The pain continues

Thunder vs. Pioneers (5/8/2009)

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The af2 Mahoning Valley takes on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers.

AF2 FOOTBALL

The Thunder loses its sixth in a row, while Wilkes-Barre moves to 6-1

By JOHN BASSETTI

Vindicator SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — It certainly is a game of quickness, but not the kind the home team wants.

The Mahoning Valley Thunder and fans were in shock as Wilkes-Barre scored twice in the first four minutes en route to a 73-37 victory that continued the pain for the local af2 franchise.

After a Wilkes-Barre lineup card problem that delayed the first play of the game, it took less than two minutes for the Pioneers to score after a fumbled pitch by the Thunder. Darius Leak fell on the loose ball at the Thunder 3 and J.J. Outlaw caught the touchdown pass from Ryan Vena on the next play. David Davis’ point-after kick put the visitors in front, 7-0, and it was catch-up thereafter.

Wilkes-Barre came right back and scored after Micheaux Robinson intercepted Blake Powers on Mahoning Valley’s first offensive play after the first Pioneers TD.

Robinson picked it off at the 25-yard-line and returned it to the 12. Vena’s pass to Irving Campbell brought the ball to the 5. On the next play, Vena hit Rich Musinski for the second Wilkes-Barre six-pointer. Davis’ PAT pushed the lead to 14-0.

Mahoning Valley finally got on the scoreboard when Derek Scholejs’ 22-yard field goal succeeded, although Scranton held an 11-point lead, 14-3.

While Wilkes-Barre was driving, a delay of game penalty against Tim Cheatwood didn’t help when the defensive end put the ball down away from the official. With the Pioneers knocking from the 6, Vena’s pass to Campbell and Davis’ kick put the visitors ahead, 21-3.

Mahoning Valley retaliated when quarterback Blake Powers scored from 1-yard out. Schorejs’ PAT cut the deficit to 21-10.

However, a long touchdown pass — 36 yards — from Vena to Outlaw put a crimp in Mahoning Valley’s confidence as Wilkes-Barre went ahead, 28-10. Another long pass — this time 34 yards to Campbell — set up Kirby Griffin’s 1-yard TD run to put Scranton ahead, 35-10.

“If you take away that slow start with two turnovers and two touchdowns, and we’re right in the ball game,” said coach Brennen Booth.

“In the end it got away from us, but it’s a situational thing and you’ve got to try things like an onside kick here and there. But the guys fought all the way through.”

Booth isn’t close to being disheartened, but he does think his team is close to something else.

“We’re close to being able to beat a lot of people in this league,” said Booth. “We’re real close.”

Mahoning Valley managed seven points to pull within 35-17 when Powers hit C.J. Brewer. Moving from left to right, Brewer caught Powers’ pass by reaching far to his side as he flashed across the field and into the end zone for a 28-yard TD.

Schorejs’ PAT brought the Thunder within 18 points, but Wilkes-Barre put three more points on the board before halftime when Davis made a 24-yard field.

Wilkes-Barre’s 38-17 halftime lead included a 161 to 80 advantage in offensive yards. Passing accounted for 152 of the Pioneers’ yards, while Mahoning Valley gained 64 through the air.

Taz Wallace stripped the ball from Vena early in the third quarter and Jamar Landrom was right behind to recover at the Thunder 15. However, Mahoning Valley failed to move.

With 3:59 remaining in the third period, Wilkes-Barre extended its lead to 45-17 on a 3-yard run by Campbell and Davis’ PAT.

The fourth quarter started with Mahoning Valley’s Brewer catching a 14-yard TD pass from Powers. Schorejs’ kick brought the Thunder within 21 at 45-24.

The visitors pushed their lead to 52-24 after Kirby Griffin ran in from 6 yards out.

Wilkes-Barre found a different way to score when tight end Jacob Hobbs was wide open for a Vena pass covering 17 yards at 7:09 for a 59-24 lead.

The insertion of former starting QB Davon Vinson gave Mahoning Valley some spark as Vinson’s 30-yard run set up Vinson’s 10-yard TD pass to Quorey Payne. The catch and Schorejs’ PAT closed the gap to 59-31.

Shortly thereafter, Outlaw’s 10-yard TD pass from Vena put the Pioneers up by 66-31.

Mahoning Valley put up six points when Payne caught a pass from Vinson and covered 39 yards to reduce the Thunder’s shortage to 66-37 with 2:05 left.

The final nail came when Vena hit Outlaw from 5 yards out for a 73-37 finish.

“I think we saw a team come together tonight and play their hearts out,” said Booth.

In the end, Vena completed 30 of 39 passes for 331 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Pioneers out-gained the Thunder, 366 to 214, on 51 offensive plays to Mahoning Valley’s 42.

Campbell had 11 catches for 139 yards while Outlaw caught nine for 106.

Griffin was Wilkes-Barre’s top rusher with six carries for 36 yards, while Vinson and Brenton Brady topped Thunder ground-gainers with 35 and 30 yards, respectively.

bassetti@vindy.com