Empire notes: Receiver Carl Sims knows what Sioux Falls brings to table

Scan the receiving records lists in the Indoor Football League’s eight-year history and three names tend to pop up: Clinton Solomon, James Terry and the Spokane Empire’s Carl Sims.

They’re 1-2-3 in all-time receiving yards with Sims (4,468) closing in on first-place Solomon (4,752) and No. 2 Terry (4,645).

Several years ago, they were the 1-2-3 receiving options for the Sioux Falls Storm.

Sims is still adding to his career totals as the Empire (8-1) await Saturday’s showdown with five-time defending champion Sioux Falls (9-1) in South Dakota. Solomon has moved on and leads the Champions Indoor Football’s Texas Revolution in receptions. Terry retired following Sioux Falls’ title last season.

“Those were two great guys,” said Sims, who played on Storm championship squads in 2011-12. “That was a treat with those two and we had a great quarterback (Chris Dixon). We have a great core here, too.”

Dixon, a three-time MVP who played on five IFL championship teams, is head coach of the Billings Wolves, who lost to Spokane 75-28 last Saturday.

Sims and head coach Adam Shackleford know better than anybody in the organization what the Empire is up against Saturday.

“They have a good fan base,” Sims said. “The fans stick behind them, so that’s in stride with the team. I think that’s a big deal.”

Spokane-Sioux Falls will be the biggest game of the IFL season thus far. The next biggest will be the rematch in Spokane on June 18.

“We match up pretty well,” said Sims, a Western Illinois product who has 40 receptions for 436 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. “They have some great guys, coaches. We have the same so it’s going to be a great game.”

Shackleford’s Tri-Cities teams were 0-7 against Sioux Falls, 0-2 in United Bowl contests.

“They walk out on the field with the mindset they’re going to win every game they’re in,” Shackleford said. “At home they’re tough to beat. It’s a great atmosphere, a tough place to play, but at the same time it’s a fun place to play.”

Shackleford recalls two particularly painful losses to the Storm during his Fever tenure.

“We had them beat twice at home, but they made plays at the end to win,” Shackleford said. “One time I think they beat us 73-72 (in 2012). And we lost to them on the last play of a game in 2014 at our place. We were trying to set up a field goal, we threw an interception and their guy ran it back for a touchdown.”

The well-traveled Sims has been part of every IFL season. Sims debuted with the Bloomington Extreme in the IFL’s inaugural season in 2009. He was with eventual champion Billings in 2010. He spent 2011-12 with the Storm, earning first-team All-IFL honors in 2012 with 72 catches for 1,108 yards and 20 touchdowns.

He played for Cedar Rapids in 2013-14, amassing 109 receptions for 1,533 yards. He made first-team All-IFL in 2013. Sims began the 2015 campaign with Cedar Rapids, was traded to Billings and finished with a flurry in Green Bay, where he had 35 catches, 10 for touchdowns, in just five games.

The 30-year-old Sims said his “love of competition” keeps him involved in football.

“I just feel I can compete at this high level and it just feels good to go out and score touchdowns,” said Sims, who also has CFL and AFL experience. “That’s what I love to do. Lord willing, I have a couple more (seasons) in me.”

Sims is focusing on the present and not on the IFL record book.

“I’m just all about trying to win this ring with the Empire,” he said.

Defensive back added

The Empire signed defensive back Adrian James to their 2016 roster. James, an IFL rookie, played at the University of Texas-El Paso.