Thunder fans pick seats, get to meet Kelly Pavlik

Mahoning Valley is just over a month away from its season opener.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Area football fans of the Mahoning Valley Thunder got their second chance to purchase tickets and pick their own seat Tuesday night at the Chevrolet Centre.
And the fans also got a special treat in meeting the top middleweight contender in the WBC in Youngstown's Kelly Pavlik.
Tuesday was the first chance that area fans had the opportunity to purchase single-game tickets for the Thunder's upcoming season in the af2. The team's first home game will be March 31 against the Tri-Cities Fever at the Chevrolet Centre.
Fans got to mingle with the team's owners, Tim Chesney, Dr. Jon Saadey and Dr, Michael Slyk along with General Manager Adam Tokash, a Boardman native.
Head coach Mike Hold was also on hand along with several members of the Thunder team who are already on the team roster, including former West Branch High and Youngstown State standout Matt Rycraft.
Chesney said that the Thunder is right on schedule as far as being ready for the coming season.
"We're right where we need to be at this time," Chesney said. "We're not ahead of schedule, but we are by no means behind schedule."
The Thunder currently has 21 players on the roster and Chesney said that Hold will carry 35 players into the team's first camp beginning on March 10.
Ten area players
The team has 10 local players on the roster. Eight, including Rycraft, are from Youngstown State.
The others include linebacker Mike Stanec (Fitch), linebacker Mike Andrews, lineman Frank Kaydo, lineman Tim Frost (Ursuline), lineman Brandon Brown (Ursuline), wide receiver Jerald Burley and wide receiver Seth Steiner.
Former Rayen High and Penn State wide receiver Sam Crenshaw and former LaBrae and Miami (Ohio) standout Chad Allen are also on the roster.
Chesney and the entire Thunder family have been impressed with the facilities at the Chevrolet Centre.
"You couldn't design a better facility than this one for an Arena football game," Chesney said. "Everyone is right on top of the action here; it's just tremendous."
Just what can area fans expect to see when they come to a game?
Entertainment experience
"It's a total entertainment experience," Chesney said. "Even fans who aren't sports minded will come away saying 'Wow' after a game. It's like a big party with a football game right in the middle."
"This is the first chance fans had the opportunity to buy single game tickets and if they're not sure about getting season tickets, this is a great opportunity for them to see a game and find out what it's like," Chesney added.
Rycraft, a rookie quarterback on the roster, is excited for the season to begin.
"The speed of this game is unbelievable," Rycraft said.
"It's just so fast. And this facility is unbelievable."
Pavlik, who is now the No. 1 contender in the WBC middleweight division, was deluged by fans posing for pictures and signing autographs for the fans.
Seeks title in September
The unbeaten fighter said that everything looks good for a September title fight with WBC champion Jermain Taylor.
"We got the OK for the fight, but they wanted a tune-up fight before and it was originally scheduled for April, but now that has been moved back to May and hopefully it will be either right here or in Vegas," Pavlik said.
Pavlik said that he's really just starting to feel good again after his last fight in January.
"I feel good right now, but I'm not doing much of anything but letting my body heal up and get stronger," he added.
"We're hoping that the tune-up fight can be held here at the Chevrolet Centre in May and that the September title fight will stay as scheduled," he said.