Positive thinking key for Thunder

By John Kovach

Mahoning Valley will try to snap a five-game losing streak this Saturday.

YOUNGSTOWN — Coach Mike Hold believes that the Mahoning Valley Thunder will regroup and recover from a five-game losing streak, if the af2 team remains positive and corrects its mistakes.

Hold said the Thunder (1-5) needs to come up with a win Saturday in a road game at the Lexington (Ky.) Horsemen (3-2) in Rupp Arena at 7:30 p.m., to begin turning the tide on a bad season.

The Thunder lost to the Horsemen April 18 at the Chevrolet Centre, 41-35.

And the key to any future wins by the Thunder will be touchdown passes — the more the better — which Hold hopes that second-game quarterback Shane Adler (Wisconsin-Lacrosse) can create with a rebuilt and available corps of six receivers.

“The execution [between quarterback and receivers] has been bad,” said Hold, blaming the lack of pass completions for the Thunder’s 77-47 loss last Monday at home to the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Pioneers (5-1), who have defeated the Thunder four straight times.

But, “There is no doubt in my mind we will get it done, as long as the players see that we [can] win. As long as we remain positive, we will give ourselves a chance. These guys are not quitters.”

Adler, who made his first start at quarterback against the Pioneers as a replacement for injured Josh Swogger and Mike Schneider, didn’t have much time to prepare for the game with his receivers.

“Josh is on the injured reserve list. He will be out for four weeks. He is pretty banged up,” said Hold.

“Schneider is not playing any more. He’s got a concussion. It’s more his decision [not to play].”

So it’s up to Adler to fire up the Thunder offense. He completed 16-of-40 passes for 204 yards and two TDs in the loss to the Pioneers, and was intercepted twice.

Although Adler got the blocking, but couldn’t connect to his receivers.

“The offensive line has played very well. Our pass protection is not a problem. It’s our execution,” said Hold. “We weren’t getting the ball to open receivers, the receivers were not running good routes and were dropping balls. It’s a mixture of the receivers and quarterbacks not playing up to par.”

Hold is looking forward to seeing what Adler can do with a week of practice and six available receivers who have been working with him, including two new ones — Chris Curd (Ursuline and Pitt) and Golden Goodwin (Colorado state) — who joined the team Tuesday.

They will team with veterans Henry Tolbert and Brian Majors, and Kenny Johnson and Demetrius Wilbert who both came aboard last week.

The Thunder has only one other quarterback, Bryan Kover, who has played mainly only on special teams, and has yet to take a snap from center.

“The backup [Kover] doesn’t get a whole lot of [passing in practice]. When you get a new quarterback [Adler], he gets the [repetitions]. But [Kover] spends a lot of time learning what the quarterback has to do and he is aware that he may have to go in.”

Hold likes Adler at quarterback.

“I like his competitiveness and he knows the game,” said Hold. “He is a lot like me in our decision making, and the plays I see, he sees. I like him a lot. I think he is a good quarterback and I am glad that we have him.”

kovach@vindy.com