The Harrisburg Stampede was an expansion franchise in 2009 and was the first attempt at indoor football in this part of Pennsylvania, other than Reading. Despite going 4-10, the team was fairly competitive. Six of the losses came by ten points or less. Rafael Cooper led the team with 12 touchdown catches and Eugene Goodman rushed for 344 yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, and two kickoff returns for touchdowns. Unfortunately, the team scored only 31 points per game on average and was outscored 102-59 in the third quarter of games. The team lost 44-6 and 41-19 in its games against Reading. The four victories came against Baltimore, D.C., and Erie. The Stampede returned in 2010 and went 11-3, losing only to Baltimore and Reading. The season included a thrilling triple overtime victory against Richmond and an early season victory at Reading. Former af2 quarterback Kelvin Robinson and Aries Nelson led the team, combining to throw for 47 touchdowns and four interceptions. Silas Daniels, Keith Stokes, and Kevin Marion were the prime receivers, combining for 39 scores. On the ground, Eugene Goodman gained 335 yards and scored 23 times. The team carried a +16 turnover margin into the playoffs. The Stampede made the playoffs and had their first playoff game against Erie. Unfortunately, only 750 reported people were there to see a 52-48 Stampede victory. Harrisburg advanced to the Eastern Conference championship game in Baltimore. It was an all-out drubbing, ad the Mariners rolled to a 63-15 win. The team returned with the AIF in 2012. The team only played semi-pro teams for the majority of the season, until a regular season ending road loss at Cape Fear. The team hosted a semi-pro team for a playoff game and then lost again at Cape Fear, 42-40 for the title. Cape Fear went on to play a replacement team for a championship game, but Harrisburg and Cape Fear were the two survivors of the AIF's 2012 season. The team returned again in 2013, moving to a larger arena at the Farm Show Complex. Scorpio Brown and the Stampede finished with a 6-2 regular season record. The team lost 38-36 to Cape Fear at home and then again in North Carolina 52-37. Statistics for the season were incomplete. The Stampede would finish a game behind the Heroes and would host York in the first round of the playoffs. After beating the Capitals by 43 twice in the regular season, the Capitals took it to Harrisburg for most of the playoff game, leading by three points with ten minutes to go. However, a furious Stampede comeback would put them in the title game with a 51-41 victory. Harrisburg traveled to Fayetteville and really dominated the Heroes from beginning to end, 57-42.