LIGHTNING STRIKES

By John Kovach

Thunder overwhelm Conquest in 2nd half

Ursuline High graduate Josh Swogger tossed four touchdowns in the win.

YOUNGSTOWN — “Go Josh,” shouted the sign that Josh Swogger’s fans displayed in the seating area during the Mahoning Valley Thunder’s af2 season opener Saturday night against the Albany Conquest.

Swogger, Mahoning Valley’s first-year quarterback from Ursuline High, responded by throwing four touchdown passes, including three in the second half, to ignite a 36-0 scoring run to lead the Thunder to a come-from-behind 59-33 romp over the Conquest before 3,735 fans at Cortland Banks Field inside the Chevrolet Centre.

Swogger connected for two scoring passes to wide receiver DeMarcus Mathes covering 18 and 33 yards and finished with 159 yards in the air on 10-for-24, and was named the game’s most valuable player and also offensive player of the game.

Swogger was not intercepted.

Mathes was the Thunder’s top receiver with five catches for 109 yards.

Swogger, a former Washington State University and University of Montana quarterback, also connected for TD passes to Henry Tolbert (30 yards) and Marlon White (7).

Swogger was reinforced by John Tackmann’s three touchdown runs of 9, 5 and 2 yards, and placekicker Rick Ziska’s six extra-point kicks of seven attempts and his 32-yard field goal in his only attempt.

In addition, the Thunder receivers were getting open most of the night although they still dropped several catchable throws.

And in a big plus, the Thunder’s defense rose to the occasion and shut out the Conquest after the visitors built a 26-23 halftime lead and 33-23 advantage early in the third quarter, before the Thunder erupted to score 36 points in a row while blanking Albany the rest of the way.

Swogger said the Thunder didn’t do anything different strategy-wise in the second half, except that the offense just began to get used to each other and the game and finally jelled with help from the defense.

“We were doing the same things but we just finally got on the same page,” said Swogger. “It was our first time out and the defense settled in and the offensive line played great.”

Swogger also said “the receivers were open all night” and that “the defense kept giving us opportunities to score.”

He lauded the running of Tackmann, who rushed for 25 yards in five attempts, three of them for TDs.

“Tackmann was stealing all my runs,” joked Swogger. “We put that [rushing] package in for Tackmann. I’m not very swift of foot.”

Tackmann also saved Swogger from having to get hit on the runs.

Swogger also lauded the Thunder defense. “It’s tough for a defense to shut out a team in this league,” said Swogger.

Tolbert also was outstanding, returning the game’s opening kickoff 53 yards for a TD and catching two passes for 24 yards. White caught three passes for 24 yards.

Quarterback Dan Cole led Albany with four TD passes, two to Jared Jones covering 24 and 30 yards, and finished with 276 yards in the air on 22-for-27 with one interception.

Cole’s other TD strikes were to Antwun Williams (8 yards) and Vernard Abrams (31).

Jones also ran for a 4-yard TD and wound up with 11 receptions for 139 yards, while Abrams had eight catches for 112 yards.

The game turned quickly in the third quarter.

After Jones’ 4-yard run early in the third gave Albany a 30-23 lead, Swogger hit Tolbert on a 30-yard TD pass and then Mathes on an 18-yard strike to rally the Thunder, which then got a safety to end the third quarter with a 39-30 lead.

Then Tackmann scored from the 2-yard line, Swogger found Mathes on a 33-yard throw and Tackmann tallied on a 5-yard run to finish the uprising after Ziska hit his final extra point.

The Thunder, which won its fourth straight home game extending to last season, will play host to the Manchester Wolves next Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

kovach@vindy.com