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Thunder is ready to howl at Wolves
Mahoning Valley has a one-game kicker in place of Derek Schorejs, who has another commitment.
Vindicator sports staff
YOUNGSTOWN — Last Friday, the Celtic Women graced the Covelli Centre.
This Friday, it’s the Wolves.
The Mahoning Valley Thunder would rather enjoy the entertainment of a week ago than the music that it might face if it loses for an 11th straight time.
A book signing by Kelly Pavlik from 6-8 p.m. and $5 ticket prices should be incentives for fans of the home team in tonight’s af2 American Conference Eastern Division battle.
The $5 admission is for any non-loge seat in the house that’s not occupied by a season-ticket holder.
If the Thunder can’t slow down its giveaway-takeaway ratio — which is now at minus 30 — the team may want to consider renaming itself the Mahoning Valley Turnover.
The minus 30 is based on 26 interceptions and 19 fumbles lost compared to opponents’ seven interceptions and eight fumbles lost.
Manchester leads the series, 6-0, so the Thunder will have to play its best to stop the Wolves, despite their three-game losing streak.
“The Wolves have been slumping a bit lately but they’ve had our number,” Mahoning Valley coach Chris MacKeown said. “They’re a physical team and their roster is stocked with veterans. We know what they want to do from a scheming standpoint and it’s up to the coaching staff to have our players in the right position. Manchester is still in the playoff hunt so we expect to play a fired up team Friday night.”
With a new quarterback in Brad Roach, Mahoning Valley may decide it’s fed up with losing and be ready to take advantage of Manchester’s slipping confidence.
However, the last time the Thunder led in a game was when it played in Manchester on May 22 when the Wolves won, 56-42.
Mahoning Valley had a 7-0 lead early in that game.
Technically, there is a mathematical chance Mahoning Valley could make the playoffs if it wins out.
As an emergency kicker for tonight’s game, the Thunder signed Nathan Palkovic, a 6-2, 210 former Monmouth College player. This is Palkovic’s third year in the af2. He previously played with the Peoria Pirates.
A note from Thunder media relations chief Anthony Farris reveals that Mahoning Valley has been deficient putting points on the board early. Through 11 games, the Thunder has tallied just 81 first-quarter points on the season, while opponents have scored 189 in the opening stanza.
With 80 receiving yards and a score in Albany last week, Quorey Payne became the all-time Thunder record holder for receiving yards in a season (1,100) and points in a season (138). His touchdown gave him the Thunder record for total touchdowns in a season with 23.
Not meant to inflict any more pain, but the Spokane Shock has maintained the No. 1 ranking of the weekly af2 coaches poll for a record-tying 14th straight week.
Spokane collected 383 points of the possible 384 and 23 of 25 first place votes coming off the club’s 88-27 road win at Stockton. The Shock (10-0) entertains intrastate and divisional foe Tri-Cities Fever (Kennewick, WA.) on Saturday at Spokane Arena.
From a Los Angeles Times dispatch is a sports number worth noting: 129.
That’s the number of yards Washington Redskins hopeful Dominique Dorsey returned a missed field goal for a touchdown on an elongated Canadian Football League field.
In af2, that’s 71 yards longer than a kickoff return off the net of an arena field.
bassetti@vindy.com