Ex-Wildcat relishes chance

By John Kovach

Wide receiver Clenton Rafe was traded to the Thunder last week.

YOUNGSTOWN — Clenton Rafe had a great first game for the Mahoning Valley Thunder last week, even though his team lost on the final play of the game to the Lexington Horseman, 41-35, in an af2 game at the Chevrolet Centre.

Now the wide receiver from Atlanta, who joined the Thunder last week in a trade with the South Georgia Wildcats, is hoping he can continue his success and help the Thunder (1-3) regroup when they play at the Albany Conquest (2-1) Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Times Union Center in an East Division game.

The Thunder, in last place in the East Division, beat the Conquest in their season opener March 29, 59-33, at the Chevrolet Centre.

“The best is yet to come. I know that for a fact,” said Rafe (5-foot-11, 185 pounds), who after only a little practice last week responded with a pair of touchdown catches Friday night against Lexington.

After catching a 28-yard TD strike from Mike Schneider to open the scoring, Rafe caught a 7-yard TD toss from Josh Swogger with 1:15 left to pull the Thunder even at 34-34.

“I’m glad I’m here. It’s a better opportunity,” said Rafe, a 2005 graduate of Albany (Ga.) State with a degree in health and physical education, who hadn’t played in any games this year for South Georgia before being dealt to the Thunder. “For the first game, I was glad to have an opportunity.”

Rafe, who played for the Rome Renegades of the National Indoor Football League in 2005 and with the Macon Knights of the af2 in 2006 before sitting out last year, said he is going to try to focus on playing well in games and not dwell on the possibility he could be released again.

“I just play my game the way I know how. If I do that, I’ll be in there,” said Rafe, who is trying to develop a chemistry with Schneider and Swogger.

Schneider, however, suffered a concussion last week in a starting role in place of Swogger, who was nursing an ankle injury. Rafe said that Schneider will sit out this week and be replaced by Swogger.”

“Me and Mike and Josh, we threw around [last] Thursday. We had pretty good chemistry throwing throughout the week and we had confidence in each other,” said Rafe, who was hoping to spend more time with Swogger this week in practice. “We’ll get some [repetitions] this week and get a feel for each other.”

Schneider finished with three TD passes and 18-for-36 for 176 yards and two interceptions against Lexington, while Swogger was 4-for-7 for 27 yards and one TD with no interceptions.

The Thunder’s top receivers were Henry Tolbert and DeMarcus Mathes with seven catches each for 68 and 49 yards, respectively. Tolbert also caught two TD passes of 9 and 21 yards.

Rafe said it is important for the quarterback and receiver to know each others’ styles.

“It is important for you to have the type of chemistry with the quarterback. He has to believe in you and you have to believe in him,” said Rafe, who credited the Thunder’s offensive line for giving him and the quarterbacks time to connect.

“The offensive line blocking helped me to get open. Everything is one-on-one,” said Rafe. “You need time to work the [defensive back] and run the route. The offensive line gives the QB time to pass and that gives me the time to do what ever I need to do. I think [the offensive line] did a pretty decent job.”

Rafe said his strategy going out for passes is “getting on the DB, make them feel uncomfortable, then try to use quickness to get in to the open and blow past them.”

But, “Then you have to be smart with [your receiving] motion or the [defense] can use a zone and man-to-man defense against you. You have to know how to go against the defensive back.”

Rafe said he tries to familiarize himself with the opponent’s defensive backs before and during a game.

“Once we get to see the [opponent] on film, we know how they play the game. And then when we come into the game, we watch [the defensive backs] real close so that I can know myself what they do,” Rafe said.

kovach@vindy.com