The MPFL’s North Texas Stampede will be hosting the Texas Colts in their Marine Toys for Tots Bowl on December 17th.
North Texas Stampede ready to make a run at MPFL Championship
October 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Jason Goss of the Stampede -- Photo by Chase Rader
By Chase Rader
Chase Rader
The North Texas Stampede enters the 2012 season as one of DFW’s premier semi-professional football teams. The Stampede will begin their 11th year as an organization, the longest of any semi-pro team in the DFW area.
The Stampede finished first in the Metro Division of the Minor Professional Football League (MPFL) in 2011 with a 9-1-1 record. 2010 was their first year in the MPFL after moving from the Texas United Football League. They ended up number 16 in the SemiPro BCS national rankings.
Though their playoff campaign was cut short by division foe Wichita, the Stampede are looking for men to help them win the MPFL Championship in 2012.
The Stampede
Tryouts for the Stampede are held at their weekly practice; Sundays at Eastern Hills High School, 5701 Shelton Street, Fort Worth, TX 76112 at 3pm. Their first full pad practice is this Sunday!
Coach Shaun Freeman enters his seventh year as the head man for the Stampede. He will be joined on the sideline by Jamie Mele (O-Line) and James Childers (WR’s).
Jason Goss, former player of the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats and most recently Edmonton Eskimos, will serve as a player-coach with responsibilities as the defensive coordinator. Patrick Porter, a 4 year semi-pro veteran, enters his 10th year as the Stampedes owner.
The Stampede will once again play their home games on Pennington Field in H.E.B.
The 2012 schedule isn’t out yet, but the Stampede will host a Toys-For-Tots game in December.
For more information visit their website at www.northtexasstampede.com.
North Texas Longhorns Tryouts
September 28, 2011 By 2 Comments
The North Texas Longhorns are holding tryouts on October 9, 2011. Check out the flyer below.
The MPFL adds four from the DFW area
August 1, 2011 By 1 Comment
The Minor Professional Football League has added four teams from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Joining the MPFL are the 2011 Texas United Football Leageu Champions Cooke County Outlaws, the Collin County Rattlers and two new teams, the Dallas Warhawx and the Tarrant County Calvary.
After a successful debut year in the TUFL, the Outlaws are bringing their high powered offense to the MPFL. The TUFL has stated on its website that the Outlaws were dismissed due to improper benefits to the players by the Cooke County coaching staff.
The TUFL was in the process of informing the Cooke County Outlaws and the League membership that the Outlaws would not be allowed to return to the TUFL in 2012 as a result of key league violation in 2011. . .
Payment or reimbursment to players is a clear violation of League rules. It jeopardizes the amateur status of our young athletes with college eligibilty. The message is clear,”the TUFL will not tolerate violations jeopardizing the college eligibility of our players!”
There were other very questionable conduct and ethical violations which the league is choosing not to elaborate on, or disclose. (TUFL Website)
According to sources with Deep End Media, the benefits were gas cards and food vouchers for the Championship game only. Cooke County knocked off the Hunt County Longhorns 34-16 on June 18 to win the TUFL title.
The Collin Count Rattlers is one of the newest teams in the DFW area, and in three years, the teams has made a splash including an appearance in the TUFL Championship game in 2010. This past season, the Rattlers lost to the Longhorns 26-12 in the semi-finals after entering the playoffs as the number one seed. Of course, the Rattlers is the home of the famous Venom Girls.
The Dallas Warhawx is a new team that will be coached by Don High, Steven Laster, Angel Rivera III and Mark Ezell.
We have learned very little about the Tarrant County Calvary.
Dallas Warhawx looking for players
July 24, 2011 By 12 Comments
The Dallas Warhawks will be one of the newest teams in the Minor Professional Football League in 2012. We received an email from Warhawk management with a call to players in the Dallas-Fort Worth area:
Tryouts will be August 13, 2011. If you are interested in being a part of the Dallas Warhawsx, the newest team in the MPFL, and being a contender for a championship, contact us via email at dallaswarhawx@yahoo.com or call coach Don at (469) 831-0882 or Coach OU at (214) 415-6269.
MPFL Announces Playoff Format
May 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Dallas, TX–The MPFL announced its playoff format today.
In The 12 Team American Conference, The two division winners in The Metro and Gateway Divisions, will have a bye in the first round of the playoffs.
The 2nd place team will host the 3rd place team in each division, with the winners of those games facing the division winner, with the winners of the 2nd round meeting in The American Conference Championship Game.
In The Patriot Conference, the division winners in The Capital and Continental Divisions, will have a bye in the first round, as will the team with the next best overall record in the conference, who will be the 3rd seed.
The two teams with the next best overall record will be seeded 4 and 5 with the 4 seed hosting the 5 seed in the first round. The winner of the first round game will face the 1st seed, with the 2nd seed hosting the 3rd seed in round two.
The winners of those games will play in the Patriot Conference Championship game, with the winner facing The American Conference Champion for The MPFL Championship.
The MPFL Playoffs begin Saturday, May 21st.
The MPFL also announced that The Shanklin Bowl, The MPFL’s Championship game, will be held at Grande Communications Stadium in Midland, Texas.
This first class facility holds 5000 fans, has luxury suites, and a state-of-the art scoreboard, complete with a video replay screen. The concession stands are run by The Midland Rockhounds, a minor league affiliate of The Oakland Athletics, and will feature the same upscale cuisine and adult beverages, as the adjacent baseball stadium.
The MPFL Championship Game will be held on Saturday, June 18th at 7:30 pm Central Time.
This report was compiled by Deep End Media, with the authority of The MPFL Commissioner’s Office.
Stampede stomp the Knights
April 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The North Texas Stampede followed up their huge win over the Wichita Vipers by defeating the Texas Knights in the the Metroplex Showdown that was the MPFL game of the week played at HEB Pennington Field 32-8.
Jason Goss on an interception--Chase Rader
The Stampede and the Knights were scoreless until late in the first half when Stampede QB Pat Fields hooked up with Lenny Williams for the game’s first score. The Stampede avoided a Knight defensive touchdown by way of a penalty to hold a 7-0 lead at halftime.
However, the Stampede didn’t take long to score in the second half. Following a turnover out of halftime by the Knights, Fields hooked up with Demarcus Bates to make it 14-0.
Later Fields found Cameron Carruthers to help the Stampede take a 20-0 lead.
However, the Knights kept fighting. The Stampede looked to score again as they lined up to kick a field goal, but the Knights blocked the kick and returned it 73 yards for a touchdown cutting the lead to 20-8.
With a 20-8 lead, Coach Freeman turned the game to running backs Juilus Williams and Antuan Foster Wilkins to hammer the tired Knights defense and move the clock.
The Knights tried to answer as their defense held on a fourth down deep in their territory. However, the Stampede picked off the ensuing Knights pass and returned it for a touchdown with 5:28 left in the game.
Just for good measure, Wilkins barreled in for the final touchdown setting the score at 32-8.
The Stampede is one of the hottest teams in semi pro football right now after knocking off the Vipers the week before. According to Deep End Media, the Vipers entered this season as the number one ranked team in the Semi Pro BCS rankings after their dominating performance in 2010 finishing 13-0 and MPFL champions and knocking off the San Antonio Warriors.
The Stampede went up to Wichita Falls to play the same team who beat them in week one and held on to a thrilling 18-15 victory.
Congrats on Coach Freeman and the Stampede!
North Texas Stampede tame the Wildcats
March 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The third week in the Minor Professional Football League saw the East Texas Wildcats visit the North Texas Stampede at Pennington field in Fort Worth. Coming into the contest both teams were matched with 1-1 records. The Wildcats had suffered a loss to the Shreveport-Bossier Knights and a forfeit win due to the Lonestar Pitbulls. The Stampede had defeated the same Knights and had a loss to a top 20 ranked Wichita Falls Vipers.
Julius Williams stiff arm Credit: Chase Rader
The first quarter provided some spark and disappointment for the Stampede. Former Arizona Cardinal and CFL star Jason Goss was one step away from returning the opening kick-off before being nudged out of bounds. North Texas then had a handful of successful plays before being picked off by East Texas.
The defensive turned right around to force a three and out, as they would continue to do most of the evening.
The Stampede failed to convert from 1st & goal from the 4 after a Wildcat dropped snap from the long snapper to the punter of East Texas on their second possession.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Stampede needed little time to score the first touchdown of the game with a Julius Williams touchdown run from inside the five yard line with 13:16 remaining in the half.
Later in the quarter, East Texas was facing another third down after going 3 and out on their first three possessions in the opening quarter. Wildcats QB Jamie Powers was picked by Stampede defensive back Jeremy Calton, who returned the interception just over 30 yards to put North Texas up 14-0.
The Stampede once again failed to convert on 4th & goal inside the Wildcat 5 yard line when misfortune struck. In a scramble for the loose ball on the 4th down play, North Texas lost WR Paul Williams for the remainder of the season with a serious leg injury.
After a 30 minute delay in action, The Wildcats took over in deep in their own territory only to have Powers sacked in the end zone by Julius Miller and company for a safety to put North Texas up 16-0 with 3:43 left in the first half.
The first 10 minutes of the 3rd quarter were a microcosm of the whole game. East Texas went three and out to open up the 3rd quarter. North Texas responded with some positive plays, but ended up giving the ball back to the Wildcats inside of their own territory. The punting problems continued for East Texas, and after failing to gain a first down the Stampede blocked the punt and recovered in the red zone. Keith Davis would punch in for a North Texas touchdown, and after a missed extra point, put them up 22-0.
The defensive line led by Tramond Smith, Kortney Ollie, Bryan Jones, Steven Williams, QB/DL Patrick Fields, and Elgin Russell proved to be too much for the Wildcat offensive line. While Powers and wildcat QB Phillip Perkins put up valiant efforts, they were overwhelmed all night. Chris Square and the linebacking core also were constantly harassing Powers. Hard hitting safety Ricky Kinney, who was the MPFL player of the week last week, and Goss led the defensive backfield.
The Stampede would add two more touchdowns in the second half. Fullback Tramell Allen would bully his way in the end zone in the closing minutes of the 3rd quarter, and QB Greg Stevenson would find Cameron Carrathers on a 4th and goal in the opening seconds of the final quarter. The Stampede would prevail 35-0.
North Texas improved its record to 2-1, and are on the road this weekend to face the Lonestar Pitbulls. The Wildcats of East Texas fall to 1-2, and host the Wichita Falls Vipers in their next contest.
Highlights of the game can be viewed on our YouTube channel at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmCca-GqIzk
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- Julius Williams stiff arm Credit: Chase Rader
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- Jason Goss on an interception–Chase Rader
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- Jason Goss returning the opening kickoff–Chase Rader
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- Lenny Williams making a run at the end zone–Chase Rader
Chase Rader
Chase graduated from High School in 1999 from Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City. After high school, Chase played one season at William Jewell College in Libery, MO before serving in the Navy from 2001-2004. Currently, he lives Keller, TX with his wife and dog where his wife is a teacher at a nearby school.
Hunger Bowl is this Weekend
January 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
MPFL adds Stampede
September 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Stampede are moving
It may be the biggest move for the two year old league this offseason. Ironically, the league, based in Dallas, TX, only had one team from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. According to the MPFL website, the North Texas Stampede are coming on board.
The Stampede is usually a major player in semi pro football. Just two years ago, the Stampede made an improbable run through the TUFL playoffs knocking off the number one and two teams on the road before losing in the Northern Conference Championship to the Fort Worth Avengers.
Last season, it was Stampede owner Patrick Porter scrambling to keep the Tarrant County Hazard and the Weatherford Bulldogs from jumping ship to the MPFL. Porter, along with Avengers owner/coach Darrel Brummett, started their own talk-show similar to Saturday Night Lights which is operated by Dewayne Gordon and Commish Kimey from the MPFL. It seems that now, Porter has changed his mind.
When I visited with Porter last Fall, he was impressed with the use of media by the MPFL including the videos, etc. He did his best to try to help the TUFL to improve in that area.
The Stampede has always been a mainstay in the TUFL. One can only wonder how this will effect the league. The Stampede has always had a friendly/hate rivalry with the Avengers, and those games will not be played this year. Maybe the teams can play during the preseason.
Gordon and Kimey have accumulated some of the best teams in Texas, and some are among the best in the country. Teams like the Landsharks, the Drillers and the Warriors gave the league instant credibility and the emergence of the Wichita Falls Vipers have added more depth to the league. Now, Gordon and Kimey have convinced Porter to move the Stampede over.
The Spring of 2011 just got a little more interesting.
