Salina Liberty: Difference between revisions

Salina Liberty
Salina Liberty
Current season
	Established 2015; Play in Tony’s Pizza Events Center; in Salina, Kansas; www.salinaliberty.com
League/conference affiliations
	Champions Indoor Football (2016–2023) Northern Division (2016); North Conference (2017–2019); ; Arena Football League (2024); Arena Football One (2025-future) Central Division (2025-present); ;
	Current uniform
Team colors	Navy, blue, red, silver, white;
Mascot	Sideline Sam
Personnel
Owner(s)	Precision Sports, LLC; Roy Lawrence; Dan and Linda Mendicina; Tom Perez; Josh Perez; Jimmy and Robyne Sponder; Dan Kieborz and Jennifer Main
General manager	Sam Sellers
Head coach	Heron O'Neal
Team history
	Salina Liberty (2016–present);
Championships
	League championships (1); 2022;
	Conference championships (1); 2019;
	Division championships (0);
Playoff appearances (5)
	2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023;
Home arena(s)
	Tony’s Pizza Events Center (2016–present);

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Latest revision as of 18:00, 27 November 2024

The Salina Liberty are a professional indoor football team based in Salina, Kansas. They began play in 2016 as members of the Champions Indoor Football (CIF) and played in the Arena Football League in 2024. In 2025, they will become inaugural members of the newly-formed Arena Football One. The team plays their home games at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center.

History

Indoor football in Salina started in 2012 as the Salina Bombers, an expansion franchise for the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL), were announced for the 2013 season. The Bombers then joined Champions Indoor Football (CIF) due to a merger between the CPIFL and the Lone Star Football League for 2015. However, during their first season in the CIF, the league ejected the Bombers for a "business violation" on May 28^[1] and they would cease operations later that month.^[2] In July 2015, the CIF announced it had replaced the Bombers with a new expansion team in Salina called the Salina Liberty.^[3]

The Liberty began play in the Champions Indoor Football League in 2016 finishing last in the Northern Division and failing to qualify for the playoffs. In 2017 Salina Liberty received their first win on the road against Bloomington Edge 47-34 after promoting Offensive Coordinator Mike Bonner to Head Coach. The team finished 1-4 under Coach Bonner.

General Manager Ricky Bertz decided to go in another direction after the 2017 season. After hiring Herron O’Neal The Liberty finished first in the CIF's North Conference regular season in 2018 and 2019. They won the conference playoff championship in 2019 and played in the Champions Bowl for the league title, but lost to the Duke City Gladiators 29–35.

On September 25, 2023, the Liberty were implicitly announced to be joining the Arena Football League after the AFL announced it would be absorbing CIF's remaining franchises.^[4] Then nearly one year later on September 4, 2024, the Liberty announced their move to the new Arena Football One following the collapse of the AFL. They will play in the league's new Central Division along with the Corpus Christi Tritons, Southwest Kansas Storm and Wichita Regulators.

Current roster

**Salina Liberty roster**
Quarterbacks Currently vacant Running backs -- Luis Gonzalez Wide receivers -- Tyler Cargill -- Dallas Dixon		Offensive linemen -- Dallas Reins Defensive linemen -- Jordan Harris -- Denaz Ross -- Bryson Kelly		Linebackers Currently vacant Defensive backs -- Tyler Cargill -- Shaquez Bond Special teams Currently vacant		Reserve lists Currently vacant Rookies in italics Roster updated November 27, 2024 8 Active, 0 Inactive

Staff

**Salina Liberty staff**
	Front office Co-Owner - Roy Lawrence Co-Owners - Dan and Linda Mendicina Co-Owner - Tom Perez Co-Owner - Josh Perez Co-Owners - Jimmy and Robyne Sponder Co-Owners - Dan Kieborz and Jennifer Main General manager - Sam Sellers Director of player personnel - Brandon Davis Marketing - Katie Junk Equipment manager - Jimmy Stevens Equipment manager - Cameron Pflaum Head coaches Head coach - Heron O'Neal Assistant coach - Jorge Martinez Assistant coach - Dylan Mendicina Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator - TBA Offensive line coach - Matt Wells			Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – LJ Jackson Defensive line coach - Matt Wells

Season-by-season results

League Champions	Conference Champions	Division Champions	Playoff berth	League leader

Season	League	Conference	Division	Regular season				Postseason results
Season	League	Conference	Division	Finish	Wins	Losses	Ties	Postseason results
2016	CIF		Northern	6th	2	10	0
2017	CIF	North		7th	1	11	0
2018	CIF	North		1st	9	3	0	Won Conference Semifinal (Bismarck) 81–51 Lost Conference Championship (Sioux City) 39–45
2019	CIF	North		1st	8	4	0	Won Conference Championship (Omaha) 44–42 Lost Champions Bowl (Duke City) 29–35
2020	CIF	North		Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021	CIF			1st	9	1	0	Won Semifinal (Dodge City) 55–31 Lost Champions Bowl (Omaha) 39–40
2022	CIF			2nd	7	3	0	Won Semifinal (Billings) 26–14 Won Champions Bowl (Omaha) 38–34
2023	CIF			2nd	8	2	0	Won Semifinal (Gillette) 37–30 Lost Champions Bowl (Omaha) 30–50
Totals					44	34	0	All-time regular season record (2016–2023)
					6	4	—	All-time postseason record (2016–2023)
					50	38	0	All-time regular season and postseason record (2016–2023)

References

^ Copp, Jake (May 28, 2015). "Salina Bombers dissolving football team". Salina, KS: KWCH-DT. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
^ "Salina Bombers Suspended from CIF". Champions Indoor Football. May 28, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015 – via Our Sports Central.
^ "Indoor football: Salina Liberty announced as latest CIF franchise". Star Local Media. July 24, 2015.
^ "Mustangs football will not play in Gillette in 2024". county17.com. September 25, 2023.

External links

Salina Liberty official website

[kwch150528-1] Copp, Jake (May 28, 2015). "Salina Bombers dissolving football team". Salina, KS: KWCH-DT. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.

[cif150528-2] "Salina Bombers Suspended from CIF". Champions Indoor Football. May 28, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015 – via Our Sports Central.

[3] "Indoor football: Salina Liberty announced as latest CIF franchise". Star Local Media. July 24, 2015.

[4] "Mustangs football will not play in Gillette in 2024". county17.com. September 25, 2023.

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@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 | misc = {{url|http://www.salinaliberty.com}}
 | colors = Navy, blue, red, silver, white<br/>{{color box|#002244}} {{color box|#4B92DB}} {{color box|#C60C30}} {{color box|#A5ACAF}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}}
+| owner = Precision Sports, LLC<br>Roy Lawrence<br>Dan and Linda Mendicina<br>Tom Perez<br>Josh Perez<br>Jimmy and Robyne Sponder<br>Dan Kieborz and Jennifer Main
-| owner = Precision Sports, LLC.
-| general manager = Francis Flax
+| general manager = Sam Sellers
 | coach = Heron O'Neal
 | cheerleaders =
@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 '''Wide receivers'''
+{{NFLplayer|--|Tyler Cargill|link=no}}
-*''Currently vacant''
+{{NFLplayer|--|Dallas Dixon|link=no}}
 | style="width: 25px;" |
 | style="font-size: 95%;vertical-align:top;" | '''Offensive linemen'''
+{{NFLplayer|--|Dallas Reins|link=no}}
-*''Currently vacant''
 '''Defensive linemen'''
+{{NFLplayer|--|Jordan Harris|link=no}}
+{{NFLplayer|--|Denaz Ross|link=no}}
 {{NFLplayer|--|Bryson Kelly|link=no}}
@@ Line 76: / Line 79: @@
 '''Defensive backs'''
+{{NFLplayer|--|Tyler Cargill|link=no}}
-*''Currently vacant''
+{{NFLplayer|--|Shaquez Bond|link=no}}
 '''Special teams'''
 *''Currently vacant''
@@ Line 86: / Line 91: @@
 {{ubl
 |''Rookies in italics''
-|Roster updated November 19, 2024
+|Roster updated November 27, 2024
-|0 Active, 0 Inactive
+|8 Active, 0 Inactive
 }}
 |-
@@ Line 97: / Line 102: @@
 |TeamName=Salina Liberty
 |Front Office=
-* Owner - Precision Sports, LLC
+* Co-Owner - Roy Lawrence
+* Co-Owners - Dan and Linda Mendicina
-* General manager - Francis Flax
+* Co-Owner - Tom Perez
+* Co-Owner - Josh Perez
+* Co-Owners - Jimmy and Robyne Sponder
+* Co-Owners - Dan Kieborz and Jennifer Main
+* General manager - Sam Sellers
+* Director of player personnel - Brandon Davis
+* Marketing - Katie Junk
+* Equipment manager - Jimmy Stevens
+* Equipment manager - Cameron Pflaum
 |Head Coaches=
 * Head coach - Heron O'Neal
+* Assistant coach - Jorge Martinez
+* Assistant coach - Dylan Mendicina
 |Offensive Coaches=
 * Offensive coordinator - TBA
-* Offensive coach - TBA
+* Offensive line coach - Matt Wells
 |Defensive Coaches=
-* Defensive coordinator – TBA
+* Defensive coordinator – LJ Jackson
+* Defensive line coach - Matt Wells
 }}

v t e Arena Football One (2025)
Teams	Albany Firebirds Arizona Bandits Billings Outlaws Corpus Christi Tritons Monterrey Kings Nashville Kats Oregon Lightning Orlando Predators Salina Liberty Southwest Kansas Storm Stockton Crusaders Washington Wolfpack Wichita Regulators Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Mavericks
Seasons	2025

v t e Arena Football League (2024)
Teams	Albany Firebirds Billings Outlaws Georgia Force Iowa Rampage Louisiana VooDoo Minnesota Myth Nashville Kats Oregon Blackbears Orlando Predators Philadelphia Soul Rapid City Marshals Salina Liberty Southwest Kansas Storm Washington Wolfpack West Texas Desert Hawks Wichita Regulators
Seasons	2024