Storm Sit 6-0, Solidify Hold on NAL with Win in Salina

The Southwest Kansas Storm head into another road game in week 9, now sitting 6-0 with at least a 2-game lead over every other team in the league. With sole possession of first place, the Storm are on pace to host their first-ever home playoff game. Storm fans start making those playoff plans now! 

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With a favorable schedule the rest of the way that includes Amarillo on the road, Salina and Louisiana at home, and ends with Sioux City on the road. Although it's still early, currently the Storm control their own playoff destiny in 2026, something no other Storm team has been able to say since their launch in 2022. 

“Coach Speak”

When asked how Coach Thomas prepared his team for a high-emotion game with Salina against their biggest rival, on the road with playoff implications in the background; 

“I hate to make it sound like coach speak, but we try not to make the game out to be more than it is. It’s just the next game on our schedule. We stuck to our routine and continued to prepare as we had all season. 

We prepare for the uniqueness of every game individually…whether it’s scheme, personnel, and possible mismatches, travel, venue, crowd noise, possible distractions, etc. 

I’ve been preaching to our team for a few weeks, and we can’t let the pressure of winning be our demise. The easiest way to win is to play like you’re not scared to lose! Coach O’Neal is a heck of a football coach and throughout his entire tenure in Salina has put a physical and prepared football team on the field every weekend. We expected nothing less out of the Liberty.

As it pertains to SW Kansas and Salina…in a world of flailing and fly-by-night indoor and arena football teams, our 2 organizations have found a way to not only survive, but thrive. Both franchises have found success in multiple leagues over quite a few years and have found creative ways to operate at a high level. Much of that credit should go to both of our awesome ownership groups and fan bases.”

Let's talk about the Quarterback Swap

Matt Struck was placed on injured reserve days before the Amarillo game, and the Storm brought in Trae Self. While it's never easy to lose a quarterback who has spent three seasons in your system, Self has come out and looked great in his first time playing indoor football. The former Stephen F Austin star has managed 26 of 39 for 274 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. He also may have turned some heads by rushing 10 times for 34 yards and 3 touchdowns (all of which came against Amarillo, tying his single-game high in college) 

While Self has always shown he can scramble when needed, he was typically not asked to run quite that often in college. Self’s gutsy performance in his debut had to have earned his teammates' respect quickly, an important factor to a quarterback’s success. He would move to 2-0 on the season with both of his starts coming on the road.

While quarterbacks often shoulder the praise after a win and the blame after a loss, football is a team sport, and without his supporting cast, Self would not have found any success. 

It starts up front with the offensive line. While they did allow more pressure this past week against Salina than they had in the previous five games, they have continued to pave running lanes and consistently kept the quarterback upright. 

This team will live and die by their success in the trenches, and so far, the combination of Zach Fondal, Josh Moore, and Rafael Recio with Dom Moore coming off the bench has proven to be among the most effective in the NAL. Coach Thomas was quick to heap praise on his offensive line, as they have played well all season long. 

While Demarius Washington "D Wash" sits in the league lead with 442 yards, he is leading the league in reception yards per game with 73.7. He also has 7 touchdowns, placing him 4th, Newbold, Dillworth, and Woodley have all played 7 games. D Wash is not only one of the best receivers in the league, but he is arguably one of the best people in the league. He is a fan favorite and well-respected among his teammates. He has been a valuable addition to the Storm on and off the field. 

Jaden Sutton leads the league with 281 rushing yards. He is averaging 5 yards per carry, and he leads the league in rushing touchdowns with 10. The Storm have one of the most productive running attacks in the league; Sutton has 10 touchdowns, Matt Struck has 7, and both Self (3) and Pierce (2) have contributed as well; 22 rushing touchdowns in 6 games, just under 4 rushing touchdowns a game. 

Defense Continues to Stifle Opponents

In my conversations with Coach Thomas, he mentioned one player who should garner some recognition as a potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Evan DiMaggio's impact has been very apparent, but as Coach Thomas put it, his statistics are not an accurate measure of his impact on the field.   

Evan DiMaggio has somehow flown under the radar despite the impact he has had on the Storm defense. Currently, he sits tied for first in sacks with 6, and has already collected 50 total tackles. He also has 3 pass breakups that nearly were interceptions. This is a guy who played developmental arena football for the Peach State Cats in 2025, and he is playing like a Defensive Player of the Year Candidate. 

Shay McRath and Jyaire Stevens have formed a potent duo on the edge. Stevens, in particular, has been seen making plays all over the field to the tune of 42 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 blocked kick, and 1 pass deflection. Opposite of him, McRath has 2 sacks of his own. 

Kyle Meyers had a big play, forcing and recovering a fumble versus Amarillo, and forcing another fumble against Salina, adding to an impressive start to the season that has included a total of 5 turnovers. He has quietly played like one of the best defensive backs in the league. 

Special Teams Playing Their Part

Mason Pierce 

In the past two weeks, Mason Pierce has flashed his ability to be a weapon on offense and special teams. He had 2 returns against Amarillo for 49 yards, with a long of 27. Pierce also had 5 carries for 13 yards, and 3 receptions for 32 yards. In Salina, he had 7 offensive touches for 61 yards and 1 touchdown, adding 1 return for 7 yards. For those keeping score at home, that is 18 touches for 162 yards and 1 touchdown. 

Carlos Continues to be Consistent

Carlos Vasquez continues to be a calm and consistent presence at kicker. At this point, he is 2 of 3 on field goals and 19 of 23 on extra points. He is by far the most accurate kicker in the league. While he may not have the leg strength that some of the kickers around the league have, he has proven that his coaching staff can rely on him every time he has been called upon. There is still a long way to go this season, but you could make a case for special teams player of the year so far. 

Deja Vu

On Saturday, the Storm may have a case of deja vu as they hop on the bus to Amarillo, Texas, an opponent they played just a week ago. Initially slated for an away game against the Dallas Bulls, news broke on Tuesday that the Bulls have been removed from the National Arena League due to noncompliance with League agreements. Due to this announcement, the schedule shifted, resulting in the Storm shifting their focus to the Warbirds. 

While the Storm just played Amarillo, things have changed since that game. Following the loss to the Storm, Amarillo parted ways with its head coach, hiring Jimmy Johnson (not the former Cowboys coach). Johnson has not served as a Head Coach indoors, and the most recent coaching experience he had indoors was with the Marion Blue Racers as a Defensive Coordinator. He also recently served as the Defensive Coordinator for the Indy Bison, a semi-professional team. 

Johnson's arrival brought with it immediate change as Amarillo released Byron Cooper, Joenez Coleman, Trent Crawford, Jakaylen Jackson, and Lierick Reed Jr. They also lost Chase Alisuckas to Albany in the AF1. 

It would stand to reason that more of the Dallas players make their way to Amarillo to continue their 2026 season. It's worth noting that 3 of the 4 players who lost played defense, with Cooper LB, Alisuckas DL, and Crawford opening up holes at each level of the defense that could have been created intentionally to allow the new coach to bring in "his" guys. 

Making Moves

They have signed offensive linemen Jalen Riley and Tyler Cassel (who could be seen catching a pass earlier this season with another team), defensive backs Michael Arceneaux and Frankie Solomon Jr. (another former Dallas Bulls player), as well as linebacker Dmorryion Breaux. The overarching trend for these players is versatility. Cassel can play tight end and fullback if needed. Arceneaux has caught passes, played defense, and returned kicks this season already. 

Dmorryion Breaux can play linebacker or defensive back, and the former track star can get sideline to sideline at linebacker or play safety and bring a physical presence over the top. Given the players lost at linebacker, it should surprise no one if he lines up at MACK this weekend. 

Amarillo actually has a fairly talented team, laden with veteran talent beginning at quarterback with Demry Croft. At wide receiver, Shaq Curenton and Joshua Neal have both been playing for a while and bring a high football IQ to the Warbirds. They also have Christian Stokely and Orlando Doss, who have combined for 37 receptions, 345 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Doss has also played some quarterback this season.

At running back, Josh Batiste has plenty of experience. Batiste is a shifty running back who stands 5'10 195 pounds, and spent the 2025 season with the Omaha Beef. So far this season, Batiste has accumulated 29 carries, 46 rushing yards, and 1 touchdown, adding 3 receptions for 27 yards in 4 appearances. 

Up front, the offensive line now holds more depth following the addition of Cassel and Riley. There are multiple players with years of experience at the professional level. The same can be said of the Defensive Line led by veterans Miqueal Pillow-Smiley, Desmond Raiford, and Daniel Byse. 

While on one hand, this turnover presents a slight advantage for the Storm, it also provides some uncertainty about who exactly the Storm will be facing on Saturday. Regardless of who suits up for Amarillo this weekend, one thing is certain: the Storm will be prepared and ready to cement their playoff berth.