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Post by Gene on Aug 3, 2008 0:40:29 GMT -5
I had the privelege of going to WB/Scranton to watch adam Vogel and his AF2 Quad City Steamwheelers take on the Pioneers in the 1st round of the playoffs. Adam was kind enough to give me some tickets. We had a good Express presence up there too as Bernie & family, Mo, Melo, Rock and Scott Stetzler (an express season ticket holder) all received tickets from Adam. Here are some shots but sorry nothing to great (cheap camera). I will say that the Wachovia Arena is a very nice facility. I think the sound system is way better and i think they make better use of the video board. Otherwise, i'll take the Sovereign Center anyday.                 
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Post by UnoBomber on Aug 3, 2008 9:48:47 GMT -5
This was a playoff game? Where are the fans?! That looks more like a 1st Mariner arena in Baltimore on a Saturday night!
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Post by Gene on Aug 3, 2008 10:53:59 GMT -5
This was a playoff game? Where are the fans?! That looks more like a 1st Mariner arena in Baltimore on a Saturday night!
One thing that did shock me was that they dont charge for parking. They are not under rule of a Parking Authority. |
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Post by Free Agent Fan on Aug 3, 2008 18:40:55 GMT -5
Vogel is my favorite non-Erie player. That doesn't look like 4,000 fans. Score??
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Post by Gene on Aug 3, 2008 19:46:02 GMT -5
Vogel is my favorite non-Erie player. That doesn't look like 4,000 fans. Sore??
Playoffs give Cinderella teams a shot at an upset. And the eighth-seeded Quad City had their chance against the top-seeded Pioneers.
Unfortunately for the Steamwheelers, they were knocked right out of their glass slippers losing 57-29 in front of 3,905 fans at the Wachovia Arena on Saturday night.
But the loss wasn’t matter of how well the Steamwheelers (8-9) didn’t play. This was just another day at the office for the Pioneers (15-2), who have extended their winning streak to eight games and continue lead the league in both offense points scored and defensive points allowed.
Credit the defense for this latest embarrassment. The Pioneers came up with stop after stop, especially in the first half when the team led 43-13 entering the locker room. On the ensuing possession after Kirby Griffin’s 1-yard touchdown run for the Pioneers first score, Isaac Hilton got the defensive festivities started with a sack that resulted in a safety for a 9-0 lead.
After quarterback Ryan Vena hooked up with Larry Kendrick for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 8:50 remaining in the first quarter, Hilton posted another sack along with a tipped pass that led to a turnover on downs. He was a nuisance all evening to Steamwheelers quarterback J.J. Raterink, who finished the game 21-40 with an interception and four touchdowns. The Pioneers led 23-0 after the first quarter.
Vena torched the Steamwheelers all game finishing 20-24 for 237 yards and six touchdown passes. Kendrick and J.J. Outlaw were the main recipients of Vena’s outstanding performance, hauling in three touchdown passes each against a Steamwheelers defense who appeared to play zone throughout most the game. Rich Musinski finished the game with 114 yards on nine completions and caught the game’s second longest touchdown pass, wide open down the middle of the field for 35 yards. Matt Schabert came in for relief of Vena after the game was already out of reach in the fourth quarter. He finished 4-6 with 55 yards including the games longest touchdown pass to J.J. Outlaw for 39 yards. Outlaw made the catch along the sideline followed by a terrific spin move to lose the defenders and scored to put the game away for good.
The Pioneer defense held the Steamwheelers to 271 yards while Micheaux Robinson caught the games only interception in the first half, his 15th of the season. It seems the only statistical category the Steamwheelers led was in time of possession with 34:45 to the Pioneers 25:15.
The Pioneers will play their second round game next Saturday at the Wachovia Arena against the Tennessee Valley Vipers. Kickoff is at 7:30pm. The Pioneers defeated the Vipers 77-49 in their only matchup this season, though the final score doesn’t tell the full story as the Vipers actually led midway through the 4th. |
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