Wheelers notebook

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By Craig DeVrieze | Friday, May 25, 2007 1:10 AM CDT | () comments

Closer to home

Matt Forbes wanted to be closer to his Quad-City home.

All the way home, though, still was too close.

Arenafootball2’s all-time interceptions leader will be home again tonight, though, when his Louisville Fire visit the Quad-City Steamwheelers at 7:30 p.m. at The Mark.

A two-time af2 all-conference selection in 2004 and 2005 with the Steamwheelers, the former Davenport Assumption football and baseball star opted for a second straight year to spurn a Steamwheelers offer in favor of another af2 team. Last year, he played for former Q-C coach Rich Ingold in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

“I didn’t want to go back out to Pennsylvania, this was closer to home and I respected (Louisville) coach (Tommy) Johnson,’’ Forbes said this week.

Why not stay home with the Steamwheelers?

“I needed some time away,” Forbes said. “I just wanted to see some place different. I have been in the Quad-Cities my whole life, and I just was ready to get out of there.”

Forbes does enjoy getting back home to spend time with his 9-year-old son, Tyus, and he is definitely looking forward to returning to The Mark tonight.

“I always look forward to coming home,” Forbes said. “I’m looking forward to a good game.”

Moved out of the middle in mid-season a year ago in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Forbes is back at the safety position this year and is having some success. He set the af2 career interceptions record with his 28th pick early in the season and since has added another. He also ranks among the league leaders with eight pass breakups and is second on his team with 24 tackles.

Steamwheelers receiver Kris Peters is looking forward to matching up with Forbes over the middle tonight.

“I know what he is about,” Peters said. “He likes to take risks. He jumps routes. He is a great DB, he’s the af2 career leader in interceptions, but he also gets beat for a lot of touchdowns. … If we come out and execute well, he won’t be a factor in the game.”

Clearly, the chatty Peters will be in Forbes’ ear.

“I can’t let him slide,” he said. “He’s a Q-C boy, but he’s playing a Q-C team.”

Allen out, new DB debuts

Wheelers defensive back Antwan Allen likely is lost for the season after suffering a high-ankle sprain early in last week’s win over Everett.

The injury re-aggravated an ankle problem that Allen suffered during his college playing days at Iowa and could require surgery, Steamwheelers coach Sean Ponder said.

The Steamwheelers have signed a replacement in Jordan Davis, who impressed but failed to earn a roster spot during a recent tryout with the AFL’s Kansas City Brigade, Ponder said. Davis was a two-time Division II All-American at the University of South Dakota.

“He does some things real well,” Ponder said. “He’s a lot like Antwan. He has got some speed and he is physical.”

He also might have only a week to secure a position. Possibly ready to report next week is former Q-C safety Leo Fenceroy, who helped defensive coordinator Troy Biladeau’s Spokane Shock win an ArenaCup last year.

Kicker won’t get boot

Kicker Connor McCormick will get a second week with the Steamwheelers after hitting 6-of-9 PAT attempts, plus a 23-yard field goal in the Wheelers’ 63-54 win over Everett last week at The Mark.

Ponder said the former University of New Hampshire kicker could have done a better job of putting kickoffs deep. But he said McCormick told him he hadn’t anticipated kicking off quite so often, as the Steamwheelers rolled up 49 points in the opening half. The coach said the kicker also might have warmed up too heavily in advance of his debut. He said McCormick booted between 25 and 30 balls before last week’s kickoff.

“I was pretty pleased with him, but I’d like to see the ball hit net or iron (on kickoffs) a few more times,” Ponder said.

Ambrose lineman signed

Andrew Wulf, a newly graduated former St. Ambrose standout from Tipton, Iowa, will make his debut as a Steamwheelers lineman tonight.

Wulf provides depth at a key position, and his signing is made possible because veteran nose guard Hausia Faleofa qualifies as an international player because he is a citizen of Tonga. International players don’t count against the 21-man roster limit, which helps immensely with the Wheelers carrying injured kicker Kimo Naehu on the active roster.

around af2

- Carrie Underwood-lovin’ Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has nothing on former Tennessee Valley lineman Wes Stephens. Stephens accompanied Gretchen “Here for the Party’’ Wilson to the Country Music Awards last week. No word on whether he held her purse.

- Four players were fined and suspended and another was heavily fined after appealing a suspension following a late-game brawl between Boise and Spokane during the Shock’s 62-44 win Saturday in Idaho.

- Despite coming out on the losing end Friday at The Mark, Everett receiver Josh Richey was named af2 Offensive Player of Week for his 18-catch, five-touchdown, 236-yard performance.

About the Fire

Louisville has won four out of five since an 0-2 start and is tied with the Steamwheelers and Green Bay Blizzard atop the National Conference Midwest Division. … Coach Tommy Johnson is in his fifth season at the Fire helm, with 40 wins to his credit. He led Louisville to the ArenaCup championship game, where they lost to Memphis, in 2005. … The Wheelers lead the all-time series 7-4 after splitting a pair last year. Louisville is the Wheelers’ second-longest running rivalry behind Tennessee Valley. … Steele has been the Fire starter the past two games ... Af2 vet Matt Sauk briefly came out of retirement to play three games for the Fire, but he is retired again. … The Fire are tied for fifth in the league with 16 sacks. … Ponder is 3-1 against the Fire as a head coach.