The Albany Empire Made a Statement

The Albany Empire Made a Statement

@MikeRyanRadio | 4.17.23

A lot of words on my mind but all I can think about is the crowd chanting “DEUCE” and I’m here for it all season. We’ll touch on that in a second. The Albany Empire began their 2023 season with an incredible display of offensive firepower in their week one game against the Orlando Predators. The Empire dominated the first half, scoring an impressive 47 points that proved to be too much for the Predators to overcome. The energy in the arena was palpable as the home crowd cheered on their team to a resounding 70-33 victory.

Missed the game? Watch right here

Led by the 2022 league MVP Darius Prince, who had nine catches for 151 yards and four touchdowns, the Empire’s offense proved too much for the Predators to handle. Quarterback Sam Castronova was also instrumental in the win, throwing for 229 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for two.

The Empire’s defense was equally impressive, holding the Predators to just 13 points in the second half. This stellar defensive performance helped the team seal their week one victory and set the tone for what promises to be an exciting season ahead. “DEUCE!!!!” is all I can hear and that is when the kicker (our kicker #12 was a beast) kicks the ball through the uprights on the opening kick-off for 2 points, hence the DEUCE chants.

Looking forward, the Empire will face the San Antonio Gunslingers in their next game at MVP Arena on Saturday, April 22, at 7 PM. The team’s success on the field has also translated to fan engagement, with even owner / superstar Antonio Brown taking pictures with fans in the stands. The Albany Empire looks poised for another successful season in the Arena Football League.

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