Post by Free Agent Fan on Mar 12, 2007 19:37:03 GMT -5
Blackbirds Open In Reading
Blown Out in Debut
by Patrick Abbondandolo
Trimmed out in their white and red uniforms with the black helmet fully adorned with a full winged fowl reminiscent of the old Atlanta Falcon, the Baltimore Blackbirds took the field for their first regular season action Saturday night. Already having played three games, winning two of their first three, the Reading Express came into Saturdays game looking to get to 3-1, while the Blackbirds just wanted to get on the field and out of the local practice facilities. They won the opening coin toss, and for most of the first quarter it looked like that was all they were going to win.
The first play from scrimmage was blown dead with a delay of game. A Kenneth Irby thrown interception taken 12 yards to the house by Express Defensive Back Marcus Sargeant followed the penalty. After a Ben Whitacre field goal try from about 25 yards out was blocked midway through the first, the Express converted on two touchdown tries of 4 and 30 yards, both strikes from Reading QB Tom Stetzer to WR Mores Mayorine. The lone bright spot in the early going was some great, tough running by RB David Johnson, accruing 34 yards early in the first half before injuring his right leg. He returned in the second quarter.
Early in the second quarter, former Morgan State WR Brach Roache caught a 31-yard pass on a fly pattern from Irby. But that drive would stagnate at the 3-yard line, where the team would lose 15 yards on the next four plays and see the drive amount to a turnover on downs. The Express took the ball in three plays and moved down to the 3-yard line. Express RB Terrell Watkins took the ball in for a score from there. Baltimore got the ball back and with 4:30 left in the first half another Whitacre field goal was blocked, this time by the entire front line of the Express defense.
The defense, deemed the "Hit Squad", by the home town PA address announcer, ran amuck in the Baltimore backfield injuring Irby and taking many plays called by Baltimore Head Coach Chris Simpson backwards. Late in the first half Irby was replaced by Joe Urso, who threw three straight incompletions, including two, which found fans as receivers in the stands. The half ended with a crisp two minute offense producing another Stetzer touchdown, this one to WR Ian Cooper, closing out the first half 48-0, securing a scoreless first half for the Blackbirds.
The second half continued in the same fashion with more Reading dominance, as the defending regular season AIFL North Division Champions punished the Blackbirds. The “Squad” continued to pester backup QB Joe Urso and stifle the offense, and did not allow a point in the third period, while adding two additional touchdowns with backups in the game, making the score 64-0 at the end of the third. In the fourth, after two more Reading touchdowns, the Blackbirds finally got in the end zone with a touchdown pass from Urso to Virginia alum Kevin Dixon. It ended the scoring, and the Express closed out a 78-6 win.
Coach Simpson summarized his team’s outcome in one facet of the game. "We didn't execute. We have nice facilities in Baltimore, but the spacing just is not there for us," Coach Simpson said. "We do not have a regulation size arena to practice on, and that shows in some of our problems finding that spacing." He found good in the game, even with giving up an Express franchise record 78 points. Simpson added, "We found some guys tonight that can play. Speed is definitely there. We also found that there are some of our players who we need to re-evaluate." On the injury front, Irby, who left in the first half and did not return, took a massive hit to the kidneys and his status was unknown. The next game for the Blackbirds is Friday March 16, when they play in Lakeland, FL against the Thunderbolts.
Blown Out in Debut
by Patrick Abbondandolo
Trimmed out in their white and red uniforms with the black helmet fully adorned with a full winged fowl reminiscent of the old Atlanta Falcon, the Baltimore Blackbirds took the field for their first regular season action Saturday night. Already having played three games, winning two of their first three, the Reading Express came into Saturdays game looking to get to 3-1, while the Blackbirds just wanted to get on the field and out of the local practice facilities. They won the opening coin toss, and for most of the first quarter it looked like that was all they were going to win.
The first play from scrimmage was blown dead with a delay of game. A Kenneth Irby thrown interception taken 12 yards to the house by Express Defensive Back Marcus Sargeant followed the penalty. After a Ben Whitacre field goal try from about 25 yards out was blocked midway through the first, the Express converted on two touchdown tries of 4 and 30 yards, both strikes from Reading QB Tom Stetzer to WR Mores Mayorine. The lone bright spot in the early going was some great, tough running by RB David Johnson, accruing 34 yards early in the first half before injuring his right leg. He returned in the second quarter.
Early in the second quarter, former Morgan State WR Brach Roache caught a 31-yard pass on a fly pattern from Irby. But that drive would stagnate at the 3-yard line, where the team would lose 15 yards on the next four plays and see the drive amount to a turnover on downs. The Express took the ball in three plays and moved down to the 3-yard line. Express RB Terrell Watkins took the ball in for a score from there. Baltimore got the ball back and with 4:30 left in the first half another Whitacre field goal was blocked, this time by the entire front line of the Express defense.
The defense, deemed the "Hit Squad", by the home town PA address announcer, ran amuck in the Baltimore backfield injuring Irby and taking many plays called by Baltimore Head Coach Chris Simpson backwards. Late in the first half Irby was replaced by Joe Urso, who threw three straight incompletions, including two, which found fans as receivers in the stands. The half ended with a crisp two minute offense producing another Stetzer touchdown, this one to WR Ian Cooper, closing out the first half 48-0, securing a scoreless first half for the Blackbirds.
The second half continued in the same fashion with more Reading dominance, as the defending regular season AIFL North Division Champions punished the Blackbirds. The “Squad” continued to pester backup QB Joe Urso and stifle the offense, and did not allow a point in the third period, while adding two additional touchdowns with backups in the game, making the score 64-0 at the end of the third. In the fourth, after two more Reading touchdowns, the Blackbirds finally got in the end zone with a touchdown pass from Urso to Virginia alum Kevin Dixon. It ended the scoring, and the Express closed out a 78-6 win.
Coach Simpson summarized his team’s outcome in one facet of the game. "We didn't execute. We have nice facilities in Baltimore, but the spacing just is not there for us," Coach Simpson said. "We do not have a regulation size arena to practice on, and that shows in some of our problems finding that spacing." He found good in the game, even with giving up an Express franchise record 78 points. Simpson added, "We found some guys tonight that can play. Speed is definitely there. We also found that there are some of our players who we need to re-evaluate." On the injury front, Irby, who left in the first half and did not return, took a massive hit to the kidneys and his status was unknown. The next game for the Blackbirds is Friday March 16, when they play in Lakeland, FL against the Thunderbolts.