Albany, New York — As the final seconds ticked away inside MVP Arena, a crowd of nearly 3,000 fans erupted, not in shock, but in long-awaited affirmation. The Albany Firebirds had just demolished the Salina Liberty 75–44 to clinch their spot in the inaugural Arena Football One championship. But this was more than a win. It was a reckoning. It was dominance reasserted. And it might be the most complete performance in AF1 history. “We got there last year and came up short,” said wideout Isiah Scott, sweat still beading across his forehead postgame. “We want to make sure we finish this.” Albany entered the semifinal 10–0 on the year, but their regular-season overtime win over Salina had left room for questions. On Saturday, they answered emphatically. The Firebirds offense scored on its first six possessions. Quarterback Sam Castronova threw for 303 yards and 8 touchdowns and ran in two more. “He was in a zone,” Coach Damon Ware said. “That’s what championship quarterbacks look like.”
At the end of the first half, with just seconds remaining and Albany holding a slim 28–25 lead, Castronova scrambled away from pressure and launched a jump-ball rainbow to Duane Brown. Brown hauled it in over two defenders as time expired. The score stretched the lead to 35–25 and permanently shifted momentum. From that moment forward, the Firebirds never looked back. “I just told him, ‘Keep going, keep going,’ and I put it, I guess, where only he could get it,” Castronova said. The Firebirds’ receiving corps put on a clinic. Brown, Scott, Darien Townsend, and Marquel Wade each hauled in two touchdowns. Salina’s secondary had no answers. By the fourth quarter, Albany was rotating in depth pieces—and still scoring. The versatility and chemistry of the receiver group made it nearly impossible for any defense to focus on just one player. “It’s a pick-your-poison situation for defenses,” Ware said. “We can stretch you vertical, hit you underneath, or run through you.”
Scott, who had 4 TDs against Salina earlier in the season, added two more in the semifinal. Brown, who joined Albany this season after winning Arena Bowl MVP with Billings, now has 17 touchdowns over his last five games. Townsend’s quick acceleration off the line and Wade’s precise route running rounded out a receiver room that might be the most dangerous in the league. Veteran defensive lineman Harold Love was suspended for the semifinal after multiple unsportsmanlike penalties in the quarterfinal against Washington. But Albany’s defense didn’t flinch. They not only adapted—they elevated. Markus Smith intercepted two passes, one of which he returned for a touchdown early in the third quarter. That play ballooned Albany’s lead to 48–28 and triggered a rout. “You lose a guy like Harold and people think that weakens you. But we’ve got dogs behind him ready to eat,” said Ezekiel Rose, the team captain and vocal leader. “This is a family. We hold each other up.”
The Firebirds’ defense brought relentless pressure. They recorded three sacks and countless hurries. Salina’s quarterback had no time to set, no lanes to escape, and no rhythm to find. Defensive back Kyle Chandler, signed midseason after being cut by Salina, played with visible fire, contributing a key pass deflection and heavy hits that energized the sideline. “You always dream of a chance like this,” Chandler said after the game. “To play against the team that let you go, and to win like this? That’s personal.” After their 64–58 overtime scare against Salina in the regular season, Albany knew the Liberty were capable of pushing them. That experience shaped their preparation, sharpening their focus and reminding them not to underestimate any opponent—even one they’d already beaten. “We watched that film every day this week,” linebacker DJ Walden said. “We knew we couldn’t let them kill us with those same looks.”
Salina managed just 19 points in the second half. Their quarterback was sacked three times and hit on nearly every dropback. Their running game was non-existent. The crowd, loud from kickoff, grew thunderous by the third quarter. MVP Arena was not just a venue. It was a fortress. “Everybody wants us to lose,” Ware said. “It’s tough to be the standard. We just don’t care. We take pride in that pressure.” That attitude permeates the team. Castronova has spoken about the chip on his shoulder—a desire to prove every week that last year’s loss wasn’t the end of the story. Rose leads defensive film sessions midweek, unprompted. Brown mentors younger receivers during walkthroughs. The Firebirds aren’t just talented; they’re obsessed with details.
Preparation has become ritual. Film study, red-zone walk-throughs, special teams polishing—the team treats every rep like a game-winner. It’s part of the identity Ware has cultivated: a culture where effort is non-negotiable and accountability is universal. Even the fan base has embraced the mission. Albany locals showed up in force, decked in red and black, waving flags, banging drums, and making MVP Arena one of the loudest venues in AF1. There is belief now, not just from the roster, but from the city. “They ride with us. Win or lose, they believe in us,” Townsend said. “That matters more than people know.” The local businesses feel it too. Cafes on Pearl Street now offer Firebirds-themed drinks. A mural near Clinton Avenue features Rose in mid-sack. Albany, a town long hungry for a winner, is feeding off this team’s energy. “It’s not just football,” said a season ticket holder named Denise Martinez. “It’s community. It’s pride. You can feel it in every corner of this building.”
The Firebirds will host the Arena Crown championship on June 28. They’ll face the winner of the Nashville Kats vs. Southwest Kansas Storm semifinal, but it won’t change the mindset. Albany will enter that game prepared, focused, and fueled by the fire of one year ago. As the team left the field Saturday, players tossed gloves and towels to fans. Kids lined the railings for high fives. Staffers hugged in the tunnels. There was no trophy yet, but the moment felt like a championship. A statement had been made. “We’re not done yet,” Rose said. “This is our city, our house, and our season.” With Castronova in MVP form, a loaded receiver group, and a defense that just shut down one of the league’s top offenses, Albany isn’t just aiming for a title. They’re chasing a legacy. And this semifinal? It wasn’t just a win. It was a warning.
