Season of frustration and futility finally has reward

John Bassetti \ Thunder Insider

Little did the Mahoning Valley Thunder know back on an unseasonably warm March 15 that the team’s stroll down Market Street in the St. Patrick’s Day parade would be its lone moment in the sun.

Little did the Valley’s af2 franchise know that its season-opening victory over Albany on March 27 would be its only win until July 17.

The 13-game drought that stamped the 2009 season as one of frustration and futility comes to an end Saturday at the Covelli Centre.

The Miracle in Manchester — a 41-39 victory last Friday — softened the blow that necessitated coaching changes and musical chairs with player personnel.

Did we say it transpired amid slipping attendance?

Four months of turnovers and fumbles could have brought the team to its knees, to a state of malaise, to a halt.

But the organization’s collective resolve kept any collapse from happening — and went one step further: it bounced back.

Although riddled with eight major injuries and haunted by sickening starts and some miserable finishes, the team surmounted its troubles.

By invoking the four-quarter rule and playing to the finish, the Thunder struck its losing streak a sudden death.

But even after 13 straight losses, Mahoning Valley had to wait until the final play before the outcome was decided.

That’s cruel and unusual punishment — not for the loser, but for the winner.

But, just as it’s done all season, the Thunder doesn’t live and die by the alibi.

Recalling a comment by defensive end Frashon McGee when Mahoning Valley was 1-11: “You’re not always going to win, but good things are going to happen if you give your best.”

That statement could ring true again, this time in a season-ending game against Green Bay.

Good news for fans attending Saturday’s finale: $5 beer night.

That’s not a license to get crazy, but its temporal effects could be used to make some noise to give the Thunder an artificially induced boost against the Blizzard.

At Tuesday’s practice, Mahoning Valley players had different ways of expressing their exhilaration.

One player — guard Derrick Markray — was shadow boxing at the line of scrimmage. He’s no Muhammad Ali, but he did display hand quickness with his jab combinations.

In just five games, Pat Wells is the fourth-best tackler overall behind Brandon Taylor and second-best of still-active players.

Taylor’s 65 solos and 26 assists (78 total) are tops, but Wells is behind Clarence Curry’s 43.5 and Jamar Landrom’s 41.5.

“I’d give credit to coach [Nick] Ward because he taught me a lot,” Wells said of his 37 tackles (34 solos, 6 assists). “He’s put me in good spots to make plays,” Wells said of Ward, older brother of the Thunder’s newest addition, WR/DB Kyle Ward.

“Learning the scheme and understanding arena football, you could jump a lot of things and that’s what’s happening,” Wells said of his understanding of the indoor game.

In a backfield with Taylor and Ryan Greiser, Wells could only wonder what kind of results Mahoning Valley would have had.

“I wish we were here earlier, because we’ve had so many tackles and interceptions since I’ve been here. I can only imagine where we’d be at [standings-wise] if we were here the whole season.”

At Manchester, Mahoning Valley held the Wolves to six points in the first half.

“They hadn’t been shut out in the first quarter in a long time, so that’s big,” Wells said. “Coach Ward told us: “That is what made the difference in the game — shutting them out [first quarter], then holding them to six points [first half]. If you can’t score, you can’t win — especially arena.”

Wells was lined up behind McGee when he rushed to block the game-ending field goal.

“I got on the ball after he blocked it to make sure we had the ball. It was a live ball, once it goes over the line of scrimmage.”

There is no 2009 Hall of Thunder class or All-Thunder team, but my vote for MVP would be Quorey Payne.

He was one of the 46 players on the 2009 roster, which comprised names such as: Alston, Brady, Brewer, Brown, Brunck, Carlton, Carey, Cheatwood, Clark, Curry, Donaldson, Frederick, Greiser, Harrison, Horton, A., Horton, T. Jeffreys, Kleinsmith, Landrom, Lenhart, Lewis, Loyte, Markray, McGee, Moye, Murray, Palkovic, Palmer, Powers, Roach, Schorejs, Schubert, Shane, Smith, Sonnie, Spinner, Taylor, Turner, Vinson, Wallace, Ward, Webster, Williams, Wells, Zetts.

Off the field, Taz Wallace was kind enough to sign a get-well card to cheer someone he didn’t know.

Wallace, the Mack linebacker, finished with 32 tackles, despite missing the fifth game due to shoulder injury.

No ticker-tape parades are planned for the Thunder, but the team could use a collective applause for its second win.

It’s about time losing took a holiday.

bassetti@vindy.com