Wheelers this week: Ingold, Pioneers hungry for revenge

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By Craig DeVrieze | Thursday, May 8, 2008 10:16 PM CDT | () comments

“They need it pretty bad, and we didn’t forget,’’ Rich Ingold said, pretty well summarizing the two opposing storylines to Saturday’s game pitting the skidding Steamwheelers and Ingold’s revenge-seeking Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers.

The Pioneers haven’t lost in five games since their 48-41 season-opening loss to the Steamwheelers at the i wireless Center. The Steamwheelers limp to eastern Pennsylvania having lost three straight.

“All I got to say is buckle your chin straps,’’ former Steamwheelers coach Ingold warned. “We got a bad taste in our mouth. We got outplayed and we didn’t forget.’’

The Pioneers haven’t been outplayed much since, not after regaining quarterback Ryan Vena, last year’s af2 Offensive Player of the Year, and all-league kicker David Davis from the AFL waiver wire in Week 3.

Ingold also solidified his offensive line by adding former Pitt center Joe Villani after getting dominated up front by the Wheelers, and Vena is throwing to a retooled receiving corps that includes Pennsylvanians J.J. Outlaw and Rich Musinski.

The biggest difference, the Wheelers agree, is the veteran Vena.

“He is the best quarterback in af2 by far,’’ Wheelers coach Troy Biladeau said. “What makes him so good is he throws the ball before the receiver is breaking. … The key against him is we have got to get some pressure. If he sits in the pocket, he can pick apart any defense.’’

Although his film study has been centered on a Pioneers defense that leads the league in sacks, Q-C QB J.J. Raterink said he has stolen some looks at Vena, too.

“You can watch him and learn a lot,’’ Raterink said. “This is one of the games you really look forward to. You get to go against one of the guys who is considered the best in the league, and you kind of get to showcase what you can do.’’

Raterink had a big game against Wilkes-Barre in the season opener but has struggled to maintain that form. As a group, the Steamwheelers obviously would like to recapture that season-starting momentum.

Playing a motivated group of Pioneers on the road is a tough way to do that.

“It really is,’’ Raterink said. “But a great opportunity. You go up there and play well and you know you belong. That’s the way guys have approached it, which is a positive. You never know how guys are going to react after losing three in a row.’’

Crowded backfield? Not yet

The Steamwheelers gladly will deal with an abundance of talented defensive backs when season-starting safety Jordan Davis returns from an injury, but that won’t happen this week.

Newly re-signed Kevin Adams, last year’s starter in the middle of the defensive backfield, will start his second straight game Saturday, while Davis gives an aching knee another week to recover.

What happens when Davis returns?

“It depends,’’ Davis said. “If I’m not 100 percent, maybe I’ll go frontside or backside (cornerback), but I’m feeling pretty good and I think my place will be right back in the middle. Maybe we’ll rotate. We talked about it, but he (Adams) is comfortable playing the frontside. That was the intention before I got hurt.’’

Confirmed Adams: “I’m fine with it. … It doesn’t really matter who is in the middle. We have got a few guys banged up right now. Once we get healthy, it is going to be pretty interesting to see what we can do.’’

In other injury news, receiver DeOntrae Johnson will return to the lineup Saturday.

Crowded backfield? Not yet

The Steamwheelers gladly will deal with an abundance of talented defensive backs when season-starting safety Jordan Davis returns from an injury, but that won’t happen this week.

Newly re-signed Kevin Adams, last year’s starter in the middle of the defensive backfield, will start his second straight game Saturday, while Davis gives an aching knee another week to recover.

What happens when Davis returns?

“It depends,’’ Davis said. “If I’m not 100 percent, maybe I’ll go frontside or backside (cornerback), but I’m feeling pretty good and I think my place will be right back in the middle. Maybe we’ll rotate. We talked about it, but he (Adams) is comfortable playing the frontside. That was the intention before I got hurt.’’

Confirmed Adams: “I’m fine with it. … It doesn’t really matter who is in the middle. We have got a few guys banged up right now. Once we get healthy, it is going to be pretty interesting to see what we can do.’’

In other injury news, receiver DeOntrae Johnson will return to the lineup Saturday.

Coaches rankings

1. Tulsa 6-0 442 (26)

2. Spokane 5-0 411 (2)

3. Florida 5-0 391

4. W-B/Scranton 5-1 365

5. Boise 4-1 303

6. Green Bay 4-2 281

7. S. Georgia 4-2 260

8. Louisville 4-2 259

9. Amarillo 4-2 230

10. Lubbock 3-2 224

11. Bossier-Shrevprt 3-3 164

12. Albany 3-2 151

13. Lexington 3-2 136

14. Tenn. Valley 3-3 121

15. Central Valley 2-3 57

16. Rio Grande 2-3 35

Around af2

- Boise receiver George Williams, in his first season in Idaho and his seventh in the league, became the all-time af2 scoring leader Saturday, registering his 1,036th point. He also scored his 171st touchdown to establish a new league mark. Williams had six TDs in a 77-14 Boise rout of Stockton.

- Mike Levy, a former af2 lineman who played four years with three teams, won $274,000 on the NBC-TV program “Deal or No Deal.’’ That’s a bit more than he made in his af2 career.

- Mahoning Valley fullback Tim Murphy ran for 94 yards in Monday’s loss to Wilkes-Barre. That’s two shy of the 7-year-old single-game record.

Saturday’s matchup

What: Steamwheelers (2-3) at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (5-1)

When/where: 6:30 p.m., Wachovia Arena, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Radio: WXFN-AM (1230)

TV: The game is available via Web cast at steamwheelers.com

Last week: Louisville 55, Steamwheelers 53; W-B/Scranton 77, Mahoning Valley 47.

Statistics

Steamwheelers

Passing

Player Comp. Att. Yds. TD Int.

Raterink 96 166 1,310 26 11

Rushing

Player Att. Yds. TD

Kerr 6 14 3

Receiving

Player Rec. Yds. TD

Schmidt 38 605 14

Peters 26 440 7

Johnson 24 198 5

Tackles

Player Solo Assists Total

Jackson 21 17 29.5

Stepter 17 13 23.5

Beverly 16 11 21.5

W-B/Scranton Pioneers

Passing

Player Comp. Att Yds. TD Int.

Vena 62 94 810 22 3

Rushing

Player Att. Yds. TD

Acquaye 16 32 2

Receiving

Player Rec. Yds. TD

Outlaw 28 413 9

Musinski 25 333 9

Savior 20 280 6

Tackles

Player Solo Assists Total

Ferguson 29 10 34.0

Drakeford 20 8 24

Parrish 16 3 17.5

The Pioneers have averaged 73 points a game over Vena’s three starts. He is second in the league in passing yards a game (270.0) and total offense (277.0). … Wilkes-Barre leads the league in turnover margin with a plus-16 and in sacks with 20, the latter despite recording none in the season-starting loss to Q-C. Isaac Hilton is second in the league with 7.5 sacks. Justin Parrish’s 5.5 sacks rank fifth. … The Pioneers are third in af2 in pass defense and second in scoring offense. … The Pioneers lead the series 6-3 after winning five straight before April 18 at the i wireless Center. … The Steamwheelers continue to seek the 100th win in franchise history. Ingold won 34 of the first 99.