Wheelers sputter in loss to Blizzard

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By Craig DeVrieze | Monday, April 28, 2008 |

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Quad-City Steamwheelers got to 99 all-time wins faster than all but one arenafootball2 franchise.

No. 100 is proving a tough get.

The Steamwheelers stalled twice in the red zone late in the first half, then turned the football over three times in the second half in a 52-35 loss to the Green Bay Blizzard at the Resch Center on Friday.

Their second turnover-prone loss in a row dropped the Wheelers to 2-2 for the season and put a red circle around a rematch with Louisville one week from tonight at the i wireless Center.

“I’m not feeling real good,” coach Troy Biladeau said afterward. “It will be interesting to see where we go from here. We will see what this team is made of.”

After sputtering on their first turn with the football Friday, the Steamwheelers scored on three straight possessions to open a 21-14 lead midway through the second quarter. But then the offense ran aground.

The Steamwheelers came up empty on their final three first-half opportunities, the last two after driving to within 10 yards of the end zone. Down 28-21 at intermission as a result of those late misfires, the Steamwheelers again drove to the Green Bay 9 after a solid goal-line stand by the defense to start the third quarter.

There, though, veteran receiver Kris Peters failed to collar a pitch on a running play, Green Bay recovered and went up 31-21 after driving to a 28-yard field goal.

“It looked like it hit him in the hands,’’ Biladeau said of Peters’ fumble. “And there again, K.P. has got probably the best hands on the team.’’

A penalty on the post-field goal kickoff backed the Steamwheelers up to their own 1 and, on the very next play, the snap rolled through quarterback J.J. Raterink’s legs and Green Bay end Joe Sykes recovered in the end zone for 38-21 Blizzard lead.

“I think it just slipped out of his hands,” Biladeau said of the dropped exchange. “There is no excuse for that. That was a huge play.’’

Held scoreless in the third quarter, the Steamwheelers never recovered.

The loss wasted another tremendous night by receiver Jesse Schmidt, who had 10 catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns and it spoiled the return of fullback Nik Kerr, who bulled in for two running scores in his first game off injured reserve.

Raterink threw for 302 yards and those three Schmidt touchdowns, completing 21 of 31 passes. But in addition to the crucial lost snap, the second-year signal caller was intercepted twice by Green Bay jack linebacker Edward Kawaku, running his total to seven in the two straight defeats.

Biladeau said the offensive mistakes weren’t strictly on the quarterback.

“The frustrating thing about it is it’s not one thing,’’ the coach said, “It’s like everybody takes a turn not executing the play. We move the ball. Then one guy doesn’t execute and it kind of snowballs.’’

The Steamwheelers defense had moments, particularly on the goal-line stand after halftime. But Ryan Porter threw for five touchdowns while making his first start of the season for Green Bay (3-2) and the Blizzard were playing with their two top receivers on the sidelines, injured.

After battling a Louisville team they beat 39-28 on the road earlier this month, the Steamwheelers face another challenging rematch at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where last year’s ArenaCup runners-up have regained Offensive Player of the Year Ryan Vena at quarterback and will be anxious to avenge a 48-41 season-opening loss at the iwC.

Biladeau said he is not ready to make major roster changes yet.

“I think we have got some good players,’’ he said. “We are obviously in a slump right now. But it is a tough division and other teams have two losses. We’re not ready to fold the tent.”