Post by rkozak201 on May 17, 2008 7:02:24 GMT -5
Reading Eagle: Ben Hasty
Reading's Yardon Brantley had 10 catches for 96 yards in the Express' season-opening win over Baltimore.
After missing six games with a shoulder injury, Central Catholic grad Yardon Brantley is expected to be in uniform tonight.
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
One of the Reading Express’ biggest additions for the 2008 season is ready to return.
Former Central Catholic standout Yardon Brantley is expected back at wide receiver at 8 tonight when the Express hosts the Fayetteville (N.C.) Guard in an American Indoor Football Association game at the Sovereign Center.
Brantley was injured in the Express’ second game of the season March 15 in Carolina.
He opened the season by making 10 catches for 96 yards in Reading’s 36-27 win over Baltimore.
The following week, Brantley suffered a broken shoulder in a 49-17 loss to Carolina. He has missed six games.
Despite the absence of the 6-1, 210-pound former Duquesne star, the Express (6-2) has won 5-of-6 and is just a half-game behind Erie in the AIFA North race.
Carmelo Ocasio, the Express’ No. 1 receiver the past two seasons, also missed a month with an injury.
The Express has absorbed those injuries with a deep receiving corps that includes two-year starters Shawn Foxworth and Ian Cooper and newcomers Terrance Hudson, Jeff Willis and Tavis Laws.
Foxworth has missed the last two games because of an injury, but with all the receivers healthy for the Guard (3-4), Express coach/general manager Bernie Nowotarski has some tough decisions to make.
“It does make my job difficult,” Nowotarski said. “It’s not fun, and it’s not easy.”
Of the 20 players the Express dresses for each game, only four are wide receivers. Nowotarski said he plans to have Brantley, Ocasio, Foxworth and Hudson in uniform tonight.
•Reed in Reading: Speaking of talented wide receivers, former Buffalo Bills standout Andre Reed will be at tonight’s game to sign autographs and help raise money for breast cancer awareness.
Reed, who played in four Super Bowls with the Bills, was a teammate of Express coach/general manager Bernie Nowotarski for one season at Kutztown University.
•Colston in Harrisburg: New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marques Colston has been announced as a partial owner of the Harrisburg franchise that will begin play in the AIFA next March.
Colston is a Harrisburg native who was a star receiver at Susquehanna Township.
Harrisburg’s yet-to-be-named team will play its home games in the State Farm Show Building.
•Trouble in Huntington: The Huntington Heroes once were thought to be the Express’ biggest obstacle to reaching the AIFA title game for the second straight year.
Reading dealt the Heroes their first loss of the season with a big second-half comeback in a 57-38 win April 5 in the Sovereign Center.
Since then, it’s been all downhill for the Heroes, who have undergone a coaching change and didn’t show up for a game in Florence, S.C., because of money issues involving former coach Teddy Keaton, the players and new ownership.
Carlos Clayton took over as head coach of the Heroes, who lost to Fayetteville 34-26 May 5 in his debut before just 365 fans in the Big Sandy Superstore Arena.
The Heroes, who were once 5-1 and a contender to be the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, have lost three straight and are 5-4. Reading will visit Huntington Saturday, May 31.
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.