Thunder opener

By John Bassetti

YOUNGSTOWN — In a game in which every play is a potential explosion, the Mahoning Valley Thunder battled back to beat the Albany Firebirds in the af2 season opener for both teams Friday night at the Chevy Center.

Trailing, 34-23, the Thunder became explosive and scored three straight times to excite the crowd of 3,713 that enjoyed the lights, music and cotton candy en route to an eventual 44-34 victory.

Thunder coach Mike Hold ran off the field to kiss his wife and young daughter, then went to the locker room to talk to his team.

Afterwards, Thunder players were paraded out to the field where they were greeted by an admiring and grateful group of spectators on the Cortland Banks Field turf.

Instead of a red carpet at the Oscars, the Thunder had its players ushered out on the green playing surface to bask in the reward of a hard night’s work that, in the end, was actually fun.

“It wasn’t pretty, and we didn’t play a good game, but we fought hard,” said Hold, the team’s only coach in its three years’ existence.

Brandon Taylor was a big part of Mahoning Valley’s defense that helped in the rally, along with linebacker Tax Wallace and linemen Tim Cheatwood and Carlos Spinner.

The team’s youngest and smallest player — 22-year-old Chris Schubert of Oberlin, caught his first pass in a professional game and also caught his first touchdown pass as a paid player.

When the action wasn’t on the field, it was in the bleachers where the Thunder’s Storm Chasers were dancing in the aisles.