Post by Gene on Apr 16, 2007 10:41:26 GMT -5
Express provides show to remember 
Reading avenges last year’s home loss in the conference championship game with a 63-56 victory over Canton at the Sovereign Center Saturday night.
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
Reading, PA - The Reading Express’ first home win over the Canton Legends virtually guarantees Reading home-field advantage throughout the American Indoor Football Association Northern Conference playoffs.
With a two-game lead over the defending league champions and a season sweep of the Legends, it would take a major collapse against mostly inferior opponents to prevent the Express from winning its second straight regular-season conference title.
But Saturday’s mind-boggling 63-56 victory at the Sovereign Center was important to the Express for more than just playoff position and avenging last year’s home loss in the conference championship game.
It provided what realistically, if not officially, was one of the biggest crowds in the team’s two-year history a chance to feel nearly every emotional twist and turn indoor football has to offer. The thrill-a-minute offensive explosion is bound to make many among the 3,936 fans come back for more and create a buzz throughout Berks County.
Where else can you go to see two teams combine for 119 points and 16 touchdowns in a game with more ups and downs than a wild roller coaster ride? All in the span of a little more than 21/2 hours.
With the help of a rare onside kick, Canton took an early 14-point lead in an attempt to silence the crowd. That didn’t last long when the Express, aided by a safety, rallied for a 24-21 lead on one of Tom Stetzer’s seven touchdown passes, a 15-yarder to Shawn Foxworth with 1:28 left in the half.
Fans who left their seats early to avoid a line at the concession stand or rest room missed a lot.
Canton regained the lead when speedy Tim Smith beat the Reading secondary for a 40-yard touchdown reception with 43 seconds left in the half.
Not to be outdone, Reading answered 36 seconds later with another connection from Stetzer to Foxworth, this one from 17 yards out that sent Foxworth crashing hard into the end zone wall and out of the game with a knee injury. Erik Rockhold’s second rouge of the first half gave the Express a 32-27 halftime lead.
Those who thought that excitement couldn’t be matched in the second half appeared to be right. After Canton regained the lead on one of Keven Mason’s six touchdown passes, Reading scored 17 straight points to grab a 15-point lead with 8:32 left.
Mores Manoyrine started the streak with a weaving 23-yard run in which he appeared to be touched by nearly all eight of Canton’s defenders en route to the end zone.
Canton trimmed Reading’s lead to eight. But when Marcus Sargeant’s electrifying interception return led to Carmelo Ocasio’s third touchdown catch of the night with 2:15 left, it appeared to put the Express comfortably back in front at 56-41.
Those looking to beat the traffic should have learned from the first half.
In a span of 45 seconds, the Legends got a 29-yard touchdown pass from Mason to Randall Lane, a rouge from John McClain, a controversial fumble recovery and a 13-yard touchdown pass from Mason to Maurice Lee to incredibly tie it 56-56 with 10.6 seconds to go.
That set the stage for Stetzer to hit Ocasio with a disputed 30-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone with 4.9 seconds left to send the crowd home happy while thirsting for more.
Few, if any, of the Express’ four remaining home games will match Saturday’s drama. It’s just not possible.
But the potential to see another classic like Saturday’s shootout likely will help draw more football fans to the Sovereign Center.
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com
Reading avenges last year’s home loss in the conference championship game with a 63-56 victory over Canton at the Sovereign Center Saturday night.
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
Reading, PA - The Reading Express’ first home win over the Canton Legends virtually guarantees Reading home-field advantage throughout the American Indoor Football Association Northern Conference playoffs.
With a two-game lead over the defending league champions and a season sweep of the Legends, it would take a major collapse against mostly inferior opponents to prevent the Express from winning its second straight regular-season conference title.
But Saturday’s mind-boggling 63-56 victory at the Sovereign Center was important to the Express for more than just playoff position and avenging last year’s home loss in the conference championship game.
It provided what realistically, if not officially, was one of the biggest crowds in the team’s two-year history a chance to feel nearly every emotional twist and turn indoor football has to offer. The thrill-a-minute offensive explosion is bound to make many among the 3,936 fans come back for more and create a buzz throughout Berks County.
Where else can you go to see two teams combine for 119 points and 16 touchdowns in a game with more ups and downs than a wild roller coaster ride? All in the span of a little more than 21/2 hours.
With the help of a rare onside kick, Canton took an early 14-point lead in an attempt to silence the crowd. That didn’t last long when the Express, aided by a safety, rallied for a 24-21 lead on one of Tom Stetzer’s seven touchdown passes, a 15-yarder to Shawn Foxworth with 1:28 left in the half.
Fans who left their seats early to avoid a line at the concession stand or rest room missed a lot.
Canton regained the lead when speedy Tim Smith beat the Reading secondary for a 40-yard touchdown reception with 43 seconds left in the half.
Not to be outdone, Reading answered 36 seconds later with another connection from Stetzer to Foxworth, this one from 17 yards out that sent Foxworth crashing hard into the end zone wall and out of the game with a knee injury. Erik Rockhold’s second rouge of the first half gave the Express a 32-27 halftime lead.
Those who thought that excitement couldn’t be matched in the second half appeared to be right. After Canton regained the lead on one of Keven Mason’s six touchdown passes, Reading scored 17 straight points to grab a 15-point lead with 8:32 left.
Mores Manoyrine started the streak with a weaving 23-yard run in which he appeared to be touched by nearly all eight of Canton’s defenders en route to the end zone.
Canton trimmed Reading’s lead to eight. But when Marcus Sargeant’s electrifying interception return led to Carmelo Ocasio’s third touchdown catch of the night with 2:15 left, it appeared to put the Express comfortably back in front at 56-41.
Those looking to beat the traffic should have learned from the first half.
In a span of 45 seconds, the Legends got a 29-yard touchdown pass from Mason to Randall Lane, a rouge from John McClain, a controversial fumble recovery and a 13-yard touchdown pass from Mason to Maurice Lee to incredibly tie it 56-56 with 10.6 seconds to go.
That set the stage for Stetzer to hit Ocasio with a disputed 30-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone with 4.9 seconds left to send the crowd home happy while thirsting for more.
Few, if any, of the Express’ four remaining home games will match Saturday’s drama. It’s just not possible.
But the potential to see another classic like Saturday’s shootout likely will help draw more football fans to the Sovereign Center.
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com
