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Payne, Frederick go-to guys
Receivers Quorey Payne and De’Tario Frederick combined for five of Mahoning Valley’s six TDs in Albany.
YOUNGSTOWN — Two of the Mahoning Valley Thunder’s wide receivers — Quorey Payne and De’Tario Frederick — accounted for five of the team’s six touchdowns in the 50-41 loss to Albany last week.
Frederick (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) scored twice — on a 55-yard kickoff return and on a 35-yard pass from Blake Powers.
Payne (5-9, 182) scored on passes covering 43, 18 and 3 yards.
Frederick first played with the Thunder at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on April 18. It was his first af2 game of the year after leaving the Green Bay Blizzard.
“I practiced a day or so [with the Thunder], then played against Wilkes-Barre and got four catches,” he said.
Frederick also played against the Pioneers in 2008 when he was with Peoria.
“I had a couple touchdowns against them then. It isn’t nothing new to me, it’s a matter of going out and executing like I can play,” he said.
His 2008 season with Peoria lasted the last six games.
This year with Green Bay, Frederick was in camp and was with the Blizzard for three games but never played.
“Then I ended up coming here. It wasn’t a trade. It was, basically, my decision,” said Frederick. “I took that choice and ran with it and I’ve been happy ever since.”
Payne and Chris Schubert were kick returners in the first few games, but Frederick has also taken a similar role.
“Quorey and I try to switch up as best we can,” he said. “Usually, whoever’s feeling ‘it’ at the time is the one we try to stick with. Quorey hurt his knee last week [deep thigh bruise] and asked me to get on the net [return kickoffs]. I took it and did what I could.”
Schubert had Mahoning Valley’s sixth TD in Albany.
Frederick talked about the Thunder’s five-game losing streak.
“The mood is down right now, but we still have spirit and know we can go out there and win on any given night,” he said. “It’s just a matter of playing and executing, that’s all. We happened to hit a rough road right now.”
Staying loose is a factor in football, Frederick said.
“We try to talk before the game and tell each other to just go out and have fun, no matter what. Being the go-to ballplayers, we go out and have fun and it shows because we score touchdowns and help our team.”
He was asked if this week’s opponent, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, is superior.
“Definitely not because we could have beat them last year when I was with Peoria and the same with us now,” said Frederick. “We’ll just go out there and smack them in the mouth and then execute. That’s all we got to do. It’s not about what they do, it’s about what we do and now we’re stopping ourselves. It ain’t nothing that Wilkes-Barre is doing that’s so spectacular that’s stopping us. It’s just ourselves, really.”
Frederick said he had a shot to play with the AFL’s Chicago Rush.
“I was going to go back out for another workout, but that’s when they suspended the 2009 season. I figured I’d come to af2 and straighten up some stuff I needed to work on last year.”
Frederick said he wasn’t going to stick around Green Bay.
“I didn’t want to waste my whole year waiting on them, so I figured I could come here and play right away, so that’s what I did and I’m taking advantage of it,” he said.
In three games, Frederick has 17 catches for 167 yards and two TDs.
Payne, who just turned 26, was disappointed about last week’s loss.
“We were on fire the first half,” he said. “It should have been a guaranteed win, pretty much because we beat them the first game.”
Mahoning Valley’s offense had 12 first downs to Albany’s 23.
“For arena, you should at least be putting up 50 points a game,” said Payne. “So, we’re still not doing our jobs because we should have scored every time. I try to do my best, play hard every game and, whatever Coach needs me to do, step up and get the job done.”
Payne, who started four games for the Thunder in 2008, was asked how players keep their spirits up.
“It’s hard. To be real with you, I’m not used to losing,” he said. “My high school won three state championships and, in college, we [Southern Illinois] won championships,” he said of back-to-back Gateway Conference crowns in 2003 and 2004.
“All we’ve got to do is keep our heads up. This is a long season. Last year, Manchester started 1-6, then came one game from making to the playoffs. All we have to do is come together as a team, make plays and just win.”
Is there anything to take advantage against the Pioneers this weekend?
“I don’t know, they’ve got pretty good corners,” said Payne. “All we’ve got to do is make plays, execute on everything, cut out turnovers and, hopefully, our defense will get a stop.”
bassetti@vindy.com