Huntington Heroes
Encyclopedia
The Huntington Heroes were a professional indoor football franchise and member of the American Indoor Football Association. The Heroes played their home games during their inaugural 2006 season at the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse
Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse
The Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse is a 8,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Huntington, West Virginia. It was built in 1950. Prior to the completion of the Huntington Civic Center in 1976, it was the only large arena in the city.The Fieldhouse was the home of the Marshall University basketball teams...

 in Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...

, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...

 before moving to the larger Big Sandy Superstore Arena
Big Sandy Superstore Arena
The Big Sandy Superstore Arena, originally known as the Huntington Civic Center and later as the Huntington Civic Arena, is a municipal complex located in the downtown area of Huntington, West Virginia one block west of Pullman Square. The Big Sandy Superstore Arena consists of a 9,000-seat...

 for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The Heroes were the second indoor football franchise for Huntington, following the River Cities LocoMotives
River Cities LocoMotives
The River Cities LocoMotives were a professional indoor football team based in Huntington, West Virginia in 2001. The team competed in the inaugural season of the National Indoor Football League . The "Locos" played their home games in the Huntington Civic Arena...

, who played one season (2001) in the National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, af2, however, that changed briefly with their expansion into AFL...

, and were followed by the Huntington Hammer in 2011. The Heroes were usually known for featuring many former Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....

 football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 players from the Marshall Thundering Herd program located in Huntington.

The team's mascot, due in part to the name of their original arena, was a tribute to local military veterans. The uniform colors were red, white, and blue. The team wore blue helmets and blue home jerseys with white pants, and white away jerseys with red pants.

Heroes History

The Huntington Heroes made their debut on March 11, 2006 in front of 3,100 fans at the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse with a 62-13 victory over the Miami Valley Silverbacks. Following their first road win the following week at Johnstown, the Heroes suffered the franchise's first defeat at home on March 25, 2006 to the Erie Freeze. The Heroes got their revenge two weeks later by defeating the Freeze in Erie, 55-33, handing the Freeze their first regular season loss since their inception and standing as the Heroes' first signature win.

Two league controversies soured the last half of the 2006 regular season. On April 23, the league had scheduled the Steubenville Stampede to play at Huntington, with a return visit by Huntington to Steubenville on June 3. However, Steubenville had been given an incorrect schedule and refused to travel to Huntington on April 23rd once the error was discovered. The league awarded Huntington a forfeit win and scheduled the Florence Phantoms to play at Huntington on June 10 for its seventh home game. Additionally, in a game between two teams near the top of the standings on May 6th, the Canton Legends traveled to Huntington and played with four players not on their roster, including some players from other teams. Canton won the game, 54-41, but controversy followed. Initially, the league gave a forfeit win to the Heroes, but the league later ruled that the Legends would retain the win but pay an $800 fine.

Despite controversy, the Heroes finished the 2006 regular season with a 9-5 record, 4th in the Northern Conference, and qualified for the AIFL playoffs. However, the 2006 season would end in the first round of the AIFL playoffs with a 57-23 loss at #1-seed Reading Express.

On July 28, 2006, the Heroes announced that they were joining the Augusta, Daytona Beach, Rome, and Raleigh to form the World Indoor Football League. However, on August 16, the Heroes announced they would be moving to the Big Sandy Superstore Arena and that they would be remaining in the AIFL. Before the start of the following season, the Heroes joined all other AIFL league teams in disbanding the AIFL and joining the AIFA.

The early 2007 season was marked by quarterback issues. Former Marshall QB Jimmy Skinner and Joey Conrad led the team to a slow 3-3 start as well as a loss to the Carolina Speed in the exhibition Charity Bowl. Heroes quarterback coach Dane Damron traded in the headset for a helmet and suited up as started as starting quarterback in the April 7th game against the Erie Freeze. The Heroes, led by Damron at QB, would win seven games in a row (franchise record) before falling by 2 at rival Canton in the final game of the regular season that would determine who had the home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs between the same two teams.

The Heroes finished the 2007 season with a 10-4 regular season record, finishing 3rd in the Northern Conference, and qualifying for the AIFA playoffs. The Heroes made the return trip to Canton the following week, but could not match the intensity of the previous week, losing 76-43.

Following the 2007 season, Coach Gary McPeek, who had led the team since its inception and compiled a 19-11 record, announced his intention to leave the team to join the coaching staff with the Lexington Horsemen in AF2. The Heroes turned to Coach Teddy Keaton
Teddy Keaton
Teddy Keaton is an American football coach that currently serves as the fourth head coach of the Stillman College Tigers since the reinstatement of the program in 1999. Keaton graduated from Stillman in 1999 and served as an assistant coach under Theophilus Danzy through the 2004 season...

 from the 2007 AIFA champion Lakeland Thunderbolts to lead the team in 2008, bringing with him a professional indoor football coaching record of 50-7 plus six players from the former Lakeland team. Through the first six weeks of the 2008 season, the Huntington Heroes stood at the top of the Eastern Conference with a 5-1 record and led the conference in both scoring offense and scoring defense.

On April 24th, 2008, Heroes players refused to board the bus and travel for a game the following day against the Florence Phantoms. Ultimately, eight players and three members of the coaching staff resigned. On April 25, a team hastily constructed of Florence-area players and members of the Baltimore Mariners practice squad was put together by the AIFA and played as the Huntington Heroes, losing to the Phantoms 66-12.

The Heroes announced a restructuring, naming Carlos Clayton the team's head coach. Ten remaining members of the team and several new players, including several former Heroes players from prior years, announced they continue for the rest of the season. Following three consecutive losses to division foe Fayetteville which then featured several Heroes players that played for Huntington just two weeks earlier as well as back-to-back losses to Erie, Clayton was replaced as head coach by Paul Blankenship. In the first game under Blankenship, the Hereoes defeated rival Reading at home, 50-41, but special teams mistakes cost the Heroes in both of their final games of the season. The Heroes would actually make the trip to Florence to play the eventual AIFA Champion Phantoms in the first round, but the Heroes finished with a 55-9 defeat.

In 2010, AIFL owner and founder Andrew Haines announced that he would be reviving his league as the Ultimate Indoor Football League
Ultimate Indoor Football League
The Ultimate Indoor Football League is a regional professional indoor football league that began its inaugural season on February 18, 2011.-History:...

 in 2011, with Huntington as one of its teams. The team will receive a new name in a fan contest.

Season-By-Season

|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Huntington Heroes (AIFL)
|-
|2006 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 4th Northern || Lost NC Round 1 (Reading
Reading Express
The Reading Express are a professional indoor football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Indoor Football League, having begun play as a member of the American Indoor Football League 2006...

)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Huntington Heroes (AIFA)
|-
|2007 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 3rd Northern || Lost NC Round 1 (Canton
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...

)
|-
|2008 || 6 || 8 || 0 || 2nd EC Eastern || Lost ECE Round 1 (Florence
Florence Phantoms
The Florence Phantoms was a professional arena football team based out of Florence, South Carolina, in the United States. They are a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, and the current AIFA Champions as of the 2008 season's end...

)
|-
!Totals || 25 || 20 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)

2008 Season Results

Date Opponent Home
Home team
In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...

/Away
Home team
In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...

Result
March 15 Florida Stingrays
Florida Stingrays
The Florida Stingrays was a 2008 expansion team of the American Indoor Football Association. They played their home games at the Lee County Civic Center...

Home Won 56-9
March 21 Florence Phantoms
Florence Phantoms
The Florence Phantoms was a professional arena football team based out of Florence, South Carolina, in the United States. They are a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, and the current AIFA Champions as of the 2008 season's end...

Home Won 47-32
March 29 Carolina Speed Away Won 40-35
April 5 Reading Express
Reading Express
The Reading Express are a professional indoor football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Indoor Football League, having begun play as a member of the American Indoor Football League 2006...

Away Lost 38-57
April 11 Erie RiverRats Home Won 54-24
April 19 Canton Legends
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...

Home Won 49-6
April 25 Florence Phantoms
Florence Phantoms
The Florence Phantoms was a professional arena football team based out of Florence, South Carolina, in the United States. They are a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, and the current AIFA Champions as of the 2008 season's end...

Away Lost 12-66
May 3 Fayetteville Guard
Fayetteville Guard
The Fayetteville Force is the former name of a professional indoor football team in the Southern Indoor Football League. They debuted the SIFL following the SIFL/AIFA merger and play home games at the Cumberland County Crown Coliseum....

Home Lost 26-34
May 9 Erie RiverRats Away Lost 43-47
May 17 Erie RiverRats Home Lost 31-52
May 31 Reading Express
Reading Express
The Reading Express are a professional indoor football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Indoor Football League, having begun play as a member of the American Indoor Football League 2006...

Home Won 50-41
June 7 Fayetteville Guard
Fayetteville Guard
The Fayetteville Force is the former name of a professional indoor football team in the Southern Indoor Football League. They debuted the SIFL following the SIFL/AIFA merger and play home games at the Cumberland County Crown Coliseum....

Away Lost 34-61
June 15 Columbus Lions
Columbus Lions
The Columbus Lions are an indoor football team of the Professional Indoor Football League. Based in Columbus, Georgia, the Lions play their home games at the Columbus Civic Center...

Away Lost 54-57
June 21 Canton Legends
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...

Away Lost 39-43
July 7 Florence Phantoms
Florence Phantoms
The Florence Phantoms was a professional arena football team based out of Florence, South Carolina, in the United States. They are a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, and the current AIFA Champions as of the 2008 season's end...

 (Playoffs)
Away Lost 9-55

2007 Season Results

Date Opponent Home
Home team
In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...

/Away
Home team
In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...

Result
February 3 Carolina Speed Home Lost 57-61
February 9 Johnstown Riverhawks
Johnstown Riverhawks
The Johnstown Riverhawks was a professional indoor football team based out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association. They played their home games at Cambria County War Memorial Arena....

Away Won 35-24
February 17 Canton Legends
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...

Home Lost 52-69
March 3 Florence Phantoms
Florence Phantoms
The Florence Phantoms was a professional arena football team based out of Florence, South Carolina, in the United States. They are a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, and the current AIFA Champions as of the 2008 season's end...

Away Won 43-40
March 17 Carolina Speed (exhibition) Away Lost 34-35
March 24 Johnstown Riverhawks
Johnstown Riverhawks
The Johnstown Riverhawks was a professional indoor football team based out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association. They played their home games at Cambria County War Memorial Arena....

Home Won 47-22
March 31 Reading Express
Reading Express
The Reading Express are a professional indoor football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Indoor Football League, having begun play as a member of the American Indoor Football League 2006...

Away Lost 18-48
April 7 Erie Freeze
Erie Freeze
The Erie Freeze was an American indoor football team based in Erie, Pennsylvania.They were an original member of the American Indoor Football League in 2005, and advanced to the first AIFL Championship Game. When the league was reorganized into the American Indoor Football Association in 2007, they...

Away Won 45-44
April 12 Erie Freeze
Erie Freeze
The Erie Freeze was an American indoor football team based in Erie, Pennsylvania.They were an original member of the American Indoor Football League in 2005, and advanced to the first AIFL Championship Game. When the league was reorganized into the American Indoor Football Association in 2007, they...

Home Won 70-48
April 21 Pittsburgh RiverRats
Pittsburgh RiverRats
The Erie Explosion is a professional indoor football team. It is a member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League, and plays its home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania.-History:...

Home Won 55-34
April 28 Danville Demolition
Danville Demolition
The Danville Demolition were an American Indoor Football Association team played in 2007. The team played their home games at the David S. Palmer Arena.- History :...

Away Won 70-34
May 12 Danville Demolition
Danville Demolition
The Danville Demolition were an American Indoor Football Association team played in 2007. The team played their home games at the David S. Palmer Arena.- History :...

Home Won 56-14
May 19 Reading Express
Reading Express
The Reading Express are a professional indoor football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Indoor Football League, having begun play as a member of the American Indoor Football League 2006...

Home Won 42-29
May 25 Pittsburgh RiverRats
Pittsburgh RiverRats
The Erie Explosion is a professional indoor football team. It is a member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League, and plays its home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania.-History:...

Away Won 69-26
June 1 Canton Legends
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...

Away Lost 50-52
June 7 Canton Legends
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...

 (Playoffs)
Away Lost 43-76

2006 Season Results

Date Opponent Home
Home team
In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...

/Away
Home team
In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...

Result
March 11 Miami Valley Silverbacks
Miami Valley Silverbacks
The Dayton Silverbacks are a professional indoor football team based in Dayton, Ohio. A member of the Continental Indoor Football League, the Silverbacks play their home games at Hara Arena in nearby Trotwood.-History:...

Home Won 62-13
March 17 Johnstown Riverhawks
Johnstown Riverhawks
The Johnstown Riverhawks was a professional indoor football team based out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association. They played their home games at Cambria County War Memorial Arena....

Away Won 38-23
March 25 Erie Freeze
Erie Freeze
The Erie Freeze was an American indoor football team based in Erie, Pennsylvania.They were an original member of the American Indoor Football League in 2005, and advanced to the first AIFL Championship Game. When the league was reorganized into the American Indoor Football Association in 2007, they...

Home Lost 38-46
March 31 Syracuse Soldiers
Syracuse Soldiers
The Syracuse Soldiers was a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football League. They played their home games at the War Memorial at Oncenter in Syracuse, New York until the AIFL ended their season on Friday, May 19, 2006....

Home Won 38-13
April 7 Erie Freeze
Erie Freeze
The Erie Freeze was an American indoor football team based in Erie, Pennsylvania.They were an original member of the American Indoor Football League in 2005, and advanced to the first AIFL Championship Game. When the league was reorganized into the American Indoor Football Association in 2007, they...

Away Won 55-33
April 15 Reading Express
Reading Express
The Reading Express are a professional indoor football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Indoor Football League, having begun play as a member of the American Indoor Football League 2006...

Home Lost 39-54
April 23 Steubenville Stampede
Steubenville Stampede
The Steubenville Stampede was an indoor football franchise, most recently a member of the Continental Indoor Football League. They played their home games at the St. John Arena in Steubenville, Ohio.-2006 season:...

Away Won 2-0*
April 29 Syracuse Soldiers
Syracuse Soldiers
The Syracuse Soldiers was a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football League. They played their home games at the War Memorial at Oncenter in Syracuse, New York until the AIFL ended their season on Friday, May 19, 2006....

Away Won 50-29
May 6 Canton Legends
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...

Home Lost 41-54
May Miami Valley Silverbacks
Miami Valley Silverbacks
The Dayton Silverbacks are a professional indoor football team based in Dayton, Ohio. A member of the Continental Indoor Football League, the Silverbacks play their home games at Hara Arena in nearby Trotwood.-History:...

Away Won 53-45
May Reading Express
Reading Express
The Reading Express are a professional indoor football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Indoor Football League, having begun play as a member of the American Indoor Football League 2006...

Away Lost 21-43
May Canton Legends
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...

Away Lost 49-75
June 3 Johnstown Riverhawks
Johnstown Riverhawks
The Johnstown Riverhawks was a professional indoor football team based out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association. They played their home games at Cambria County War Memorial Arena....

Home Won 43-15
June 10 Florence Phantoms
Florence Phantoms
The Florence Phantoms was a professional arena football team based out of Florence, South Carolina, in the United States. They are a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, and the current AIFA Champions as of the 2008 season's end...

Home Won 60-36
June Reading Express
Reading Express
The Reading Express are a professional indoor football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Indoor Football League, having begun play as a member of the American Indoor Football League 2006...

 (Playoffs)
Away Lost 23-57

Heroes Honors

Fred Ray - QB - 2006 AIFL Northern Conference ProStars First Team

James Martin - DL - 2006 AIFL Northern Conference ProStars First Team

Shane Holsinger - WR - 2006 AIFL Northern Conference ProStars Second Team

James Hawkins - WR - 2006 AIFL Northern Conference ProStars Second Team

Chris Nunn - OL - 2006 AIFL Northern Conference ProStars Second Team

Marcus Hairston - DL - 2006 AIFL Northern Conference ProStars Second Team

Donte Newsome - RB - 2007 AIFA Northern Conference All-Star

Nate McPeek - OL - 2007 AIFA Northern Conference All-Star

Connie Brown - DB - 2007 AIFA Northern Conference All-Star

Darnell Kennedy - QB - 2008 AIFA Northern Conference All-Star Honorable Mention

External links

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