Colorado Ice Vs. Tri-Cities Fever Tonight in Loveland

Northern Colorado's own professional football team, the Colorado Ice, makes it's regular season debut tonight as they host the back-to-back Intense Conference champions and conference rivals the, Tri-Cities Fever, tonight at 7 at the Budweiser Events Center. 

Last season, the Ice finished the regular with an 8-6 record, which was third best in the Intense Conference, but lost in the first round of the Indoor Football League Playoffs. This year the Ice have totally revamped the roster with 18 players that were not part of the team last year.

Head Coach Heron O’Neal can already see the benefits of the roster changes that have been made. O’Neal stated “We have a lot of depth this year in each position with veteran players making up the core of the team.”

The Ice have not been dealt any favors in the early part of the season either. Scheduled to face four playoff teams in the team’s first four games, the Ice will be matched up against reigning conference champions the Tri-Cities Fever, Nebraska Danger, Green Bay Blizzard, and Sioux Falls Storm (2011, 2012 IFL Champions).

A veteran team; Tri-Cities are looking to make their way back to the championship game after losing to Sioux Falls in the title game the past two seasons. Coach O’Neal says that the Ice are prepared for a team on a mission and said, “They are a big team, very physical and loaded with veterans.”

In recent matchups, Tri-Cities have gotten the better of the Ice, winning the last four head-to-head contests. Despite the recent history, O’Neal is still confident in the Ice commenting,

“I think we have a good football team that can be great if they put it all together.”