New football league set to begin

Published in the Times-Transcript on Wednesday June 17th, 2009
Appeared on Page B4

The new Atlantic Football League involving three teams will begin its inaugural season operation on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Chapman Field on the University of New Brunswick campus in Fredericton.

UNB Fredericton Red Bombers are tentatively scheduled to host the UNB Saint John Seawolves that night at 7 p.m.

The third member of the league based out of Moncton begins its schedule Friday, Oct. 2 at Rocky Stone Memorial Field in Moncton, playing host to the Seawolves.

Plans for the circuit which involves players between the ages of 18-24 were finalized at a meeting held in Sussex yesterday.

Pat O'Brien of Saint John was named commissioner while Larry Timms, also of Saint John, was named secretary-treasurer of the new AFL.

Making up the Board of Governors are the representatives from each of the three teams including Larry Wisniewski and Terry McIntyre of the Red Bombers, Roger Collette and Dan Fougere out of Moncton and Barry Ogden and Bill Todd representing the Seawolves.

The league finalized a constitution and drew up a tentative schedule at the meeting as well.

Each team is scheduled to play a home-and-home against the other two teams, with the pennant winner earning a bye into the championship game on Nov. 21. Teams two and three will meet in a semifinal game on Nov. 14.