Post by rkozak201 on May 18, 2008 2:04:51 GMT -5
Quarterback Rob Flowers throws six TD passes to a full-strength receiving corps, leading Reading to victory over Fayetteville.
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
With seven games as a starter under his belt and all three of his receivers in the lineup, Rob Flowers is growing into one of the top quarterbacks in the American Indoor Football Association.
Flowers threw six touchdowns passes Saturday night, four to Carmelo Ocasio, to lead the Express to a 51-24 win over the Fayetteville Guard at the Sovereign Center.
Flowers, a Muhlenberg and Kutztown University product, completed 18-of-35 passes for 190 yards as the Express (7-2) remained undefeated at home this season and kept pace with Erie in the Eastern Conference North Division race.
Flowers showed increased patience in the pocket to wait for a receiver to open instead of using his legs to try to make plays. He ran the ball just three times, including one for an 11-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Flowers also threw a pair of touchdown passes to Shawn Foxworth and completed four passes to Yardon Brantley, making his return after two months because of a broken shoulder.
It is the first time since the second game of the season, when Flowers was sharing time with John Port, that the Express’ top three receivers were on the field at the same time.
Ocasio limped into the season with an ankle injury and was ineffective in two starts. He sat out more than month and has given the offense a big boost since his return.
After catching three touchdown passes in a win at Canton last Saturday, Ocasio backed that up with eight catches for 97 yards and four touchdowns against the Guard (3-5)..
Ocasio, who hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass in the first half, caught TD passes of 22, 16 and 23 yards in the second as the Express pulled away to end the Guard’s three-game winning streak.
The 22-yard connection from Flowers to Ocasio less than two minutes into the second half and the ensuing 2-point conversion run by Flowers gave Reading a 28-6 lead.
The was plenty of a cushion despite Guard quarterback Jasun Thompson, who completed just one of his first 13 passes, throwing three touchdown passes to Walter Ford in the second half.
It was the second straight huge game for Flowers, who threw for seven touchdown and ran for two last week in a win at Canton.
The Express took a 20-6 halftime lead thanks to a pair of touchdown passes from Flowers to Foxworth and three defensive stops inside the 10-yard line.
Foxworth, who missed the last two games because of injury, returned to make seven catches for 51 yards. He had TD catches of 1 and 6 yards.
Defensively, the Express halted the Guard’s first march inside the 10 when Mike Schwebel batted down a fourth-down pass by Thompson. Thompson threw another incompletion from the 7 on the Guard’s next possession and had his pass from the 9 on the final play of the half broken up by Trent Jones.
Jones and Rob Biernat each intercepted a pass on 2-point conversion tries that helped the Express maintain comfortable leads.
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
With seven games as a starter under his belt and all three of his receivers in the lineup, Rob Flowers is growing into one of the top quarterbacks in the American Indoor Football Association.
Flowers threw six touchdowns passes Saturday night, four to Carmelo Ocasio, to lead the Express to a 51-24 win over the Fayetteville Guard at the Sovereign Center.
Flowers, a Muhlenberg and Kutztown University product, completed 18-of-35 passes for 190 yards as the Express (7-2) remained undefeated at home this season and kept pace with Erie in the Eastern Conference North Division race.
Flowers showed increased patience in the pocket to wait for a receiver to open instead of using his legs to try to make plays. He ran the ball just three times, including one for an 11-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Flowers also threw a pair of touchdown passes to Shawn Foxworth and completed four passes to Yardon Brantley, making his return after two months because of a broken shoulder.
It is the first time since the second game of the season, when Flowers was sharing time with John Port, that the Express’ top three receivers were on the field at the same time.
Ocasio limped into the season with an ankle injury and was ineffective in two starts. He sat out more than month and has given the offense a big boost since his return.
After catching three touchdown passes in a win at Canton last Saturday, Ocasio backed that up with eight catches for 97 yards and four touchdowns against the Guard (3-5)..
Ocasio, who hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass in the first half, caught TD passes of 22, 16 and 23 yards in the second as the Express pulled away to end the Guard’s three-game winning streak.
The 22-yard connection from Flowers to Ocasio less than two minutes into the second half and the ensuing 2-point conversion run by Flowers gave Reading a 28-6 lead.
The was plenty of a cushion despite Guard quarterback Jasun Thompson, who completed just one of his first 13 passes, throwing three touchdown passes to Walter Ford in the second half.
It was the second straight huge game for Flowers, who threw for seven touchdown and ran for two last week in a win at Canton.
The Express took a 20-6 halftime lead thanks to a pair of touchdown passes from Flowers to Foxworth and three defensive stops inside the 10-yard line.
Foxworth, who missed the last two games because of injury, returned to make seven catches for 51 yards. He had TD catches of 1 and 6 yards.
Defensively, the Express halted the Guard’s first march inside the 10 when Mike Schwebel batted down a fourth-down pass by Thompson. Thompson threw another incompletion from the 7 on the Guard’s next possession and had his pass from the 9 on the final play of the half broken up by Trent Jones.
Jones and Rob Biernat each intercepted a pass on 2-point conversion tries that helped the Express maintain comfortable leads.
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
