Post by rkozak201 on Mar 22, 2008 7:05:13 GMT -5
Reading, coming off a lopsided loss to Carolina, looks forward to turning things around this afternoon against Arizona.
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
Coming off one of its worst losses, the Reading Express can’t get back on the field fast enough.
The injury-hobbled American Indoor Football Association team will get an early shot at redemption today when its faces the Arizona Adrenaline at 1 p.m. in a rare matinee in the Sovereign Center.
The Express (1-1) is licking its wounds both physically and mentally after Saturday’s 49-17 loss to the Carolina Speed.
“It seemed like whatever could go wrong did go wrong that game,” said linebacker Matt Sola, an original member of the Express. “In the two plus years I’ve been here, that was probably our worst defeat points-wise.”
Defensive back Sam Bryant went down with a season-ending Achilles’ heel injury and wide receiver Yardon Brantley left with a broken shoulder that could sideline him through April.
But the major reason for the loss was the inability for the entire team to get untracked, leading to the Express’ lowest point total in 37 games.
“We absolutely just did not execute,” Express coach/general manager Bernie Nowotarski said. “It was like being in quicksand. They were stuck and it wasn’t getting rectified.”
The Express will have a chance to bounce back against an Arizona team playing its first game in franchise history.
Today’s game also will give several backup players an opportunity to show what they can do, especially the wide receivers.
In addition to Brantley, Nowotarski said two-year starter Carmelo Ocasio will miss at least today’s game and possibly next week’s game at Erie because of a high ankle sprain.
Shawn Foxworth, also a two-year starter, will be joined by first-year Express players Tavis Laws and Jeff Willis, along with Mores Manoyrine. Manoyrine had big games for the Express last season when Ocasio and Foxworth were injured.
“Sometimes injury is what bumps you up,” Nowotarski said.
The loss of Bryant will make room for Ronnie Montgomery in the secondary along with Marcus Sargeant and Michael Baldwin.
Another position Nowotarski will continue to monitor is quarterback, where John Port and Rob Flowers have struggled in their first indoor seasons.
Port has started both games but Nowotarski isn’t saying that will be the case today.
“I can tell you both of them are going to play,” Nowotarski said. “I’ve got two quarterbacks that have not played indoor football. They’re good athletes, they’re good quarterbacks, they’ve just got to learn more about the game.”
Regardless of who the quarterback is, the players who helped the Express win 30 of their first 37 games certainly aren’t interested in learning any more about losing.
“Really the only thing you have to do is you have to forget about it real quick and come back this week and play the best you can,” Sola said. “We’ll battle back this week. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
