Hey SaberCat Fans!

Although we are saddened by the closing of the San Jose SaberCats, we still want to keep the team’s 20 year legacy and memories alive. We have created a new videos page on our website that will have games dating back to the beginning in 1995. You will be able to re-watch or see for the first time SaberCat legends such as Titus Dixon, Sam Hernandez, Mark Grieb, Steve Papin and James Roe battle in the arena.

Rewind back in time and enjoy the memorable moments of the SaberCats. It has been an unbelievable journey and we could not have done it without our faithful and supportive fans. Thank you for 20 great years!

You can view the videos HERE. As of right now we have games from 1999, 2004-2008 and 2011-2013. Please keep checking back as we continue to upload more. (The video will start playing once it is completely buffered.)

Go SaberCats!

(SAN JOSE, Calif.)- The San Jose SaberCats owner and head coach Darren Arbet issued a statement today regarding the team.

It was announced last month that the SaberCats current ownership would not be continuing in the Arena Football League.

“I want to personally thank the fans, media and our staff for all of their support over the past 20 years,” Arbet said. “I also want to thank the Fry family for the opportunity to be a part of such a great organization. When I joined this team in 1995 as an assistant coach I envisioned being one of the most successful teams in this league’s history.”

The SaberCats currently rank fourth all-time in Arena Football League history with 198 regular season wins.
“Enough cannot be said about all of our players and coaches and I am grateful for their dedication and commitment,” Arbet said.

In August, the SaberCats defeated the Jacksonville Sharks in ArenaBowl XXVIII to win its fourth championship at the Stockton Arena, Arbet’s hometown.

“This team means everything to me and we couldn’t have accomplished what we have without the loyal support of the entire SaberCat Country who are the best fans in the league.”

ABOUT THE SAN JOSE SABERCATS
The four-time Arena Bowl Champion San Jose SaberCats won Arena Bowl XXVIII in 2015.
-THIS IS SABERCATS COUNTRY-

(SAN JOSE, Calif.)- The San Jose SaberCats announced that they have been assigned defensive back David Hyland as well as offensive lineman Dionte Savage and Nick Embernate.

“David has been a valuable player on our team and a big part of our success last year and we are pleased to have him back,” said owner and head coach Darren Arbet. “It is also important to have depth on your offensive line and adding young talent like Dionte and Nick will help us as well.”

Hyland (6-feet, 200 pounds) started 15 games for the SaberCats last season recording 95 total tackles (76 solo), five interceptions, 12 pass breakups and five fumble recoveries. Hyland was named Defensive Player of the Game and Playmaker of the Game at ArenaBowl XXVIII with five tackles, an interception returned for a touchdown and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. He was also awarded the AFL Al Lucas Pulse Hero Award for his work in the community.

In 2014, Hyland recorded 36.5 total tackles, three interceptions and five pass breakups in eight games as a member of the SaberCats. He spent the 2012 and 2013 season as a member of the Utah Blaze.

Hyland began his AFL career with the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz in 2010, where he had 76.5 tackles, eight interceptions and 12 pass breakups as a rookie. The Morehead State Eagle earned First Team All-PFL honors three times and set a FCS record with 61 pass break ups and a school record with 21 career interceptions.

Savage (6-foot-5, 335 pounds) joins the SaberCats as a rookie out of Oklahoma. Savage started at guard for the Sooners over the past two seasons, earning Big-12 Honorable Mention. Prior to Oklahoma, he played at Arizona Western College, where he earned Second Team All-American honors. Savage spend time with the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent earlier this season.

Embernate (6-foot-4, 300 pounds) also joins the SaberCats as a rookie. A three year starter at guard for San Diego State, he earned First Team All-Mountain West Conference honors in 2012. Embernate signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and spent time with the Toronto Argnoauts of the CFL earlier this year.

ABOUT THE SAN JOSE SABERCATS
The four-time Arena Bowl champion San Jose SaberCats will begin its 20th season in the AFL in 2016 after winning ArenaBowl XXVIII in 2015. Fans and sponsors can go tothesanjosesabercats.com or call 408-673-3400 to sign up to receive the latest news and updates about the SaberCats, as well as to purchase 2016 season tickets. Make sure to follow the SaberCats on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest news on the team.
-THIS IS SABERCATS COUNTRY-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 30, 2015

AFL ANNOUNCES 2016 CONFERENCE ALIGNMENT

LAS VEGAS – The Arena Football League has announced its alignment for the 2016 AFL season, featuring two conferences – American and National – based on geographic relationships and historic rivalries.

The five-team American Conference will feature the Cleveland Gladiators, Jacksonville Sharks, Orlando Predators, Philadelphia Soul, and Tampa Bay Storm. The National Conference will consist of four teams, including the Arizona Rattlers, Los Angeles KISS, Portland Thunder, and defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats.

The League has also announced that free agency will begin on Thursday, November 5. Players who have not been assigned to a team roster, street free agents or rookies who did not have their options exercised may then sign a contract with any AFL team.

About the AFL
Since its inception in 1987, the Arena Football League has showcased a fast-paced and exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets across the country. The ESPN family of networks and CBS Sports Network nationally broadcast AFL games each week, culminating with the ArenaBowl on ESPN.

(SAN JOSE, Calif.)- The San Jose SaberCats announced that they have been assigned offensive lineman Colin Madison.

Madison (6-foot-4, 310) started 15 games for the SaberCats last season en route to winning his first ArenaBowl Championship.

“Colin was an important piece on our offensive line last season and having him back helps to solidify our offense,” said owner and head coach Darren Arbet.

He started in 17 games for the Pittsburgh Power in 2014, where he was named Second Team All-Arena offensive lineman. In 2013, Madison started 14 games for the Chicago Rush, where he hauled in five receptions for 64 yards and three touchdowns as well as anchoring the Rush’s offensive line.

Madison spent time with the Baltimore Ravens (NFL) in 2011 as an undrafted free agent.

A three year starter at Temple, Madison earned First-Team All-MAC honors his senior year in 2010. During his junior campaign in 2009, Madison was named the team’s Offensive Most Valuable Player.

The San Jose SaberCats announced that they have be assigned defensive lineman Donte Paige-Moss.

Paige-Moss (6-foot-4, 280) made an appearance in 16 games for the SaberCats last season, registering a career-high nine sacks, four forced fumbles and 29 tackles.

He spent the 2014 season with the Thunder, amassing 23.5 tackles and set a team-record with seven sacks in 17 games as a rookie.

Prior to the AFL, Paige-Moss spent the 2012 season with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, finishing the season with two tackles.

A two year starter at North Carolina, Paige- Moss saw his best production in as a sophomore in 2010, where he totaled 49 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

(San Jose, Calif.)- The San Jose SaberCats announce that it has been assigned defensive back Demarcus Robinson and offensive lineman Thaddeus Coleman in the Arena Football League’s off-season assignment process.

Robinson (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) has five years of experience in the AFL, completing the 2015 season as a member of the Las Vegas Outlaws after beginning the season with the Jacksonville Sharks. From 2012-2014, Robinson played for the New Orleans VooDoo, totaling 205 tackles, 32 pass breakups and eight interceptions over the three year period.

In 2011, Robinson joined the Cleveland Gladiators as a rookie, recording 75.5 tackles and was tied for a team-high with five interceptions.

After starting at Tyler College in Texas, Robinson played safety at Henderson State University, earning All-American honors in 2007 with 82 tackles and nine interceptions.

Coleman (6-foot-8, 335 pounds) has four years of experience in the AFL, most recently in 2013 as a member of the New Orleans VooDooo. Currently, Coleman is on the Other League’s Exempt List as a member of the Edmonton Eskimos practice squad in the Canadian Football League.

In 2008, Coleman signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent, also spending time with the New York Jets.

Coleman played left tackle at Mississippi Valley State, earning First Team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference honors in both his junior and senior year.

ABOUT THE SAN JOSE SABERCATS
The four-time Arena Bowl champion San Jose SaberCats will begin its 20th season in the AFL in 2016 after winning ArenaBowl XXVIII in 2015. Fans and sponsors can go to thesanjosesabercats.com or call 408-673-3400 to sign up to receive the latest news and updates about the SaberCats, as well as to purchase 2016 season tickets. Make sure to follow the SaberCats on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest news on the team.
-THIS IS SABERCATS COUNTRY-

Our very own David Hyland, the 2015 AFL Al Lucas Pulse Hero Award winner for his contribution in the community and role on and off the field, continued his volunteering efforts this week.
Hyland will be a volunteer counselor at the Xtreme Life Weekend Camp this week. Below is a Q & A session we had with him.
For more details on Xtreme Life visit https://kids3.org/xtreme-life-weekends/.

Q: What is the purpose of the camp?
A: The purpose of the Xtreme Life Weekend Camps is to teach social and emotional skills as well as character building, conflict resolution, and team building in an engaging and fun atmosphere. Most of the kids have been in the foster system their entire lives and haven’t had the opportunity to ever go camping, go zip lining, rock climbing, make smores, etc. It’s a way to promote confidence and help encourage them in a really positive and fun atmosphere.

Q: How many years have you and your family participated in the camp?
A: My Mom has been volunteering with KidS3 for seven years, while my dad has served for 4 years and is the acting Chairman of the Board as of last year. This will be my second year volunteering at the camp and I got involved through my parents. The camp can only invite as many kids as they can account for with counselors so I wanted to help to make sure they could accommodate everyone who wanted to go.

Q: What are your duties as a counselor?
A: Obviously the safety of the kids is first responsibility. Getting to know them and help encourage them is another important duty. We also follow a short, bible-based curriculum with our campers that include messages of overcoming hard situations and other relatable topics. The rest is to promote fun and have a good time.

Q: What do you enjoy most about the camp?
A: My favorite part of the camp takes place the last day. Each kid is presented with a customized photo album of their experience. Then they go around and have everyone else sign them like yearbooks. The kids light up and it’s really neat to see how much something so small means to them. The bonds you make over a few day period is pretty special.

Q: What should we know about this camp?
A: This camp is something I’m very passionate about. I was fortunate enough to be raised in an amazing family but for a lot of these kids, it’s been a very rough home life. Most of them come from group homes or have been passed from foster home to foster home their entire lives. The camp can only support enough kids as they can raise funds. Most counselors pay the way for their kids from their own pockets but there are a lot more kids that would want to come. Any way that people can help would be significant to the success of KidS3 and the Xtreme Life Weekend.

If you would like to donate and help sponsor a foster child, you can click HERE.

(Stockton)- The San Jose SaberCats rode a 35-point second half to earn their fourth championship, defeating the Jacksonville Sharks, 68-47 in ArenaBowl XXVIII on Saturday at the Stockton Arena in front of a capacity crowd of 9,115.

“It was a team effort, team win and there are a whole bunch of people you have to thank,” said Owner and Head Coach Darren Arbet.

Photo By: Tim Cattera

Quarterback Erik Meyer completed 17-of-29 passes for 204 yards, throwing four touchdowns and adding two more on the ground.

“It’s like any big fight or competition,” said Arbet. “Both teams come out swinging and someone has to take over and I felt we could take over.”

With the win, San Jose became the first team in Arena Football League history with a 20-win season (including playoffs).

The Sharks offense opened the game with a six-play drive, capped off by a 23-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Grady to Joe Hills, giving Jacksonville an early 7-0 edge.

However, the SaberCats answered on the ensuing drive, scoring on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Meyer to Reggie Gray in the back corner of the end zone. With a missed point-after-try, San Jose trailed 7-6. Gray led the SaberCats with nine receptions for 95 yards and three touchdowns.

The battle raged on, as Tiger Jones made the Cutters Catch of the Game, leaping up and snagging the ball while flipping backwards over the boards for the 15-yard touchdown and a 14-6 lead.

San Jose and Jacksonville would go on to trade scores in each of the teams next two possessions; First by San Jose with a four-yard touchdown reception by Gray and then by Jacksonville with a deep, 29-yard touchdown reception by Hills. SaberCats defensive lineman Donte Paige-Moss broke through the line and blocked the PAT, as the Sharks held a 20-13 edge.

Answering in championship fashion, Meyer would buy time and scramble down to the one yard line, setting up Odie Armstrong for the one-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 20-20 with 3:03 left in the half. After recovering an onside kick, the Sharks regained the lead at 27-20, with Hills’ third touchdown reception of the half.

On the heels of an eight-yard touchdown reception by Hills, his fourth of the half, the Sharks held a 34-27 halftime lead. Hills led Jacksonville with nine receptions for 133 yards and four touchdowns.

Opening the second half, the SaberCats would score on a beautiful touch pass from Meyer to D.J. Stephens who fought to keep possession on the 26-yard touchdown, giving San Jose the lead at 34-33.

Building on the momentum, Francis Maka, the SaberCats’ all-time leader in sacks, tipped a Grady pass at the line of scrimmage, allowing Hyland to grab the interception, returning it for the touchdown. Hyland’s second interception of the postseason gave San Jose a 41-33. Grady completed 22-of-36 passes for 310 yards and seven touchdowns, throwing the one costly interception.

On the following drive, the SaberCats league-leading defense, which forced 47 turnovers in the regular season, forced another Jacksonville turnover, when Paige-Moss stripped receiver Michael Lindsey and Clevan Thomas recovered.

“The defense has stepped up all year and got it done,” said Arbet. “I had a lot of faith in them and I knew they were going to start making some plays and they did.”

Deep in Sharks territory, the SaberCats pulled ahead, 48-33 with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Meyer to a wide open Darius Reynolds.

The SaberCats special teams also got into the fray, with kicker Nich Pertuit’s kickoff going off the bar and recovered in the air by Hyland, who returned the bar ball for his second touchdown of the game.

With the vaunted SaberCats defense locking down the Sharks, Jacksonville did not score in the second half until 9:07 remained in the fourth quarter, with a 24-yard touchdown reception by Terrance Smith.

The win marked the fourth ArenaBowl Championship for Arbet, who now holds sole possession of second place all-time in AFL history.

“I will never forget these last two weeks for the rest of my life,” said Arbet in regards to winning it all in his hometown.

Players of the Game:
Offensive Player of the Game: Erik Meyer
Defensive Player of the Game: David Hyland
J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Game: David Hyland
Cutters Catch of the Game: Tiger Jones 1st QT TD
AFL highlight of the Game: Hyland interception return for a TD 3rd QT