Bowens, King and Pogi look to win back-to-back AIFL titles

Last year at the Florence Civic Center, the Lakeland Thunderbolts captured the first American Indoor Football Association championship 54-49 behind four touchdowns passes from Aso Pogi.

Tavares Bowens was on the sidelines as linebackers’ coach, general manager Bennie King was nearby under the goalposts.

One year later, the Lakeland trio has another chance to win a title at the Civic Center — only they represent the Florence Phantoms.

That isn’t the only thing that has changed since moving to Florence. While King has resumed his post as general manager, Bowens has moved up to head coach and Pogi has traded his career as a player for one as a coach.

All three have contributed to bringing the first winning season in the team’s history. On Friday, their team will try to bring the first professional sports championship to Florence in over two decades when the Phantoms take on Wyoming in the AIFA Championship Bowl II.

Out of a job

When internal issues caused the dissolution of the Lakeland franchise in December, many players were left looking for work — and so was King.

“(Former Lakeland coach Teddy) Keaton was on his way to Huntington and he took most of his players. I was left without a home,” King said. “I was a general manager with no place to manage.”

So, King took an extensive resume, which included stints with the Miami Dolphins and Charlotte Bobcats, to Florence. King wasn’t really interested in the job at first, looking at the Carolina Speed before choosing the Phantoms.

“I knew Florence was a nice place to play, but I didn’t think anyone wanted to live here,” he said. “When I spoke to (former owner) Keith Jordan, I liked what he was offering.

“I had a chance to bring a winner to Florence. The rest is history from there.”

Making the most of an opportunity

To many people, Bowens is the kind of person that, if given a chance, will make the most of any and all shots given to him.

The Auburndale, Fla., native spent two years as a fullback/linebackers coach for the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League before returning home to coach the Thunderbolts.

“My professional career (as a player) ended with an injury, so I tried coaching to stay involved in the game,” Bowens said. “I had to put myself in a good coaching position, so I came to Lakeland.”

When AIFA coach of the year Carlos Clayton resigned from the Phantoms less than two weeks before the season opener against Baltimore, King turned to his old friend Bowens.

“Bennie knew I had the knowledge to coach in this league,” Bowens said. “I studied under great coaches like defensive line coach Willie Fears in Orlando, so (King) knew I was ready.”

“He wasn’t a very big name around the league,” King said. “But you have to have the right fit all the way through a season, and he was my choice.

“We had a good working relationship at Lakeland. He’s a humble, God-fearing man who has brought an AFL experience that the team had never seen before.”

Bad start

Things didn’t go well in Bowens’ first two games as a coach.

Consecutive blown leads and an inability to protect quarterback Omar Jacobs in losses to Baltimore and Huntington resulted in a 0-2 start and memories of last season’s troubles rose from the grave like the team’s mascot.

“Given the time of my hiring, I wasn’t able to bring in the caliber of athletes we needed to win at this level,” Bowens said. “No disrespect to the guys that were here, but we had big problems on the offensive line.

“We had to bring in high-caliber players to protect our star quarterback.”

The final piece

Bowens solved the problems on defense, and King brought in new players to beef up the offensive line.

But something was still missing. Florence was 2-3 and the offense was still struggling at times.

King solved that problem by having Pogi come in and bring along Jacobs. With the arrival of Pogi, the Phantom offense became a machine that scored at will en route to winning 10 of its last 11 games.

“Pogi would have been my quarterback if I hadn’t signed Omar Jacobs,” King said. “Of course, Pogi wanted to play, but he felt he was a much better coach than a player.”

The former Oklahoma State star knows how to win. Friday night’s game will be the sixth championship game in four leagues he’s been involved in, but his first as a coach.

“It’s definitely more exhausting as a coach,” Pogi said. “As a player, your perspective is from the inside out. As a coach, you’re on the outside looking in.

“You can’t think of just yourself anymore. You’re responsible for so many people.”

Calculated risk, great reward

King said his personnel moves, while controversial, were made in a calculated effort to win a championship. But he has no regrets with bringing in Bowens, Pogi and other former Thunderbolts.

“Yes, I’ve caught a lot of flack with my personnel moves,” he said. “In sports, you’re going to receive changes when you have new management. I had a chance to bring in players and coaches that went 14-2 and won an AIFA title last year.

“Everybody makes a big deal about the Lakeland connection. I did not want the full Lakeland team here in Florence. This team has its own identity.”