M.V. may soon send S.O.S. call

By MATT RYBALTOWSKI

The depleted Thunder lost their fourth straight game, 61-49.

ALBANY, N.Y. — Ever since the Mahoning Valley Thunder manhandled the Albany Conquest in the opener of the af2 season in late March, the American Conference East Division rivals have headed in divergent directions.

The Thunder, which dropped 59 points on the Conquest in a 26-point victory, has not won since. Albany, meanwhile, has shorn up its offensive line and remains unbeaten since the opening defeat.

Saturday night at the Times Union Center, the trend continued as the Conquest defeated the Thunder (1-4), 61-49. It marked the third time during the team’s four-game losing streak that the Thunder has dropped a contest in heartbreaking fashion.

“It’s frustrating, I told the guys that they just have to keep on working hard and the law of averages will work out in their favor,” Thunder coach Mike Hold said.

With just over a minute remaining and Mahoning Valley trailing 54-49, the Thunder appeared to gain momentum with a blocked field goal of an attempt by Conquest kicker Joe DeLuise. But lineman Mike Lane was whistled for a personal foul and the play was run again because of offsetting penalties.

Instead of kicking again, Conquest coach Jeff Hoffman decided to gamble for a touchdown. The move paid off as Conquest quarterback Dan Cole found wide receiver Vernard Abrams for a 2-yard pass in the end zone for the game’s final score. Lexington defeated the Thunder last week on a last second Hail Mary.

Hold was forced to go with a makeshift lineup because of a plethora of injuries. Last week’s starting quarterback, Mike Schneider, is out for the season after suffering a concussion. Then, earlier in the week the Thunder’s top deep threat DeMarcus Mathes quit the team, citing financial distress.

Two other wide receivers, Brian Majors and Clinton Rafe, struggled through hamstring injuries, causing fullback Tim Murphy to make his first career start at receiver. Murphy responded with eight catches, three touchdowns and 160 all-purpose yards.

Murphy got the Thunder on the board in the first quarter with a 43-yard run and narrowed the Conquest’s lead to 34-28 in the third with a 4-yard run. Despite being swarmed by two Albany defenders, Murphy never lost his traction, kept his feet going, spun and found the end zone.

“If I just gave 100 percent effort, everything else would work out for the best,” Murphy said.

Four weeks ago, Mahoning Valley held the Conquest scoreless in the final stanza, as the Thunder sacked Cole four times and created havoc with continuous pressure. By comparison, the Thunder failed to bring down Cole once Saturday night, providing the quarterback with precious extra time.

Cole capitalized, as he finished with seven touchdowns on the night — four on deep routes to wide receiver Antwun Williams.

“He probably got rid of the ball quicker,” Thunder linebacker Kellen Driscoll said. “We got some pressure on him, we just couldn’t finish the deal.”

Hold was distressed by a sloppy first half, in which his team committed three crucial turnovers and went to the locker room down 13. In the second quarter alone quarterback Josh Swogger had an interception returned for a touchdown and dropped a fumble that resulted in another score.

The 20-yard recovery and touchdown return by Brenton Brady prompted Hold to kick the sideline padding in frustration. The Thunder attempts to end its four-game losing streak May 5 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at the Chevrolet Centre.

“We just have to come in Wednesday and get back to work,” Hold said. “We are too good to be sitting at 1-4.”

XMatt Rybaltowski is a free-lance reporter based in Albany, N.Y.