AAL Week 4 can only be described for what it was, a blowout. We had two league-on-league games that ended with an absolute throttling for both home teams. It is something you never want to see, but it is a part of the game. While the AAL and its members build into what we all know it can be, we will see growing pains like the atrocities we witnessed last weekend. We cover the game, a little bit of recent news, and the upcoming AAL vs AAL2 weekend ahead, all in this week’s Everything AAL.
Table of Contents
AAL Week 4 Game Reviews:
Columbus 78 at Jersey 26
We try to be fair and highlight the big plays, the heart-stopping big plays, but there were too many to cover in too big of a blowout. This league is still growing but a 52-point loss is hard to reconcile with. This isn’t the first game Columbus has won by more than 4 scores, and it won’t be the last.
Blain Espinoza is, honestly, one of the driving forces behind it all; his stature and command can be felt as soon as he walks onto the field. He was pulled in the fourth after eight touchdown passes, an AAL record.
When you play teams as good as Columbus, you have to be perfect, mistakes, dumb penalties, and bad overthrows can’t happen. Though they did, the Bearcats had bad snaps the entire first half, overthrows on every other throw, each causing a turnover at some point. When the first half ended, the scoreboard read 44-6.
That lead was insurmountable, especially considering the offense would stay anemic until Columbus started rotating backups in the fourth. The biggest mismatch was the Lions’ defense line and the Bearcats ‘ offense line, Rodriguez was running for his life the entirety of the first four quarters, hence the negative total rushing yards and three sacks.
Overall, it wasn’t the kinda game that holds your attention. In fact, it was the kinda game that causes massive roster turnover, and from the looks of the Jersey social media pages, there will be plenty with the open tryout
Wheeling 69 at Mississippi 24
The Wheeling Miners improved to 2-1 on the season with a dominant 69-24 road victory over the Mississippi Wolfpack. Similar to Wheeling’s Week 2 matchup in Columbus, the Miners came out fast and efficiently, but this time delivered strong performances on both sides of the ball from the opening kickoff.
Wheeling built a 14-6 lead by the end of the first quarter, and by halftime, the game was firmly under control with the Miners holding a commanding 42-6 lead. Every phase of the game clicked for Wheeling in what was easily the team’s most complete performance of the season.
Quarterback Daryll Clark delivered his best outing of the year, completing 14 of 18 passes for 202 yards and seven touchdowns. Isaiah Robinson led the team in receiving yards, hauling in four receptions for 80 yards and two scores. Alex Coleman continued his strong season with five catches for 54 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding a rushing touchdown.
Ranius Daramola also made a major impact, recording three receptions for 40 yards and two touchdowns. For the Wolfpack, running back Jason Hall was one of the few bright spots offensively, totaling 39 rushing yards on nine carries while finding the end zone twice. Wheeling’s defense also continued its recent improvement, although full defensive statistics from the game were difficult to obtain.
Written By Shane Majoris
Week 5 Game Previews:
Peach State at Columbus(-65.5)
Pro/Feeder Team Matchup
This matchup is a solid feature between the best the AAL has to offer and the absolute best the AAL2 South has to offer. Not only is it unique in the fact that one of the Lions coaches is also the Owner of Peach State. We assume he is on the Peach State side in these kinds of matchups but you will have to tune in to find out!
As you saw above Blain Espinoza is a workhorse for the Lions and this game ( if he even plays) should be no different. If not you should expect to see Hill get the start and roll the Cats. This is especially true if Brown starts and gets the opportunity to overpower the Peach State OL, don’t expect it to be close, but do expect the Cats to play a tough game.
Pittsburgh at Wheeling (-28.5)
Pro/Feeder Team Matchup
Looking ahead to Week 5, the Miners return home to WesBanco Arena to host the Pittsburgh Outlaws on Friday, May 15th during the organization’s themed “70’s Night.” While the Outlaws compete in the developmental AAL2 and serve as a farm team for the Miners, several Pittsburgh players have spent time on Wheeling’s roster this season, adding extra intrigue and excitement to the matchup.
The Outlaws are also coming off an impressive performance after defeating the Michigan Avengers 48-6 at home last weekend. Will Walden and RayQuin Glover earned Defensive Player and Offensive Player of the Game honors in Pittsburgh’s victory.
Despite the difference in league status, this matchup should not be viewed as a routine “pro versus semi-pro” game. The Outlaws enter the match with momentum and plenty of motivation, especially with this being one of the biggest games on their schedule this season.
Wheeling will need to approach the matchup with the same intensity it would bring against any AAL Pro opponent if they hope to improve to 3-1. After turning in their strongest overall performance of the year against Mississippi, the Miners will look to carry that momentum into another tough challenge against a hungry Pittsburgh squad.
Written By Shane Majoris
Tri-City at Mississippi (-31.5)
Pro/Developmental Match up
Mississippi needs this game. Point blank this season hasn’t been easy for the boys from Baitsville. Outside of the win at Peach State, they have been blown out by all three AAL opponents. This is a matchup of the worst AAL team against the worst AAL2 team. While we do think Mississippi will easily overpower the RiverGators, the game will have a bit of meaning. Two different players, Crumbs and Hall, both played for Tri-City previously. It will be the kind of full-circle moment that you can only get in a league like the AAL.
Tri-State at Jersey (-31.5)
Pro/Developmental Match up
We pity the Panthers here. This is not the place you want to be after an embarrassing loss. The Bearcats have attempted to retool going into this game and AJ will spare no one to test and break in any roster additions. Expect an absolute thrashing, for the fans at home, we challenge you to check out the game and if you can spot the roster changes for Jersey! This match-up of middle of the road and bottom of the AAL2 East will provide good film, and fun for the boys from Roselle, but that’s as good as it will get.
AAL League News & Thoughts
Once again, it was a fairly slow news week, but we do have a couple of things to hit on.
Jersey Reset
After the 52-point loss to Columbus at home the Bearcats are to have an open tryout to try to add and subtract from their roster, this below was lost to their socials. We noticed a few of their players posting “free agent” in various forums. It will be a key thing to watch in the Pro Vs Developmental week to see if they make any major improvements
Will Columbus Lose?
This is more of a place for fans to answer the question, when you go to share this article, we have one question, will the Lions take a loss? It doesn’t seem so, this might be one of those classic 10-0 seasons for the Lions that we see on reboots and new league launches.
We saw it with the 2024 AIF reboot, and we will probably this year, but who knows? Maybe Wheeling can get them the second time around, maybe the slip up against Jersey after their rebuild, we all doubt it but let us know your thoughts!
AAL Week 5 Schedule
AAL2
Week 5 Scores
War Eagles 24 NJ Eagles 0
Pittsburgh 48 Michigan 6
Peach State 46 Carolina 20
Ohio 35 Michigan 24
AAL2 League News
Ohio Legends at Michigan Avengers Canceled
Due to team issues and scheduling conflicts, the game will not be played, and Ohio will receive a forfeit win, the next Ohio game ( and last home game) is May 30th. This isn’t the first time this has happened to the Legends, but it seems that neither has been of their own fault.
AAL2 Week 6 Game of the Week
Due to the AAL vs AAL2 games drawing in a good chunk of available games, there isn’t going to be a single game barn burner on this list; instead, we will highlight that maybe a little under the radar
Maryland War Eagles at Carolina
On the surface, this may seem like bad vs abysmal, but below that youll find two franchises that aren’t willing to quit. This is especially true for Carolina. Many teams when they get this far into a season still scrambling for a win begin to give up, but this is far from the case. On the other side, you’ll find a team in the War Eagles that is just trying to establish themselves, and that is never an easy task in a league like the AAL2, Expect a hard-fought battle that is close deep into the fourth.
AAL2 Week 6 Schedule
AAL2 Standings
NORTH
Legends 3-1
Outlaws 2-1
Raptors 2-2
Grizzlies 2-3
Avengers 2-3
EAST
Stampede 4-0
Panthers 1-2
Eagles 2-3
War Eagles 1-3
SOUTH
Cats 4-1
Aviators 4-1
Rivergators 1-4
Preds 0-4
Check out our latest AAL2 Player Highlight:
https://www.aal2.com/post/2026-aal2-player-highlight-jd-lehew
We are here, at the midpoint of the season, it feels like we just kicked off the very first games of the American Arena League, but its half way to the end. We have learned a lot about the AAL and its teams. Who could have known we would see pro football successfully come back to Mississippi? Who could have known we would see a player play the first two weeks of the season in Columbus, without playing for Columbus! It’s been a wild season, and we have plenty of football left to go!
Need to Catch up?
Week 4
https://shadysportsnetwork.com/2026/05/09/everything-aal-week-4/#google_vignette
Week 3
https://shadysportsnetwork.com/2026/05/01/everything-aal-week-3/
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