THUNDER STRUCK


Thunder vs. Iron

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af2 teams Mahoning Valley Thunder and Milwaukee Iron compete Saturday, April 4 at the Chevrolet Centre. The Thunder lost, 59-39. Both teams moved to 1-1 on the season. Wide Receiver CJ Brewer caught 10 passes for 101 yards in front of 3,465 fans in attendance.

By John Bassetti

Iron’s 59-39 win is franchise’s first

YOUNGSTOWN — Two of the Mahoning Valley Thunder’s four turnovers resulted in Milwaukee Iron touchdowns and the home team never led in suffering its first defeat of the season, 59-39, Saturday night at the Chevrolet Centre.

Mahoning Valley was still within striking distance at 24-21 early in the third quarter before quarterback Davon Vinson’s fumble was recovered at the Iron’s 9.

Milwaukee went ahead, 31-21, when Lavar Stepter’s 32-yard interception return for a touchdown delivered what turned out to be the killer blow in the third quarter.

“Four turnovers — that’s four stops,” Thunder coach Mike Hold said of the zero outcome for an offense. “You have to assume that the opponent will score every time they touch the ball because turnovers lead to points.”

To compound Mahoning Valley’s misery, the team also lost a receiver (George Murray, hamstring) and a nose guard (Carlos Spinner, possible broken leg).

Iron coach Gary Compton said that his game plan worked well and achieved a team goal: holding the Thunder under 40 points.

“We put some pressure on Vinson and tried to make him hurry and he made a couple bad reads and we were able to capitalize on those turnovers,” Compton said.

“We feel that if our defense can hold a team under 40, our offensive side can put up more numbers than that.”

The Iron got on the board first following the opening kickoff and drove 45 yards, culminating with an 8-yard pass from quarterback Tyler Donovan to Kellen Allen. Alex Walls’ PAT gave Milwaukee a 7-0 lead at 11:50 of the first quarter. The Iron’s series included four passing plays and one running play.

The Thunder scored 49 seconds later after an unsportsmanlike penalty call against the Iron following an altercation after Vinson’s pass completion to Clarence Curry at Mahoning Valley’s 18-yard line. The Iron got the penalty following the play, giving the Thunder possession at Milwaukeee’s 23-yard line. On the next play, Vinson found Quorey Payne in the end zone at 11:01. Derek Schorejs’ kick tied the game, 7-7.

Milwaukee went ahead, 10-7, on Walls’ 28-yard field goal at 5:42. The drive followed a seven-play series that stalled at Mahoning Valley’s 14 following a sack by Frashon McGee.

In Mahoning Valley’s next series, C.J. Brewer caught his first pass as a Mahoning Valley player as the former San Francisco 49ers receiver took in a slant pass from Vinson covering 11 yards for a first down.

However, on the next play, the Thunder was penalized and faced 2nd-and-20. On the next play, Vinson fumbled and former Thunder player Kellen Driscoll recovered at midfield.

The first quarter ended with the visitors ahead by three, but Clarence Curry’s coverage of Antoine Burns’ catch attempt from Donovan helped stop the Iron, which had to try a 28-yard field goal. The attempt by Walls went left on the first play of the second quarter.

A five-play drive gave Milwaukee a 17-7 advantage after Tyre Young bulled his way into the end zone from 2 yards out at 7:54.

Mahoning Valley took time off the clock before scoring with 1:05 remaining in the first half when Wally Sonnie caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Vinson. Sonnie was backpeddling when he received the pass. Schorejs’ PAT pulled the Thunder within three at 17-14.

Milwaukee scored another TD following a 30-yard drive that culminated in a 2-yard run by Burns with 0:08 seconds left before halftime. Walls’ successful conversion kick enabled the Iron to take a 24-14 lead into the lockerroom after Schorejs missed a 31-yard field goal attempt as time ran out. A 26-yard kickoff return by Payne put Mahoning Valley in good field position for the try.

Mahoning Valley got on the board first after Payne’s nifty 31-yard return put the Thunder at Milwaukee’s 19. After a couple Iron penalties, Vinson ran a 3-yard bootleg right untouched for the score at 13:07. Schorejs’ kick pulled Mahoning Valley within, 24-21.

The Thunder looked like it might score again after Jamar Landrom intercepted Donovan. However, Mahoning Valley gave it right back when Vinson fumbled after running near the wall. Starting at its own 9, Milwaukee used a five-play drive and scored at 6:29 on Donovan’s 2-yard run. Walls’ kick gave the visitors a 31-21 spread.

Disaster struck and the Iron took a 17-point lead when Lavar Stepter returned an intercepted pass 32 yards for a touchdown. Walls’ PAT put Milwaukee up, 38-21, at 4:40.

After Chris Schubert’s 18-yard kickoff return, Vinson hit Brewer at the goalline and Mahoning Valley was back in business at 3:45 of the third quarter. The TD pass covered 21 yards. However, Schorejs’ kick attempt was blocked by Demarcus Johnson and the Thunder trailed by 11, 38-27.

Milwaukee didn’t dally as it came right back with the help of a 23-yard Donovan-to-Blue Aldridge pass to Mahoning Valley’s 13. Three plays later, Donovan pushed his way in from a yard out and Walls’ PAT put the Iron ahead by 18 as the third quarter ended, 45-27.

The Thunder added six more points at 13:35 on Brewer’s catch of Vinson’s TD pass from 17 yards out. However, Schorejs missed the PAT and the Thunder’s deficit was 12, 45-33.

The crowd lost some of its spunk after Scott Burnoski’s 20-yard TD catch from Donovan with 10:40 remaining in the game. Walls’ PAT gave the Iron its greatest lead of the game at 19: 52-33.

Mahoning Valley cut Milwaukee’s lead to 13 (52-39) after Vinson’s one-yard plunge at 4:10. Vinson, however, tripped in the backfield attempting a 2-point conversion.

Burnoski’s 8-yard run for a touchdown at 1:15 was the final Iron six-pointer and Walls’ PAT gave the Iron a 59-39 lead.

Milwaukee10142114—59

Thunder771312—39

First quarter

MIL—Kellen Allen, Kellen 8 pass from Tyler Donovan (Alex Walls kick), 12:04

MVT—Quorey Payne, 23 pass from Davon Vinson (Derek Schorejs kick), 11:00

MIL—Walls, 28 field goal, 5:42

Second quarter

MIL—Tyre Young, 2 run (Walls kick), 7:55

MVT—Wallace Sonnie, 4 pass from Vinson (Schorjes kick), 1:20

MIL—Antoine Burns, 2 run (Walls kick), 0:12

Third quarter

MVT—Vinson, 3 run (Schorejs kick), 13:40

MIL—Donovan, 2 run (Walls kick), 6:35

MIL—Lavar Stepter, 30 interception return (Walls kick), 4:23

MVT—C.J. Brewer, 21 pass from Vinson (Schorejs kick blocked), 3:50

MIL—Donovan, 1 run (Walls kick), 0:30

Fourth quarter

MVT—Brewer, 17 pass from Vinson, (Schorejs kick failed), 13:40

MIL—Scott Burnoski, 20 pass from Donovan (Walls kick), 11:00

MVT—Vinson, 1 run (Vinson pass failed), 4:10

MIL—Burnoski, 8 run (Walls kick), 1:12

MILMVT

First downs2522

Rushing5933

Passing214182

Comp-Att-Int20-30-119-31-2

Fumbles1-02-2

Penalties11-794-31

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

PASSING: Milwaukee, Donovan, 20-29-219-2; Mahoning Valley, Vinson, 19-30-182-4

RECEIVING: Milwaukee, Burns, BURNS, 9-100-0; Brewer, 10-101-2

Attendance: 3,465

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