Post by Gene on Jun 15, 2007 19:12:30 GMT -5
Players, not pedigree, important to Express
Many members of Canton have Division I experience, but Reading’s players seem unconcerned, probably because they won both regular season meetings vs. the Legends.
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
6/15/2007
On paper, the American Indoor Football Association Northern Conference championship game looks like a mismatch.
The Reading Express will send its group of three former Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference receivers against the Canton Legends’ trio of former Division I wideouts.
Reading quarterback Tom Stetzer, who played at Division III Wisconsin-Platteville, will be matched against former Syracuse All-Big East signal-caller Kevin Mason.
But championships are won on the field by the players who make the most plays.
The Express (15-2) will host Canton (11-4) Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Sovereign Center because it defeated the defending league champion Legends twice to win its second straight regular season conference championship.
The winner will advance to the AIFA championship game Saturday, June 23, at Florence, S.C.
“I’m a D-II receiver, but I compete,” said Express receiver Shawn Foxworth, who played at Millersville University. “I played against Canton before. They have Arena 1 defensive backs. It doesn’t mean anything. You just go out and play.”
Foxworth caught two touchdown passes in the first half against Canton April 14 in Reading’s 63-56 victory. He was injured on the second TD reception in the final seconds of the first half and missed the next seven games before returning Saturday for Reading’s 42-24 playoff win over Pittsburgh.
Foxworth is joined at wide receiver by former Reading High teammates Carmelo Ocasio and Ian Cooper.
Ocasio, who attended Indiana (Pa.), was named the league’s Most Valuable Player last season and was voted to the Northern Conference All-Star team this year. He leads the Express in touchdown receptions, despite missing four games with an injury.
Cooper, who played college football at Mansfield, also was voted to the All-Star team and has more than 100 catches this season.
Canton counters with a cast of receivers that includes Maurice Lee, Randall Lane and Tim Smith.
Lee was a member of Ohio State’s 2002 national championship team. Lane caught passes from Drew Brees at Purdue. Smith played at Toledo.
“Just because you’re D-I doesn’t mean you can play football,” Foxworth said. “People get seen at a different time in their life. The talent is evenly matched on both sides.”
In the past two seasons, Reading has won 3-of-5 against Canton. However, the Legends won last year’s conference championship game 44-24 in the Sovereign Center in a game the Express once led 21-6.
The Express’ high-powered offense, which carried a 12-game winning streak into that game, was shut out in the second half.
“The goal for this game is that we score in every quarter,” Express coach Kelly Logan said. “We’re going to go out there and keep on scoring. I know my defense is going to do its job.”
The defense will try to stop the 34-year-old Mason, who was the predecessor to Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb at Syracuse. Mason threw for 49 touchdowns this season.
Stetzer, 25, had a less impressive college resume. However, he has thrown for 76 touchdowns this season and again was voted the conference’s All-Star quarterback.
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.