Post by Gene on Jul 3, 2009 1:27:56 GMT -5
Source: www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=146625
7/3/09
By trouncing Baltimore, Reading gets revenge for two regular season defeats, advances to semifinals
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
The Reading Express was so hot for Thursday's game you could almost see the steam coming from the players.
In addition to the motivation of advancing in the American Indoor Football Association playoffs, the Express wanted to settle a score against a team it lost to twice during the regular season.
Riding a defense that amassed five sacks and an offense that got rolling early, the Express steamrolled the Baltimore Mariners 50-20 in the Northern Division championship game in the Sovereign Center.
"We were so fired up for this game," said linebacker Matt Sola, who had a sack for 13 yards. "Those last two games we didn't think it was the right outcome. We know we're a better team and we proved it tonight."
With its fourth straight first-round playoff win, the Express (12-3) will play in the Eastern Conference championship against the winner of Monday's Fayetteville at Columbus game. Reading would host the game Saturday, July 11, if Fayetteville wins or would travel to Columbus, Ga., for a game Monday, July 13.
Thursday night the sole focus was on the Mariners (9-6), who not only defeated Reading twice but handed the Express its only regular season home loss in the past three seasons.
"We had a lot of stuff on our side," Flowers said. "We had a lot of fire in us."
Flowers rebounded from being intercepted on the first series to throw for five touchdowns and run for one.
After falling behind 3-0 on the first of two J.R. Cipra field goals, Reading scored touchdowns on its next four possessions and got a 37-yard field goal from Erik Rockhold just before halftime to open a 29-6 lead.
"We played a pretty complete game," said Flowers, who completed 20-of-33 for 262 yards. "We've just got to continue to stay on rhythm and keep hitting people and get at it again."
The Express defense was after Mariners quarterback E.J. Nemeth from the start and shut down Baltimore for three quarters. Nemeth completed just 8-of-23 for 115 yards and two touchdowns. The two TDs came in the final 10 minutes after the Express had a 47-6 lead.
"We wanted to make E.J. beat us with his arm, keep him in the pocket," Sola said. "We knew if we executed that, we'd be successful tonight. They were unable to match our intensity level."
Jeff Willis made the first of his three touchdown receptions late in the first quarter to get the Express on the board. After Cipra tied it 6-6 with his second field goal, Reading ran off 41 straight points.
Willis had eight catches for 97 yards. Yardon Brantley and Carmelo Ocasio each had a touchdown reception.
"That was a total team effort right down to the coaches," said nose guard Brett Kolk, a four-year starter. "We eliminated the mistakes, we eliminated the turnovers. We were able on defense to get some stops and shut them down."
The defense made its signature stop early in the second quarter. After former Express defensive back Armar Watson returned a kickoff to the Reading 7, the defense pushed the Mariners back to midfield to force a long field goal attempt by Cipra that hit a beam.
"We really came to play tonight," Sola said. "We played Express football for four quarters."
Contact Brian Rippey: 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
