The 2016 CAFL season, the first season in the history of the China Arena Football League (CAFL), began on October 1, 2016. On November 6, the Beijing Lions defeated the Qingdao Clipper to win the first China Bowl.
Draft The league held its first draft on June 10, 2016. 120 players were drafted with 60 of them being Americans, including 43 who have Arena Football League experience. 60 players from China or players who are of Chinese descent were selected as well. On June 15, the league held a supplemental draft (rounds 21 to 22) in which an additional 12 players were selected.
Note: The picks are not in chronological order. They are a list of picks by team and the round they were selected in. For example, Guangzhou did not select first in every round. Round Guangzhou Dalian Shanghai Shenzhen Qingdao Beijing 1 David Wang – OL (CN) Joe Hills – WR Shane Austin – QB Du Feng – DL (CN) Bryan Randall – QB Wayne Tribue – OL 2 Brennen Carvalho – OL Billy Lai – OL (CN) Liu Shuai – WR (CN) Wang Shida – DB (CN) Jason Holman – OL/DL Neal Tivis – OL 3 Yang Hao – LB (CN) Talib Wise – WR Dwayne Hollis – DB Zhang Jia Qi – OL (CN) Jake Metz – OL/DL James Romain – DB 4 Tyre Glasper – LB Kwok-Wing Steve Tang – DL (CN) Shaun Kauleinamoku – WR Colin Madison – OL Rayshaun Kizer – DB Teddy Jennings – DL 5 Dexter Davis Jr. – DL Phillip Garcia – QB Justin Lawrence – DL Xin Xu – DL (CN) Joe Phinisee – DB Collin Taylor -WR 6 Andre Martin – WR/DB Yan Li Guang – DL (CN) Wang Lei – DB (CN) Robert Williams Jr – DL Kevin Kuo – OL/DL (CN) Paul Chih-Ping Cheng – DL (CN) 7 Frank Trotter – DL Ameer Ismail – LB Gu Xu Bing – FB (CN) Dak Britt – QB Xavier Boyce – WR Chris Dieker – QB 8 Qiu Xun Da – WR (CN) Qu San Zhi – OL/DL (CN) Mike Washington – WR Terrance Smith – DB Sun Shuo – OL/DL (CN) Xing Long Xiong – WR (CN) 9 Duane Brooks – WR Jarrod Hernandez – OL Zhang Dong Sheng – OL/DL (CN) Adrian Ferns – FB/LB Reggie Gray – WR Calvin Fance – DL 10 Lavasier Tuinei – WR/DB Wang Bing – DB (CN) Willie McGinnis – DL Larry Max Westphal – OL Tanner Varner – DB Zhang Tian Hao – OL/DL (CN) 11 Sun Mo Han – OL/DL (CN) Jordan Mosely – OL Travis Miller – OL/DL Han Shao Chuan – LB (CN) Zhang Tian Shou – FB/LB (CN) Tsu Yao Lam – WR/DB (CN) 12 JJ Raterink – QB Fan Zheng Yu – LB (CN) Xu You Peng – OL/DL (CN) Tristan Purifoy – WR He Shi Lei – WR/DB (CN) Chen Yun Chen – OL/DL (CN) 13 Li An – DL (CN) Kent Richardson – DB Zhao Zhen Nan – WR/DB (CN) Shen Yu Lan – FB (CN) Matt Moss – DL Zhang Xiao Zha – WR (CN) 14 Liang Xin Hao – WR (CN) Kap IP – WR (CN) Christian Wise – WR/DB David Hong – OL/DL (CN) Wondell Rutledge – OL/DL Erwin Sennett Wu – DB (CN) 15 Virgil Gray – DB Darnell Burks – DB Taylor Russolino – K LaChristopher Lee – WR Yang Peng Sheng – DB (CN) Junxing Zhang – WR/DB (CN) 16 Ma Jin Hui – DB (CN) Ma Zhen – WR (CN) Kevin Bartie – DB Xu Xin Tian – WR (CN) A Tie – OL/DL (CN) Chris Hemphill – WR/DB 17 Zhang Hai Tao – OL/DL (CN) Maurice Woodard – WR/DB Zheng Yu Jiang – FB (CN) Lin Yi Hong – DB (CN) Baihetiyaer Tuerxun – WR/DB (CN) Li Xiang – OL/DL (CN) 18 Guo Xu – OL/DL (CN) Lai Shan Yu – WR/DB (CN) Tian Ye – FB/LB (CN) John Keith – DB Zhang Tian Chu – WR/DB (CN) Pat Clarke – K 19 Alex Carder – QB Anthony Sanders III – DL Xiao Yu – OL/DL (CN) Kimo Naehu – K Guo Rui Bin – K (CN) Zhang Xiang Yu – OL/DL (CN) 20 Zao Yun – WR (CN) Xu Chang – FB/LB (CN) Xie Kun – QB (CN) Lui Sze Ting – DB (CN) Wang Shi Xue – LB (CN) Luke Collis – QB 21 Luis Vasquez – DL Qui Zixuan – K (CN) Fan Rong – OL/DL (CN) Yu Tao – QB (CN) Sean Brackett – QB Rustin Mayorga – FB 22 Ding Long – K (CN) Jawad Yatim – QB Sergio Gilliam – WR Elvis Matagi – DL Li Chao Ren – K (CN) Chen Long – QB (CN) CN indicates Chinese national or of Chinese descent
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Regular season Week 1 Date Kickoff Away Score Home Game site Recap October 1 2:00 p.m. Guangzhou Power 35–38 Qingdao Clipper LeSports Center (Beijing) October 1 7:00 p.m. Dalian Dragon Kings 19–47 Shenzhen Naja LeSports Center (Beijing) October 2 3:00 p.m. Shanghai Skywalkers 53–54 (OT) Beijing Lions LeSports Center (Beijing)
Week 2 Date Kickoff Away Score Home Game site Recap October 8 11:00 a.m. Guangzhou Power 32–45 Shanghai Skywalkers Damai Center (Dalian) October 9 3:00 p.m. Shenzhen Naja 41–48 Beijing Lions Damai Center (Dalian) October 9 7:00 p.m. Qingdao Clipper 43–36 Dalian Dragon Kings Damai Center (Dalian)
Week 3 Date Kickoff Away Score Home Game site Recap October 15 2:00 p.m. Shanghai Skywalkers 61–48 Shenzhen Naja Guoxin Gymnasium (Qingdao) October 15 7:00 p.m. Dalian Dragon Kings 7–40 Guangzhou Power Guoxin Gymnasium (Qingdao) October 16 3:00 p.m. Beijing Lions 47–33 Qingdao Clipper Guoxin Gymnasium (Qingdao)
Week 4 Date Kickoff Away Score Home Game site Recap October 22 2:00 p.m. Beijing Lions 70–25 Dalian Dragon Kings Guangzhou Gymnasium (Guangzhou) October 22 7:00 p.m. Qingdao Clipper 51–49 Shanghai Skywalkers Guangzhou Gymnasium (Guangzhou) October 23 3:00 p.m. Shenzhen Naja 39–47 Guangzhou Power Guangzhou Gymnasium (Guangzhou)
Week 5 Date Kickoff Away Score Home Game site Recap October 29 2:00 p.m. Dalian Dragon Kings 21–63 Shanghai Skywalkers Shenzhen Dayun Arena (Shenzhen) October 29 7:00 p.m. Beijing Lions 55–32 Guangzhou Power Shenzhen Dayun Arena (Shenzhen) October 30 3:00 p.m. Qingdao Clipper 40–47 Shenzhen Naja Shenzhen Dayun Arena (Shenzhen)
Standings
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Postseason 5th-place game Date Kickoff Away Score Home Game site Recap November 5 2:00 p.m. Dalian Dragon Kings 30–46 Shenzhen Naja Shanghai Oriental Sports Center (Shanghai)
3rd-place game Date Kickoff Away Score Home Game site Recap November 5 7:00 p.m. Guangzhou Power 52–57 Shanghai Skywalkers Shanghai Oriental Sports Center (Shanghai)
China Bowl Date Kickoff Away Score Home Game site Recap November 6 3:00 p.m. Qingdao Clipper 34–35 Beijing Lions Shanghai Oriental Sports Center (Shanghai)
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Awards
Individual season awards Note: The Steel-man is named for his "all around excellence at several positions". The Judge Spirit Award, named after CAFL founder Marty Judge, is given for "exemplifying football excellence, leadership and special contribution to the league".
Award Winner Position Team Offensive MVP Shane Austin Quarterback Shanghai Defensive MVP Torez Jones Defensive back Beijing Steel-man James Romain Defensive back/receiver/kick returner Beijing Judge Spirit Award Mike Washington Wide receiver Shanghai
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All-Pro teams All-Pro North Division All-Stars
OffenseQuarterbackLuke Collis, BeijingWide receiverCollin Taylor, BeijingReggie Gray, QingdaoTian Chu Zhang, QingdaoFullbackRustin Mayorga, BeijingOffensive linemanWayne Tribue, BeijingNeal Tivis, BeijingTian Hao Zhang, BeijingDefenseDefensive linemanCalvin Fance, BeijingPaul Cheng, BeijingSteve Tang, DalianJack linebackerAmeer Ismail, DalianMiddle linebackerJake Metz, QingdaoDefensive backTorez Jones, BeijingJames Romain, BeijingKent Richardson, Dalian OtherPlacekickerPatrick Clarke III, BeijingAthleteBryan Randall, quarterback, QingdaoTalib Wise, wide receiver, DalianSiguang Yan, defensive lineman, Dalian
CoachesHead coachClint Dolezel, BeijingAssistant coachSteve Criswell, Qingdao Chinese assistant coachJeff Mei, Beijing
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All-Pro South Division All-Stars
OffenseQuarterbackShane Austin, ShanghaiWide receiverMike Washington, ShanghaiShaun Kauleinamoku, ShanghaiXu Xin He, ShenzhenFullbackDashawn Johnson, GuangzhouOffensive linemanDavid Wang, GuangzhouTravis Miller, ShanghaiMax Westphal, ShenzhenDefenseDefensive linemanRobert Williams, ShenzhenFrank Trotter, GuangzhouWillie McGinnis, ShanghaiJack linebackerLing Zi Hao, GuangzhouMiddle linebackerTyre Glasper, GuangzhouDefensive backCameron McGlenn, GuangzhouDwayne Hollis, ShanghaiWang Lei, Shanghai OtherPlacekickerTaylor Russolino, ShanghaiAthleteDak Britt, quarterback, ShenzhenLaChristopher Lee, kick returner, GuangzhouGuxu Bing Fe, fullback, Shanghai
CoachesHead coachJ.W. Kenton, ShenzhenAssistant coachJohn Lyles, Shanghai Chinese assistant coachRobert Wang, Guangzhou
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Dream Team The CAFL Dream Team was selected by fan vote.
Dream TeamQuarterbackDak Britt, ShenzhenOffensive linemanJia Qi Zhang, Shenzhen Defensive linemanRobert Williams, Shenzhen Running back/FullbackDashawn Johnson, Guangzhou Wide receiverXu Xin He, Shenzhen Defensive backTanner Varner, Qingdao Linebacker/Middle linebackerHong Jia Wei David, Shenzhen KickerTaylor Russolino, Shanghai
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References