Post by rkozak201 on Apr 6, 2008 2:34:40 GMT -5
Reading Eagle: Ben Hasty
Reading's Rob Flowers passes the ball through the arms of Huntington's Floyd Wright during the Express' 57-38 win.
With help from the line, Michael Baldwin, Rob Flowers and Shawn Foxworth guide Reading back from a halftime deficit.
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
Reading, PA - Michael Baldwin, Rob Flowers and Shawn Foxworth basked in most of the glory Saturday night after the Reading Express’ incredible comeback win.
All three were quick to defer much of the credit to the big guys up front who made all their game-changing plays possible in a 57-38 American Indoor Football Association victory over the previously undefeated Huntington Heroes in a raucous Sovereign Center.
“Everything starts up front,” Foxworth said. “If Rob doesn’t get the time that he needs to stand back there and deliver a sweet pass, I don’t get to perform and make any catch.”
Foxworth caught two touchdown passes in the third quarter when the Express rallied from a 28-16 halftime deficit with 20 unanswered points.
The Express, which got a 50-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Trent Jones to start the game, struggled offensively for most of the first half when Huntington (3-1) twice opened 15-point leads.
But Flowers got the Express (3-1) rolling in the second half with an electrifying 35-yard touchdown run that sparked the rest of the team.
“We kind of expect Rob to make those plays when we’re not open or something’s not there,” Foxworth said. “He can just make plays.”
While the crowd was still buzzing, Baldwin intercepted a Darnell Kennedy pass and returned it to the Heroes 18. Three plays later, Flowers threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Foxworth to put the Express ahead to stay.
Marcus Sargeant intercepted Kennedy on the Heroes’ next play to set up a 39-yard touchdown pass from Flowers to Foxworth that sent the 3,394 fans into a frenzy as Foxworth rolled over the goal line.
“Interceptions, those are the bigger plays,” Flowers said. “Every turnover we had today we converted into touchdowns.”
The Heroes tried to quiet the crowd with a drive that resulted in a 21-yard Jason Cherry field goal to cut Reading’s lead to 36-31 early in the fourth quarter.
But Jones answered with another big kickoff return to the Heroes 16 that set up a four-play drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by Jason Henley.
Any hopes Huntington had of getting back into the game ended when Baldwin stepped in front of a Heroes receiver at the goal line and raced 49 yards for a touchdown with his second interception.
“The rush got there and I was able to get underneath it,” Baldwin said. “I can’t do nothing if the D-line doesn’t get a rush and today they got a big rush. They were hitting the quarterback all day.”
The defensive line of Brett Kolk, Mike Schwebel and Corey Gipe harassed Kennedy for most of the second half. Kennedy was sacked three times and forced to throw off-balance on several other occasions.
Flowers overcame a shaky first half to finish 15-of-25 for 124 yards and two touchdowns. The former Muhlenberg High star also rushed seven times for 83 yards and three touchdowns.
“Rob is starting to get a lot of confidence and just letting it go,” said Foxworth, who had a team-high eight catches for 74 yards. “I think he’s going to be one of the elite quarterbacks in the future.”
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
