Panthers slated to open on Feb. 11

Regular-season tickets will range in price from 7- 12.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HOWLAND -- The Northeast Ohio Panthers, the area's newest indoor football team, announced its ownership, coaches and players Friday at Leo's Restaurante.
"This is Trumbull County's first pro indoor or arena franchise," team president John Galbraith III said at a press conference for the Panthers, who become the Eastern Indoor Football League's fourth team for the 2007 season.
Jim Terry's Mahoning Valley Hitmen are members of the same league.
The Panthers will play at the Thunder Dome, a facility on Bedford Road in Masury.
Regular season
A six-game regular season begins Feb. 11, although a preseason clash is set for Feb. 3 at 7:15 p.m.
The "clash" is an effort to capitalize on what is expected to be a time of low TV sports viewership -- the night before the NFL's Super Bowl XXLI.
In the preview game, the Panthers will play the Hitmen, who are also using the Thunder Dome facility.
Tickets for the "clash" cost 10.
Panthers' regular-season tickets will range in price from 7 to 12.
The Panthers' opener is against the Buzzards on Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. at the Thunder Dome.
The other two teams in the league are the Three Rivers Rats of Pittsburgh and the Mid-American Buzzards of Chicago.
However, when the Buzzards and River Rats meet, the EIFL will try to arrange the games either at the Thunder Dome or in another facility in this region.
The Panthers, whose head coach and co-owner will be Warren native Chauncey Coleman, said the team has 14 players signed.
It will eventually have a roster of 38. The other co-owner is Natasha Kelly of Niles.
Smith is GM
The Panthers' general manager is former YSU standout Tamron Smith.
Pay for players in the league will range from 0 to 5,000.
Galbraith III said that contract negotiations won't begin until after the preseason clash.
Players will need personal insurance for their preseason appearance, but should be covered by southern-based Front Line Insurance for the regular season.
Players won't be paid for the preseason game.
The EIFL will play on a surface 50 yards long and 85 feet from sideline to sideline. The quarters will last 15 minutes.
At any given time during a game, 16 players will be on the field -- eight on each side.
Unlike arena football, indoor football doesn't use the suspended rebound net.
Players in attendance included: Steve Boyle (Howland High, 2003); Jon Kutterna of North East, Pa.; Tim Thompson, who moved here from North Carolina; Chad Stevenson (Warren JFK, 2003); Gary Trybus of Niles (Howland High, 2005); Ken Beckett (Canton GlenOak, 2003); James Moody (Struthers High, 2003); and 38-year-old Rob Santee (Howland, 1988).
Most of the above have semi-pro experience.
Still not done
"I'm the oldest on the team, but my goal is to help the younger guys," Santee said. "I may go another year or two before I say goodbye and then coach."
Santee, who played one year at the University of Tennessee before being injured, said he was, as a middle linebacker, the leading tackler for the Penn-Ohio Raiders the past two seasons.
Boyle was a starting cornerback for Thiel for three seasons and helped the Tomcats to an 11-1 record after losing to Bridgewater College in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2005.
Boyle's days at Thiel are coming to a close and ditto for Kutterna, who expects to attend a pro combine in June with hopes of becoming a long snapper with the NFL Browns.
Kutterna played tight end for Thiel.
"It's a good opportunity," Kutterna, 21, said of playing for the Panthers.
"I want to have a good time and then break into the NFL."
bassetti@vindy.com