Lake Charles Landsharks(NIFL)

The Lake Charles LandSharks was, and continues to be, one of the best regular season franchises in the NIFL. The LandSharks finished the NIFL’s inaugural season with an 11-3 record. The team scored an average of thirteen more points per game than their opponents.. The tables were turned on the LandSharks in the playoffs, however. The Ohio Valley Greyhounds sent the LandSharks home with a 52-9 loss. In 2002, the team would only improve, now scoring and average of eighteen more points per game than their opponents. Not to mention, that the LandSharks lost only one regular season game. The lone loss was against Tennessee. In the first round of the playoffs, the two teams would square off once more. The Thundercats won by two points, 42-40. The following season, the LandSharks were 12-2, losing both games to the Houma Bayou Bucks. The LandSharks’ difference in points per game increased to 21 points per game. In the playoffs, Lake Charles finally defeated Houma and then lost to Ohio Valley, 43-41. Ohio Valley went on to win the Indoor Bowl. In their final year as the LandSharks, the team finally missed the playoffs, finishing 7-7. Four of the losses were on the road. As the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers, the team went 9-3 and lost in the first round of the playoffs to Corpus Christi, 31-29. Following the 2005 season, the franchise joined the Intense Football League.