort Wayne Freedom WR Mike Tatum Marion Mayhem DB Jesse Allen Erie RiverRats WR Chris Kolokithas Erie RiverRats DE Thomas McKenzie Marion Mayhem DB Bryan Williams Marion Mayhem OL Anthony Harrison Fort Wayne Freedom OL/DL Al Fertil Fort Wayne Freedom DL/DL Brodrick Johnson Fort Wayne Freedom
Final roster 2010 Fort Wayne FireHawks rosterQuarterbacks
Running backs
Fullbacks
Wide receivers Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams Reserve lists
Practice squad
Updated June 19, 2010
rookies in italics 24 Active, 3 Inactive
Staff 2010 Fort Wayne FireHawks staff Front office Owner/chairman/president/CEO – J. Michael Loomis Public relations – Judi Loomis
Head coaches Head coach – Willie Davis Jr. Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks/wide receivers – Willie Davis Jr. Offensive line – LaMar Martin
Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/defensive line – LaMar Martin Defensive line assistant – Mike Hollingsworth Linebackers/secondary – Donnie Caldwell
Special teams coaches Special teams – Donnie Caldwell
Schedule
Regular season Week Date Kickoff Opponent Results Game site Final score Team record 1 Bye 2 Bye 3 Bye 4 April 2 7:00 P.M. EDT Cincinnati Commandos L 27–55 0–1 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum 5 April 10 7:00 P.M. EDT Miami Valley Silverbacks W 44–28 1–1 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum 6 April 16 7:00 P.M. EDT Wisconsin Wolfpack L 0–49 1–2 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum 7 April 24 7:00 P.M. EDT Chicago Cardinals W 69–45 2–2 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum 8 May 1 7:00 p.m. CST at Wisconsin Wolfpack L 32–33 2–3 Hartmeyer Ice Arena 9 May 9 1:00 P.M. EDT Miami Valley Silverbacks W 26–8 3–3 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum 10 May 15 7:00 P.M. EDT at Marion Mayhem W 2–0 (Forfeit) 4–3 Veterans Memorial Coliseum 11 May 22 7:00 P.M. EDT at Cincinnati Commandos L 46–49 4–4 Cincinnati Gardens 12 May 28 7:00 P.M. EDT Marion Mayhem W 2–0 (Forfeit) 5–4 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum 13 June 5 7:00 P.M. CST at Chicago Cardinals W 48–0 6–4 Odeum Expo Center 14 Bye
Standings
Regular season results
Week 4: vs. Cincinnati Commandos The FireHawks suffered a loss in their first game as a franchise April 2, 2010, a 55–27 loss to the Cincinnati Commandos. During the game, the FireHawks also lost their quarterback, Adam Gibson, during the game, leaving the FireHawks searching for another quarterback before the next week.
Week 5: vs. Miami Valley Silverbacks The FireHawks earned their first victory April 10, 2010, 44–28 against the Miami Valley Silverbacks, as new quarterback, Kota Carone-Colors, paced the team with seven touchdown passes.
Week 6: vs. Wisconsin Wolfpack Throughout the season the team experienced many ups and downs, none lower than a 0–49 defeat at the hands of the Wisconsin Wolfpack. Three weeks into the season, the FireHawks received a blow, when co-owner and general manager John Christner left the organization, leaving Loomis as the sole owner.
Week 7: vs. Chicago Cardinals The FireHawks' showed no effects from the front office problems, as the following week the team came out and defeated the Chicago Cardinals 69–45, but the team played without Hnida, as a blood clot on her foot put her out for the season.
Week 8: vs. Wisconsin Wolfpack The FireHawks got a quick chance at revenge against the Wolfpack, but they failed losing 32–33 as they couldn't score from the 1-yard line with seconds left, as backup quarterback, Mike Whitaker's pass sailed over the hands of Jermaine Woolfolk. The FireHawks didn't dress a kicker during the game, citing "low ceilings" as the reason not to dress the team's new kicker, David McLane, an intern for the team.
Week 9: vs. Miami Valley Silverbacks The FireHawks won their next game against Miami Valley, 26–8.
Week 10: vs. Marion Mayhem During the week before the team's first game at the Marion Mayhem, Loomis stated that the team would continue to play despite its mounting financial struggles. The Mayhem, who were having financial problems of their own, forced the FireHawks next game back to June 12.
Week 11: vs. Cincinnati Commandos The FireHawks continued their season the following week against the undefeated Commandos, losing 46–49 after leading by 12 with 4:12 left in the game.
Week 12: vs. Marion Mayhem The team was scheduled to the Mayhem the next week, but before they played the FireHawks the franchise folded. The folding of Marion credited the FireHawks with two forfeit wins, but hurt the team financially by costing them a home game. Because the Mayhem didn't finish the season, several of Marion's players were signed by Fort Wayne in the subsequent weeks to join in the FireHawks' playoff run.
Week 14: vs. Chicago Cardinals The FireHawks went to Chicago and shutout the Cardinals 48–0. The FireHawks finished 6–4 during the 2010 Continental Indoor Football League season, earning a third-seed in the playoffs.
Postseason
Schedule Week Date Kickoff Opponent Results Game site Final score Team record 1 June 19 7:00 p.m. CST at Wisconsin Wolfpack L 24–25 0–1 Hartmeyer Ice Arena
Postseason results
Semifinals: vs. Wisconsin Wolfpack In the first playoff game in team history, the FireHawks lost to the second-place Wolfpack, 25–24.
Stats
Passing Player Comp. Att. Comp% Yards TD's INT's RatingKota-Carone Colors 71 155 45.8% 694 14 9 92.3Mike Whitaker 14 35 40% 144 3 2 83.9Ean Decker 5 14 35.7% 30 0 1 4.8Adam Gibson 4 14 28.6% 43 1 0 89.2
Rushing Player Car. Yards Avg. TD's LongKota-Carone Colors 42 235 5.4 4 28Justin Wynn 12 115 9.0 2 33Brandon Williams 18 87 4.2 3 23Victor Tolbert 18 73 4.1 2 14Tramaine Billie 12 34 2.8 6 7Jesse Tuttle6274.5216
Receiving Player Rec. Yards Avg. TD's LongJustin Wynn 25 358 14.3 8 45Zach Rainey 21 162 7.7 1 25Brandon Walker-Roby 19 124 6.5 2 19Jermaine Woolfolk 11 109 9.9 3 29Jesse Tuttle318619
CIFL awards Co-Defensive Player of the Year - Tramaine Billie Special Teams Player of the Year - Mike Tatum (Also played with the Marion Mayhem during 2010 season)
1st Team All-CIFL WR Justin Wynn LB Tramaine Billie KR Mike Tatum
2nd Team All-CIFL C Anothony Harrison DE Brodrick Johnson DE Thomas McKenzie (Also played with the Marion Mayhem during 2010 season) DB Paul Carter
References
External links 2010 stats