Post by Free Agent Fan on Feb 12, 2007 20:32:37 GMT -5
Freeze remain positive after “learning experience”
Written by Erie Freeze
Monday, 12 February 2007
(February 12, 2007 - Erie, PA) The Erie Freeze’s performance in the 2007 AIFA season opener might be the stuff movie titles are made. The Freeze led by a handful of players earning their first Indoor Football experience against the defending league champions, were “The Good, the Bad, but definitely not Ugly” in falling to the Canton Legends 43-26 before an estimated 1,800 fans at Canton’s Memorial Civic Center.
Canton quarterback and Buffalo, New York native Kevin Mason led the Legends with a 17 of 29 passing performance while scoring three times on the ground to fend off Erie’s tough defense that caused four turnovers in the game.
While the Freeze’s defense earned three defensive “stops” and didn’t allow a passing touchdown on the evening, the young Freeze offense led by rookie Randall Secky and the all-purpose Darmel Whitfield took some time adjusting to the speed of the indoor game before scoring four touchdowns.
Secky looked sharp at times, but hurried at others causing some bad throws including an interception to Canton’s Jo Jo Polk who returned an almost touchdown the other way for a Canton major.
After Secky’s earlier struggles, Freeze coach Dave Arnold, the mentor, gave Whitfield the offensive reigns connecting for two second quarter touchdowns. Whitfield found Manny Johnson for the first Freeze tally from 19 yards out. The Whitfield to Johnson combination would connect again from six yards out with only 18 seconds left in the half to close the gap to 22 to 12 in favor of the Legends.
The third quarter was a defensive struggle. In a game tailored by rules for offensive, both defenses disrupted play calling with some of the hardest hitting one will see in any level of football.
Maurice Lee was the only player to break the plane of the goal line for either team as he put the Legends on the board again and upped the score to 29 to 12 in favor of the maroon and gold.
Secky returned to the pivot’s position in the fourth quarter and was able to shake off his early game jitters. Secky threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to ignite the Freeze offense.
Secky connected for the first two touchdown passes of his pro career with a 19 yard touchdown pass halfway through the fourth quarter and in the game’s waning minutes he found Whitfield on the receiving end of an 18 yard touchdown pass to close the scoring at 43-26 in favor of the Legends. The tandem of Whitfield and Secky combined for aan 18 of 37 passing performance.
Despite the outcome of the team’s first game, Coach Arnold remained optimistic, “We had a good number of guys playing their first indoor game and we just happened to be playing one of the better teams in the League. On the other side of the ball, we didn’t play too bad. I think we caused four turnovers, and had two or three stops.”
Coach’s optimism continued, “Of the bad things that happened, they can and will be corrected this week.
One of the corrections to be made is to the kicking game.
“We didn’t kick well. It was his first game kicking at the posts (9 feet wide), so I’m banking him to do a much better job the second time around,” said Arnold.
Another bright spot was the pressure put on by the Freeze secondary. Chris Blackshear was able to pick off and thwart Mason and the speed of the Freeze defense as a whole brought a great dimension to the game that will help in upcoming games.
The Freeze take to the field for the team’s home opener on Saturday night, February 17 at 7 PM at the “Igloo” at the Tullio Arena against the expansion Danville (IL) Demolition. Only a few tickets remain so log on to www.eriefreeze.com or the Freeze office at (814) 454-0200 for more details.
Written by Erie Freeze
Monday, 12 February 2007
(February 12, 2007 - Erie, PA) The Erie Freeze’s performance in the 2007 AIFA season opener might be the stuff movie titles are made. The Freeze led by a handful of players earning their first Indoor Football experience against the defending league champions, were “The Good, the Bad, but definitely not Ugly” in falling to the Canton Legends 43-26 before an estimated 1,800 fans at Canton’s Memorial Civic Center.
Canton quarterback and Buffalo, New York native Kevin Mason led the Legends with a 17 of 29 passing performance while scoring three times on the ground to fend off Erie’s tough defense that caused four turnovers in the game.
While the Freeze’s defense earned three defensive “stops” and didn’t allow a passing touchdown on the evening, the young Freeze offense led by rookie Randall Secky and the all-purpose Darmel Whitfield took some time adjusting to the speed of the indoor game before scoring four touchdowns.
Secky looked sharp at times, but hurried at others causing some bad throws including an interception to Canton’s Jo Jo Polk who returned an almost touchdown the other way for a Canton major.
After Secky’s earlier struggles, Freeze coach Dave Arnold, the mentor, gave Whitfield the offensive reigns connecting for two second quarter touchdowns. Whitfield found Manny Johnson for the first Freeze tally from 19 yards out. The Whitfield to Johnson combination would connect again from six yards out with only 18 seconds left in the half to close the gap to 22 to 12 in favor of the Legends.
The third quarter was a defensive struggle. In a game tailored by rules for offensive, both defenses disrupted play calling with some of the hardest hitting one will see in any level of football.
Maurice Lee was the only player to break the plane of the goal line for either team as he put the Legends on the board again and upped the score to 29 to 12 in favor of the maroon and gold.
Secky returned to the pivot’s position in the fourth quarter and was able to shake off his early game jitters. Secky threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to ignite the Freeze offense.
Secky connected for the first two touchdown passes of his pro career with a 19 yard touchdown pass halfway through the fourth quarter and in the game’s waning minutes he found Whitfield on the receiving end of an 18 yard touchdown pass to close the scoring at 43-26 in favor of the Legends. The tandem of Whitfield and Secky combined for aan 18 of 37 passing performance.
Despite the outcome of the team’s first game, Coach Arnold remained optimistic, “We had a good number of guys playing their first indoor game and we just happened to be playing one of the better teams in the League. On the other side of the ball, we didn’t play too bad. I think we caused four turnovers, and had two or three stops.”
Coach’s optimism continued, “Of the bad things that happened, they can and will be corrected this week.
One of the corrections to be made is to the kicking game.
“We didn’t kick well. It was his first game kicking at the posts (9 feet wide), so I’m banking him to do a much better job the second time around,” said Arnold.
Another bright spot was the pressure put on by the Freeze secondary. Chris Blackshear was able to pick off and thwart Mason and the speed of the Freeze defense as a whole brought a great dimension to the game that will help in upcoming games.
The Freeze take to the field for the team’s home opener on Saturday night, February 17 at 7 PM at the “Igloo” at the Tullio Arena against the expansion Danville (IL) Demolition. Only a few tickets remain so log on to www.eriefreeze.com or the Freeze office at (814) 454-0200 for more details.