Rio Grande Valley Dorados

The Rio Grande Valley Dorados were a professional arena football team. They began playing in 2004 as an expansion member of af2, the minor league to the Arena Football League. They played their home games at Obra Homes Field at Dodge Arena in Hidalgo, Texas.

Rio Grande Valley Dorados
Established 2003
Folded 2009
Played in Dodge Arena
in Hidalgo, Texas
League/conference affiliations
AF2 (20042009)
  • National Conference (2004–2009)
    • Southwestern Division (2004)
    • Western Division (2005)
    • Midwestern Division (2006)
    • Southwest Division (2007–2009)
Current uniform
Team colorsNavy blue, red, gold, white
       
Personnel
Head coachGary Gussman (2004)
Kevin Guy (2005)
Marty Hammond (2006–2009)
Team history
  • Rio Grande Valley Dorados (2005–2009)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (1)
Playoff appearances (3)
Home arena(s)

They had been fairly successful in their existence including a 15–1 regular season in 2007 before losing to Bossier-Shreveport in the American Conference semifinals.

The team folded in 2009 after the af2 folded, at which point the relaunched Arena Football League (AFL) then owned the rights to the Dorados name and logo.[1] The AFL let the trademarks lapse and a new team using the same branding was launched in 2019 as part of a regional league called the International Arena Football League. The new team, owned by Juan and Erika Arevalo, markets itself as a continuation of the defunct af2 team.

Season-by-season

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Season records
Season W L T Finish Playoff results
2004 6 10 0 4th NC Southwest
2005 10 6 0 2nd NC West Won NC Quarterfinal (Quad City)
Won NC Semifinal (Tulsa)
Lost NC Championship (Memphis)
2006 7 9 0 4th NC Midwest
2007 15 1 0 1st NC Southwest Won Round 1 (Alabama)
Lost AC Semifinals (Bossier-Shreveport)
2008 7 9 0 3rd NC Southwest
2009 9 7 0 3rd NC Southwest Lost NC Round 1 (Bossier-Shreveport)
Totals 57 45 0 (including playoffs)

Notable players

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  • Mike Duncan – WR/DB
  • Eddie Moten – DS – 2012 member of the Orlando Predators
  • Dustin Bell – K
  • Chris Canty – WR/DB
  • Torry Joubert – WR/DB
  • Dontae Saulter – WR
  • Quincy Carter – QB
  • Joe McClendon – CB/S
  • Ramonce Taylor – WR - Left Dorados in 2009 for the CFL. Came back to play the rest of the season with Dorados.
  • Jake Bauer – K
  • Tyler Matia - OL - Also played for Coventry Jets winning 2008 Britbowl and reaching quarterfinals against Swarco Raiders in 2008 Eurobowl
  • Curtis Jeter - OL/DL

2009 RGV Dorados roster

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Uniform # Player Position Height Weight College Experience
1 Rod Windsor WR/LB 6'2 208 Western New Mexico R
2 Travis McAlpine WR/LB 6'2 210 Saginaw Valley St. 5
3 Anthony Chambers WR/DB 6'1 200 Purdue 3
5 Donnell August FB/LB 6'3 240 Western St. R
6 Marcus Harris FB/LB 6'2 270 East Central Oklahoma 1
7 Derrick Harris WR/DB 5'10 185 Sam Houston St. 2
8 Rubio Radamez K 6'0 225 Iberodamericana (Intl.-Mexico) R
9 Bret Smith WR/DB 6'3 195 Tennessee R
12 Tiger Lyon QB 6'2 190 Middlebury College 1
17 Nick Hill QB 6'3 215 Southern Illinois R
22 Dahnel Singfield DB 6'1 190 Buffalo 3
23 Craig Turner WR/DB 5'9 197 SIU Carbondale R
24 Riley Swanson WR/DB 5'11 185 Wake Forest R
34 Alvertis Gatlin FB/LB 6'2 255 Harding 2
51 Valentine Chude FB/LB 6'2 250 Western New Mexico R
66 Raushan Rowser OL/DL 6'4 300 Tennessee St. 2
71 Darren Marquez OL/DL 6'4 295 Southern Illinois R
72 Garrett Mason OL/DL 6'5 315 Duke 1
77 Walter Thomas OL/DL 6'5 350 Oklahoma St. R
79 Robert Nelson OL/DL 6'10 350 Oklahoma St. R
90 Christopher Eccles OL/DL 5'11 285 Delta St. R
99 David Miller LB/DL 6'4 260 UAB R

Rivalry between RGV and Corpus Christi

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This rivalry started heating up when Corpus Christi became a team in the AF2, in 2007. The Inaugural game for Corpus Christi was on April 7, 2007. They hosted the heavily favored Rio Grande Valley Dorados. The Dorados romped the Sharks 66–28 in the first game ever for the Corpus Christi Sharks.

  • The Dorados lead the series (9–1) against the Sharks.

2007

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  • RGV won 66-28 April 7, 2007
  • RGV won 45-20 May 11, 2007
  • RGV won 78-17 June 30, 2007

2008

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  • CC won 61-54 April 12, 2008
  • RGV won 53-52 May 3, 2008
  • RGV won 48-26 July 14, 2008

2009

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  • RGV won 40-33 March 28, 2009
  • RGV won 77-50 April 25, 2009
  • RGV won 51-48 June 13, 2009
  • RGV won 78-51 July 25, 2009

Head coaches

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  • 2004: Gary Gussman, 6–10 in the regular season
  • 2005: Kevin Guy, 10–6 in the regular season; 2–1 in playoffs
  • 2006–2009: Marty Hammond, 38–26 in the regular season; 1–1 in playoffs

References

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  1. ^ "Statement Regarding Future of Dorados". Rio Grande Dorados, 2009-09-15
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