Salina Liberty

American indoor football team

Salina Liberty

Current season
Established 2015
Play in Tony’s Pizza Events Center
in Salina, Kansas
www.salinaliberty.com
League/conference affiliations

* Champions Indoor Football (2016–2023)
* Northern Division (2016)
* North Conference (2017–2019)
* Arena Football League (2024)
* Arena Football One (2025–present)
* Central Division (2025–present)

Current uniform

Team colors| Navy, blue, red, silver, white

Mascot| Sideline Sam
Personnel
Owner(s)| Precision Sports, LLC
Roy Lawrence
Dan and Linda Mendicina
Tom Perez
Josh Perez
Jimmy and Robyne Sponder
Dan Kieborz and Jennifer Main
General manager| Sam Sellers
Head coach| Heron O'Neal
Team history

* Salina Liberty (2016–present)

Championships
League championships (1)

* 2022

Conference championships (1)

* 2019

Division championships (0)

Playoff appearances (5)

* 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023

Home arena(s)

* Tony’s Pizza Events Center (2016–present)

The Salina Liberty are a professional indoor football team based in Salina, Kansas. They began play in 2016 as members of the Champions Indoor Football (CIF) and played in the Arena Football League in 2024. In 2025, they will become inaugural members of the newly-formed Arena Football One. The team plays their home games at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center.

## History

[edit]

Team logo from 2018-2023

Indoor football in Salina started in 2012 as the Salina Bombers, an expansion franchise for the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL), were announced for the 2013 season. The Bombers then joined Champions Indoor Football (CIF) due to a merger between the CPIFL and the Lone Star Football League for 2015. However, during their first season in the CIF, the league ejected the Bombers for a "business violation" on May 28[1] and they would cease operations later that month.[2] In July 2015, the CIF announced it had replaced the Bombers with a new expansion team in Salina called the Salina Liberty.[3]

The Liberty began play in the Champions Indoor Football League in 2016 finishing last in the Northern Division and failing to qualify for the playoffs. In 2017 Salina Liberty received their first win on the road against Bloomington Edge 47-34 after promoting Offensive Coordinator Mike Bonner to Head Coach. The team finished 1-4 under Coach Bonner.

General Manager Ricky Bertz decided to go in another direction after the 2017 season. After hiring Herron O’Neal The Liberty finished first in the CIF's North Conference regular season in 2018 and 2019. They won the conference playoff championship in 2019 and played in the Champions Bowl for the league title, but lost to the Duke City Gladiators 29–35.

Logo used in the AFL in 2024.

On September 25, 2023, the Liberty were implicitly announced to be joining the Arena Football League after the AFL announced it would be absorbing CIF's remaining franchises.[4] Then nearly one year later on September 4, 2024, the Liberty announced their move to the new Arena Football One following the collapse of the AFL. They will play in the league's new Central Division along with the Corpus Christi Tritons and Southwest Kansas Storm with the Wichita Regulators going dormant for 2025.

## Current roster

[edit]

Salina Liberty roster Quarterbacks

* 9 Jamario Benson
* 11 Rakeem Cato
* 14 Javin Kilgo

Running backs

* 2 Tracy Brooks

Wide receivers

* 0 Ed Smith Jr.
* 6 Larry Beavers Jr.
* 8 Malik Honeycutt
* 16 Dezmon Epps

|  | Offensive linemen

* 55 Toree Boyd
* 60 Adina Okezie-Okeke
* 70 Aleki Tapa
* 72 Jeremy Martin
* 96 Justin Foster

Defensive linemen

* 12 Dioh Desuah
* 15 Jahlil Brown
* 40 Travis Taylor
* 50 Sha'Haun Williams
* 99 Torrence Williams

|  | Linebackers

* 1 Kerry Starks

Defensive backs

* 3 DeWayne Autrey
* 5 Freddie McGee III
* 7 Shaquez Bond
* 10 Lamont Wade
* 20 R.J. Jarrett

Special teams

* 25 Bailey Hale (K)

|  | Reserve lists

* 12 Henry Kellogg (DL)
* 15 Kyle Jarvis (DL)

* Rookies in italics
* Roster updated June 6, 2025
* 25 Active, 2 Inactive

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## Staff

[edit]

Front Office

* Co-Owner - Roy Lawrence
* Co-Owners - Dan and Linda Mendicina
* Co-Owner - Tom Perez
* Co-Owner - Josh Perez
* Co-Owners - Jimmy and Robyne Sponder
* Co-Owners - Dan Kieborz and Jennifer Main
* General manager - Sam Sellers
* Director of player personnel - Brandon Davis
* Marketing - Katie Junk
* Equipment manager - Jimmy Stevens
* Equipment manager - Cameron Pflaum
* Equipment manager - Tyler Kepple
* Video coordinator - Terry Tebrugge

Head Coaches

* Head coach - Heron O'Neal
* Assistant head coach - Jorge Martinez

Offensive Coaches

* Offensive coordinator - Jorge Martinez
* Offensive analyst - Dylan Mendicina

## Season-by-season results

[edit]

League Champions | Conference Champions | Division Champions | Playoff berth | League leader

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Season | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results

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Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties
2016 | CIF |  | Northern  | 6th | 2 | 10 | 0 |
2017 | CIF | North |  | 7th | 1 | 11 | 0 |
2018 | CIF | North |  | 1st | 9 | 3 | 0 | Won Conference Semifinal (Bismarck) 81–51
Lost Conference Championship (Sioux City) 39–45
2019 | CIF | North |  | 1st | 8 | 4 | 0 | Won Conference Championship (Omaha) 44–42
Lost Champions Bowl (Duke City) 29–35
2020  | CIF | North |  | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021  | CIF |  |  | 1st | 9 | 1 | 0 | Won Semifinal (Dodge City) 55–31
Lost Champions Bowl (Omaha) 39–40
2022  | CIF |  |  | 2nd | 7 | 3 | 0 | Won Semifinal (Billings) 26–14
Won Champions Bowl (Omaha) 38–34
2023  | CIF |  |  | 2nd | 8 | 2 | 0 | Won Semifinal (Gillette) 37–30
Lost Champions Bowl (Omaha) 30–50
2024 | AFL |  |  | 3rd | 6 | 2 | 0 | Won Round One Semifinal (Dodge City) 41–35
Lost Semifinal (Albany) 59-80
Totals  | 50 | 36 | 0 | All-time regular season record (2016–2024)
7 | 5 | — | All-time postseason record (2016–2024)
57 | 41 | 0 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2016–2024)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Copp, Jake (May 28, 2015). "Salina Bombers dissolving football team". Salina, KS: KWCH-DT. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
2. ^ "Salina Bombers Suspended from CIF". Champions Indoor Football. May 28, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015 - via Our Sports Central.
3. ^ "Indoor football: Salina Liberty announced as latest CIF franchise". Star Local Media. July 24, 2015.
4. ^ "Mustangs football will not play in Gillette in 2024". county17.com. September 25, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Salina Liberty at ArenaFan.com

* v
* t
* e

Arena Football One (2025)

Teams|

* Albany Firebirds
* Corpus Christi Tritons
* Nashville Kats
* Oregon Lightning
* Orlando Predators
* Outlaws Arena Football Team
* Salina Liberty
* Southwest Kansas Storm
* Washington Wolfpack

Seasons|

* 2025

* v
* t
* e

Arena Football League (2024)

Teams|

* Albany Firebirds
* Billings Outlaws
* Georgia Force
* Iowa Rampage
* Louisiana VooDoo
* Minnesota Myth
* Nashville Kats
* Oregon Blackbears
* Orlando Predators
* Philadelphia Soul
* Rapid City Marshals
* Salina Liberty
* Southwest Kansas Storm
* Washington Wolfpack
* West Texas Desert Hawks
* Wichita Regulators

Seasons|

* 2024

* v
* t
* e

Sports teams based in Kansas

Baseball|

Wichita Wind Surge

Kansas City Monarchs

Garden City Wind
JCL
Bethany Bulls
Derby Twins
Dodge City A's
El Dorado Broncos
Hays Larks
Haysville Aviators
Liberal Bee-Jays
Wellington Heat
MPL
Baldwin City Blues
Junction City Brigade
Rossville Rattlers
Sabetha Lobos
Topeka Golden Giants

Football|

AF1
Salina Liberty
Southwest Kansas Storm
Wichita Regulators

Hockey|

ECHL
Wichita Thunder
FPHL
Topeka Scarecrows

Roller derby|

WFTDA
ICT Roller Girls
Kansas City Roller Warriors

Soccer|

MLS
Sporting Kansas City
MLS Next Pro
Sporting Kansas City II
USL2
Kaw Valley FC
FC Wichita
NPSL
Sunflower State FC

College
athletics|

| NCAA
Division I|

* Kansas Jayhawks
* Kansas State Wildcats
* Wichita State Shockers

|

NCAA
Division II|

* Emporia State Hornets and Lady Hornets
* Fort Hays State Tigers
* Newman Jets
* Pittsburg State Gorillas
* Washburn Ichabods

NAIA|

* Baker Wildcats
* Benedictine Ravens
* Bethany Swedes
* Bethel Threshers
* Central Christian Tigers
* Friends Falcons
* Haskell Indian Nations Fighting Indians
* Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes
* McPherson Bulldogs
* MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers
* Ottawa Braves
* Saint Mary Spires
* Southwestern Moundbuilders
* Sterling Warriors
* Tabor Bluejays

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