Horsemen, Fire put hair on the line in af2 showdown

"Hair Today and Gone Tomorrow" was the obvious headline on a news release concerning the Lexington Horsemen's visit to the Louisville Fire in arenafootball2 Saturday night.

Team owners Lennie House of the Horsemen and Will Wolford of the Fire made a bet. The winning owner will shave the loser's head when the game ends at Freedom Hall.

"It's time to put it all on the line for this rivalry, and, Will, I mean every hair on your head," House told Wolford.

"Mr. House better be ready because I'm coming with the clippers, and my wife sure doesn't want me to lose any more hair," Wolford responded.

The Fire, in their eighth year, have professed that other opponents in their af2 division already are their rivals. But the first-year Horsemen, ranked eighth in this week's coaches' poll, are ready to challenge the established team on Interstate 64.

"Everybody is a rivalry for us now, but Louisville is obviously in state," Lexington Coach Mike Harmon said. "We're carrying on for the Kentucky-U of L series. They've got red. We've got blue."

The Horsemen (3-1) also have the lead in the Midwest Division of the American Conference. Lexington is coming off a pair of road victories in five days last week. The Fire (2-2) lost two straight after winning their first two.

"We like playing on the road," Harmon said. "Our road wins have helped us with character and learning how to win in a hostile environment."

Lexington defensive back William Mulder expects Louisville to be, well, fired up after its losses.

"They'll be ready for us," Mulder said. "They've been in the league so long that they have history plus experience."

Louisville also has a former teammate of Mulder -- fullback/nose guard Demetrius Forney. They played together at Campbellsville University.

"We've not talked on the Internet yet," Mulder said. "I'm sure he'll holler at me after the game."

The Horsemen also are facing a teammate from last year -- linebacker Jerome Jones.

"He'll be familiar with our offense," Horsemen receiver Chad Spencer said. "He practiced against us all season."

Spencer was honored with the league's Catch of the Week for his 32-yard touchdown reception from Eddie Eviston with no time on the clock on April 18 at Mahoning Valley. Lexington defeated the Thunder 41-35.

Spencer and his teammates noticed that the opposing cornerback was injured and left the game. He was replaced by an inexperienced back.

"Eddie threw a perfect ball," Spencer said. But Spencer was still 2 yards from the end zone when he caught the ball.

Receiver Tavon McGee raced across the field and blocked a potential tackler.

"Without Tavon's block, I don't get in," Spencer said. "I made the catch, but it was a team effort."

Spencer recalled winning a game with a last-second catch for Franklin-Simpson High School against rival Bowling Green.

After the catch in last week's game, Spencer found himself on the bottom of a pile of happy Horsemen.

"Mike Madrazo said he wouldn't let them crush me," Spencer said. "But it was hard to breathe."