Years of Existence: 2014-2015
Venue: Sun National Bank Arena (Trenton, NJ)
Accomplishments
2014 – Playoff appearance
2015 –
Lifetime Record: 14-11
Home: 8-5
Away: 6-6
Playoffs: 0-1
Average Attendance: 1,285
The Trenton Freedom was an expansion team in the PIFL for 2014. Arena football veteran Ryan Vena was the team’s offensive coordinator. The team was quarterbacked by Warren Smith, who threw for 2,589 yards, 46 touchdowns and 13 picks. Smith also led the team in rushing with 364 yards and 13 more touchdowns. Roger Jackson led all receivers with 730 yards and 15 scores. The entire season was full of close games for the Freedom. In week two, they fell to Lehigh on a Steelhawk touchdown with 33 seconds left. Two weeks later, the Freedom took a 36-35 lead into the fourth quarter at Lehigh Valley once again, but fell 42-36. The following week, Trenton scored with seven seconds left to cap a 17-0 fourth quarter and 33-32 victory over Richmond. Despite dropping their final two games of the regular season, Trenton was the top seed in the playoffs in the north and hosted Lehigh Valley. A scoreless third quarter sent the teams to the final fifteen minutes tied at 24. A 25-14 fourth quarter sealed the victory for the Steelhawks. The team returned in 2015 with Ryan Vena still at the offensice coordinator spot. However, a 6-6 record and no playoff berth was the end result of the season. Hunter Wanket and Steve Panasuk replaced Warren Smith, combining for over 3,000 yards, 53 touchdowns and 18 picks. Richie Martin, Antonio Allen, and Roger Jacksn each caught ten. The team dropped three of its final five to miss the postseason. Five of the six losses came by ten points or less.
