Pioneers pay back Steamwheelers with blowout

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By the Quad-City Times staff | Saturday, May 17, 2008 |

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — The Quad-City Steamwheelers matched the longest losing streak in franchise history Saturday in Pennsylvania, and they did it with an exclamation point.

The Wheelers’ fourth straight loss was the most lopsided defeat in their nine arenafootball2 seasons, an 84-26 bashing by coach Rich Ingold and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers.

In avenging a 48-41 season-opening loss at the i wireless Center in Moline, the Pioneers scored the game’s first 28 points as well its final 43 to cruise to their sixth straight win.

The 58-point margin was 17 more than any Steamwheelers team ever had lost by, and the 84 points were 3 more than any Q-C crew previously had surrendered in a single game.

Saturday’s loss dropped the Steamwheelers to 2-4 under rookie head coach Troy Biladeau, whose club desperately will be searching for answers as it readies to host Peoria at the i wireless Center this Saturday.

“There is really not much to say, is there?’’ Biladeau wondered afterward. “I don’t know if there is an answer right now.’’

Actually, he said, there is one.

Win.

“If we beat Peoria, we’ve still got a chance,” he said. “We can turn this thing around.’’

The turnaround from opening night by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and former Q-C coach Ingold was a total 180.

Dominated upfront and handcuffed by shoddy quarterback play at the iwC, Ingold’s Pioneers owned the line of scrimmage on Saturday and veteran QB Ryan Vena, added to the roster two weeks beyond the early loss, riddled the Q-C defense.

The Pioneers sacked Q-C quarterback J.J. Raterink five times and logged six QB hurries. Sack leader Isaac Hilton also stripped Raterink in the end zone for a fumble that was recovered for a first-quarter Pioneers’ touchdown and then he hit the Q-C quarterback in mid-release to create a third-frame interception that was taken back for a score.

Vena finished 26 for 33 for 253 yards and seven touchdowns, completing 14 of his first 15 throws. The Wheelers stopped him only once, and that was as the first-half clock expired.

“Wilkes-Barre is a great team,’’ Biladeau said. “They obviously wanted to make a point. They just lined up and beat us.”

The Steamwheelers also hamstrung themselves with 11 penalties, and ran their league-worst turnover margin to minus-14 with the interception and two fumbles, all of which resulted in Wilkes-Barre touchdowns, including a fumbled kickoff for the final touchdown in the game’s closing seconds.

The Steamwheelers managed a lone first down in three offensive possessions in falling behind 28-0 in the first. Raterink completed just 3 of his first 11 throws, was sacked twice and also stripped in the end zone to create the second of Larry Kendrick’s three Pioneers’ touchdowns in the frame.

Under duress until he yielded to back Brian Zbydiewski late in the game, Raterink finished 19-for-38 for 216 yards and four touchdowns, with the lone interception.

Although Biladeau refused to assign blame and called the massive loss a total team effort, he did say the Steamwheelers “need to protect better and it starts up front,’’ and, under prodding, conceded, “There might be some changes.’’

One of those won’t be under center.

“By far, J.J. is the guy,’’ said the coach.

As for the biggest loss in team history?

“It is embarrassing, no question about it,’’ Biladeau said. “We’ve got to flush it out and get ready for Peoria.”

Contact the sports desk at (563) 383-2285 or e-mail sports@qctimes.com