Post by Gene on Jun 15, 2008 0:36:56 GMT -5
www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=95591
Express bounces back with rout of RiverRats
By Brian Rippey
6/15/2008
Reading Eagle
The Reading Express evidently took last week’s loss to Erie personally.
From the first snap Saturday night in the Sovereign Center, the Express harassed RiverRats quarterback Rob Rutherford and didn’t let up until the final horn sounded.
By then, the victory was well in hand during Reading’s 66-26 thrashing of the first-place RiverRats in a key American Indoor Football Association game that could go a long way in determining home-field advantage in the playoffs.
“We were really disappointed with ourselves last week,” said Express linebacker Matt Sola, who recovered two fumbles. “Last week was not our team out there.”
It was a total turnaround from last week’s 51-32 Express loss in Erie.
At home, where Reading has won 18 straight, the Express (9-4) forced the RiverRats (10-4) into seven turnovers and sacked Rutherford five times.
On offense, Rob Flowers rebounded from a turnover-plagued game in Erie to throw for five touchdowns and run for four, including an electrifying 33-yard scamper in the fourth quarter.
“I opened my eyes and saw the field and got the ball to my receivers,” said Flowers, who completed 21-of-35 for 220 yards. “We played as a team. We saw some things they were doing and we took advantage of those things.”
The Express offense got off to a slow start before Erik Rockhold kicked a 34-yard field goal to give Reading the early lead and give him 500 career points during his three seasons in Reading. There were plenty more to come.
Erie, which concluded its regular season, took a 7-3 lead when Rutherford ran 18 yards for a touchdown.
But the Express got its offense rolling and the defense, led by a pair of interceptions from Trent Jones and David Smith, stiffened.
The Express scored 27 straight points to build a 30-7 lead before Erie scored in the final minute of the first half to make it 30-14 at halftime.
“We just wanted to come out and be more physical with them this week,” said Jones, who also returned a missed field goal 40 yards to set up a touchdown. “They kind of dictated the tempo to us last week. Our goal this week was to dictate the game to them.”
Any momentum Erie gained by scoring at the end of the first half was wiped out when Flowers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Carmelo Ocasio on Reading’s first possession of the second half.
Ocasio caught nine passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Yardon Brantley had six catches for 59 yards and three scores and Shawn Foxworth had five catches for 71 yards.
On defense, Kolk led the way up front with two sacks and stripped Rutherford of the ball near the goal line to prevent a touchdown.
With the win, Reading needs to win in Baltimore Monday, June 23, to win its third straight division title and earn home-field advantage in the playoffs which will start against Erie on Fourth of July weekend.
“We knew what we had to do,” Kolk said. “There was more of a sense of urgency this week as opposed to last week.”
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
After getting soundly beaten at Erie last week, Reading returns the favor and stays in the hunt for home-field advantage in the playoffs.
Express bounces back with rout of RiverRats
By Brian Rippey
6/15/2008
Reading Eagle
The Reading Express evidently took last week’s loss to Erie personally.
From the first snap Saturday night in the Sovereign Center, the Express harassed RiverRats quarterback Rob Rutherford and didn’t let up until the final horn sounded.
By then, the victory was well in hand during Reading’s 66-26 thrashing of the first-place RiverRats in a key American Indoor Football Association game that could go a long way in determining home-field advantage in the playoffs.
“We were really disappointed with ourselves last week,” said Express linebacker Matt Sola, who recovered two fumbles. “Last week was not our team out there.”
It was a total turnaround from last week’s 51-32 Express loss in Erie.
At home, where Reading has won 18 straight, the Express (9-4) forced the RiverRats (10-4) into seven turnovers and sacked Rutherford five times.
On offense, Rob Flowers rebounded from a turnover-plagued game in Erie to throw for five touchdowns and run for four, including an electrifying 33-yard scamper in the fourth quarter.
“I opened my eyes and saw the field and got the ball to my receivers,” said Flowers, who completed 21-of-35 for 220 yards. “We played as a team. We saw some things they were doing and we took advantage of those things.”
The Express offense got off to a slow start before Erik Rockhold kicked a 34-yard field goal to give Reading the early lead and give him 500 career points during his three seasons in Reading. There were plenty more to come.
Erie, which concluded its regular season, took a 7-3 lead when Rutherford ran 18 yards for a touchdown.
But the Express got its offense rolling and the defense, led by a pair of interceptions from Trent Jones and David Smith, stiffened.
The Express scored 27 straight points to build a 30-7 lead before Erie scored in the final minute of the first half to make it 30-14 at halftime.
“We just wanted to come out and be more physical with them this week,” said Jones, who also returned a missed field goal 40 yards to set up a touchdown. “They kind of dictated the tempo to us last week. Our goal this week was to dictate the game to them.”
Any momentum Erie gained by scoring at the end of the first half was wiped out when Flowers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Carmelo Ocasio on Reading’s first possession of the second half.
Ocasio caught nine passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Yardon Brantley had six catches for 59 yards and three scores and Shawn Foxworth had five catches for 71 yards.
On defense, Kolk led the way up front with two sacks and stripped Rutherford of the ball near the goal line to prevent a touchdown.
With the win, Reading needs to win in Baltimore Monday, June 23, to win its third straight division title and earn home-field advantage in the playoffs which will start against Erie on Fourth of July weekend.
“We knew what we had to do,” Kolk said. “There was more of a sense of urgency this week as opposed to last week.”
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
After getting soundly beaten at Erie last week, Reading returns the favor and stays in the hunt for home-field advantage in the playoffs.
