After a wild week of Pro versus developmental thrashings and a somewhat needed break, we get another weekend of elevated against established. Considering that all four have had weeks to regroup and come together as teams, we are certain this round will be much closer! We cover the fun, the games, and the drama all in this week’s Everything AAL.
Table of Contents
AAL Week 5 Game Reviews
Peach State 30 @ Columbus 54
This was much closer than anyone anticipated. The secret weapon for Peach State, was in fact, the Head Coach for Peach State. James Moreland also serves on the Columbus Lions Coaching staff, giving the Cats a good idea of what was to be run and a vantage point most AAL2 teams would dream of. The Lions would still pull away, but it really put a spotlight on the coaching and the Quality of the athletes Peach State attracts and elevates.
Pittsburgh 6 At Wheeling 62
The Wheeling Miners executed their game plan to perfection in another blowout victory, beating the Pittsburgh Outlaws 62-6 on Friday, May 15th, at home. While the game lacked an official livestream, fans in attendance got to enjoy a master class in arena football as the Miners improved to 3-1 on the season. With a big win and live performances from Bucket of Puppies throughout the night, the Miners’ 70s night was a massive success.
Daryll Clark once again put on a spectacular performance, throwing for 244 yards and scoring five total touchdowns. Alex Coleman had a stellar night, hauling in eight receptions for 137 yards and scoring three total touchdowns. Dontae Mason, who’s been an absolute pillar in Wheeling’s success this season, had two interceptions and two more touchdowns on the night, building onto an already remarkable campaign. For the Outlaws, running back Des Cunningham scored their only touchdown of the game on their opening drive.
Clearing Up the Rumor Mill
Update: The Wheeling Nailers, the long-time hockey team that calls Wesbanco Arena home has been having an unprecedented playoff run that has caused scheduling issues for weeks now. These constraints due to an otherwise positive situation have created confusion and strain on teams and the league. Trying to find an amicable solution has not been easy, but the league wants us all to be aware that they have no intentions of awarding forfeit victories to any team in the AAL at this time. The Miners are currently in second place in the AAL, and a forfeit victory would directly affect playoff positioning, something no one in the AAL wants.
Tri-City 0 At Mississippi 58
The Wolfpack needed this break in league play. A much-needed reprieve and a chance to get points on the board against an underpowered opponent might give them the confidence they need. After the rough run that has seen them average less than 26 points a game while giving up 50+ in every single one, running it up can help overall morale.
During the league wide bye, the Wolfpack refused to rest on their laurels. Knowing there is work to be done, and improvements to be made, many members of the team took the opportunity to have an interleague scrimmage against the Memphis Hound Dogs of The Arena League. Playing 7v7 rules was a slight departure from the ruleset they play normally, however it amounted to live reps against players looking to prove themselves in camp and make the roster for Memphis. This was by all accounts a competitive and productive scrimmage for both teams.
This scrimmage may have resulted in two players receiving opportunities with teams in the TAL. The Woo picked up two very versatile players in Ty Pettaway a big body receiver who can line up as a tight end, or even play some quarterback. Banks Williams is a defensive end and linebacker, who has at times also seen a snaps on the offensive side of the ball as well. Coach Strong seemed to be happy for his guys getting another chance to continue their career.
Tri-State 6 Jersey 87
Just like Mississippi, this was a much-needed throttling, though for different reasons. Jersey has held two open tryouts and reworked a good portion of its roster. That rework needed a chance to polish and bum rushing, possibly the worst team in the AAL2 was a good start.
Confidence is key, and this game served to re-establish some of the confidence the Bearcats may have lost over the 2026 season to this point. This is one of the reasons that many overlook the value of these games, not only did this game serve as a “tune-up” and confidence builder for the Bearcats, but is also allowed a team that needed to make changes get a very up close and personal look at a team full of local Jersey players midseason.
How many other leagues provide this kind of opportunity for developmental players, or professional teams looking to retool on the fly?
Week 7 AAL Game Previews:
Columbus(-26.5) At Mississippi
Last time these two met, it got ugly early. The Wolfpack are working towards being competitive, but it’s not something that will just happen overnight. They have adjusted the roster and made changes when needed to push things in the right direction. The confidence builder against Tri-City will go a long way, especially with the defense.
While Mississippi has been building up, Columbus has done the same, despite already being dominant. The Lions have allowed less than 600 total yards against them, most coming against backups in already decided games. If Lions QB Blain Espinoza gets hot early, it may get ugly. We don’t expect Mississippi to come out on top, but we do expect the same grit they have shown in every game this season.
It will be interesting to see how the losses of Pettaway, and Williams affects Mississippi. Both players were big-time contributors that helped the Wolfpack find some success this season. Maybe Mississippi is able to unearth some diamonds in the rough as they ask other players to step into larger roles this week and beyond.
Jersey At Wheeling (-14.5)
A look ahead into week 7 following the league-wide bye, the Miners will once again host the Jersey Bearcats at WesBanco Arena. Both of these teams are very different from the last time they played, with each team making a number of roster changes.
Most notably for the Miners, Dontae Mason was signed by the Albany Firebirds of the AF1, leaving a massive hole to fill for the next man up. As a corresponding move defensive back Malik Hargrove was signed. The Miners and Bearcats are tied with 3 wins on the season, so winning this matchup will be crucial for the Miners to hold onto the number 2 spot in the power rankings.
On the other hand, Jersey has had two open tryouts, and a bit of a cupcake game to tune up both sides, of the ball. Don’t expect this to be another throttling, especially not with Wheeling losing some key pieces and the Bearcats adding a few. If Jersey can get off to a hot start, it could be a dog fight late into the fourth.
Possible Game Change for Wheeling
Due to the newfound regular season success of the Wheeling Nailers, the ECHL hockey team that the Miners share an arena with, a reschedule may take place. The Nailers may have to play a playoff game at the time of the scheduled home game against Jersey. The game will go on as planned if there is no playoff game.
Hockey could provide yet another challenge for the Miners this weekend. The Nailers host a crucial game 4 tonight at Wesbanco arena, and if they win tonight they will force a game 5, which would fall tomorrow at 7:30 pm ET.
This would force the Miners to again re-schedule, and there is no way for the Miners to know ahead of time until the completion of tonight’s game which is scheduled to start at 7:15 pm EST. The AAL will not know the outcome until late tonight making this Nailers game an extremely impactful win or loss for the Miners.
As a fan, you may question this, but it is fair, as the Nailers are a long-term tenant of Wesbanco, hence the reason they get the bid over the Miners. No matter the case, we are confident in the competency of the AAL leader to find a solution that fits the needs of all teams involved.
AAL League News and Thoughts:
Expansion Rumors Heating Up
The closer we get to the end of the season, the louder the rumors get! Who is the team that is referenced on Around the Indoor Football World and the AAL Social Media?
Well, what we can tell you is the ownership is top-notch. This is not some fly-by-night organization that popped up and rushed their product to market. This ownership group has been building up the foundation of the team quietly, and we have no doubt fans and media will be impressed by what this team is able to put forth from day one.
The new addition will set a standard for the American Arena League in a region that is somewhat starved of the sport. We are excited to see the reaction and hype behind it all once things go public. It’s a region and a name many won’t see coming.
For now, we will have to reel in our excitement as we wait for an official announcement. The branding, the thought put into the team, and overall preparation will rival that of just about anyone. Share this article and give us your thoughts on who it might be!
AAL Standings
AAL2
Week 6 Scores
Pittsburgh Outlaws, 6 At Wheeling Miners 62
Maryland War Eagles 6 At Carolina Predators 21
Steel City Stampede 30 At NJ Eagles 14
Tri-State Panthers 6 At Jersey Bearcats 87
Peach State Cats 30 At Columbus Lions
Tri-City RiverGators 0 At Mississippi Wolfpack 58
Michigan Raptors 32 At Michigan Grizzlies, 38
Ohio Legends At Michigan Avengerz (Forfeit; Legends Win)
Week 8 Game of the Week
Pittsburgh Outlaws at Michigan Grizzlies
This Battle of established and building franchises will give fans a good look into how strong each division is. The Grizzlies are coming into this with two AAL2 losses, while the Outlaws have just one. Out of every game this weekend, we are confident this will be the single most competitive and fun to watch. Not only that, but this may be a future playoff game. The entire show will come down to whose line is stronger and who can control the pace of the game.
AAL2 League News and Schedule
These past couple of weeks haven’t been filled with breaking news. We are thankful at this point in the season to not have much to say. We do, however, have something unique to bring you: Power Rankings and Fan Power Rankings! After you check out the schedule, go see how your team or fan base did!
Fan & Shady Sports AAL2 Power Rankings
As we mentioned in the previous Everything AAL, we are halfway to the championship weekend. The games ahead will only get more intense as we go along; the all-important push to the postseason is not long off. Though we have learned a lot, we still have so many questions! Can Mississippi turn a corner? Will Columbus lose? How does the new-look Jersey Bearcats fare? We will find out some of those answers this weekend, but for the other answers? Check back into Everything AAL next week, and Around the Indoor Football World every Saturday at 7 AM Central!
Huge shout out once again to Shane Majoris! He has went above and beyond to get AAL2 statd and standins. Not to mention he made all of the AAAL2 Graphics seen above.
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Need to Catch up?
- Everything AAL Week 7
- Everything AAL Week 5
- Everything AAL Week 4
- Columbus Lions 2026 Upgrade
- Everything AAL Week 3
https://shadysportsnetwork.com/2026/05/16/everything-aal-week-5/
https://shadysportsnetwork.com/2026/05/09/everything-aal-week-4/
Give Away
We are currently doing a giveaway to win a piece of Sioux Falls Storm turf that the team once used in games. There is now a second way to enter. Donate any amount of money to Sammy Strong Foundation, take a screenshot of the “Thank You for Donating to Sammy Strong” image after your donation and send it to us at any social media platform to automatically enter to win.
https://givebutter.com/SammyStrong26
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