WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PIONEERS (12-3) AT MANCHESTER WOLVES (7-8)FRIDAY, July 24, 2009 - Verizon Wireless Arena (9,650) 7:30 P.M. ET
The final week of the 2009 af2 regular season kicks off with the No. 2-ranked Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers traveling to Manchester, N.H. to tackle the Wolves in an East Division battle at the Verizon Wireless Arena. This will be the fourth and final time these teams meet this year. The Pioneers can complete the 4-0 season sweep with a win. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton owns the all-time series lead as well, 15-10. The Pioneers, who have earned their third straight division title, are coming off a 49-40 home win against Albany last week. QB RYAN VENA led the air attack, completing 19-of-31 passes for 269 yards and four TDs and no INTs, an improvement from Week 16 when he threw four picks at Spokane. Vena connected three different receivers for five catches each. WR IRVING CAMPBELL led the way with 115 receiving yards and two TDs. WR RICH MUSINSKI had the other two TD catches from Vena.
FB KIRBY GRIFFIN also contributed to the offensive effort with two rushing TDs. DBs ALLAN BARNES and MICHEAUX ROBINSON each had an interception against the Firebirds. Robinson currently leads the league in interceptions with 14. K DAVID DAVIS has been deadly-accurate for the Pioneers this season, successfully converting on 120-of-125 PATs and 6-of-9 FGs. The Wolves officially qualified for the playoffs last week despite suffering an upset loss at home against Mahoning Valley, 41-39. Manchester played a solid game, but came up just short as the Thunder secured their second win of the season in the last 10 seconds of the game with a go-ahead TD pass. Wolves' rookie QB MIKE POTTS completed 31-of-48 passes for 337 yards and four TDs with one interception. He found WRs EMERY SAMMONS and STEVE SAVOY 12 times each; Sammons for 163 yards and a TD and Savoy for 126 yards and two TDs. DB BRANDON ISAAC leads the club in tackles (67), interceptions (9 - team record) and pass breakups (22). Despite their 12-3 record, the Pioneers will likely play this game as if it's a playoff contest in order to ensure themselves the No. 1 overall seed in the American Conference.
ALBANY FIREBIRDS (6-9) AT MILWAUKEE IRON (5-10)
FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2009 - Bradley Center (7,017) 8:05 P.M. ET
The final week of the regular season continues with the Albany Firebirds traveling to Milwaukee to face the Iron for the second time this season. The Iron won the first matchup in a nail-biter in Albany, 66-63. With 40 seconds left in the game Milwaukee QB TODD HAMMEL found WR BRIAN PRAY in the end zone for the go-ahead score. Last week, the Firebirds were on the road against the East Division Champion Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers. With a chance to secure a coveted American Conference wild cart spot, the Firebirds came up short, losing 49-40, making their road to the postseason that much more difficult as their destiny is no longer in their hands. Albany now needs a victory this week combined with a Florida loss for the eighth seed. In last week's contest, QB STEPHEN WASIL completed 22-of-46 passes while throwing six TD passes and two INTs. WR/LB ALVIN RAY JACKSON continued to be a workhorse for the Firebirds, catching nine passes for 157 yards and two TDs while making five tackles in the game. The Firebirds were thrilled to welcome back WR JOHNNY BUTLER who had missed the previous seven games due to a hamstring injury. The big receiver didn't skip a beat during his first game back, making seven catches for 73 yards and four TDs. DB ROB WRIGHT led the Firebirds defense in tackles with 5.0. The Albany offense has consistently put up big yardage numbers - they are currently fifth in the league in total offensive yards and fourth in total offense.
Albany finished No. 16 in the final league coaches poll. Milwaukee is coming off a tough loss last week as well. The expansion Iron fell to in-state and Midwest Division rival Green Bay for the third time, 60-20. The Milwaukee defense, although leading the league in yards allowed per game (242), struggled against Green Bay. Veteran Iron QB TODD HAMMEL had his hand in all three of the Iron scores. He completed 24-of-45 passes for 247 yards with three TDs and one INT. He found WR ANTOINE BURNS 11 times for 115 yards and a TD. Hammel also connected with WRs ROBERT GILL and SCOTT BURNOSKI for one TD apiece. DB PERRY KYLES led the Milwaukee defense in tackling, recording 7.0. DB LARON RAGSDALE had the only Milwaukee turnover, picking off Blizzard QB GINO GUIDUGLI in the middle of the second quarter. This second meeting should be intense as the first as both clubs are fighting for the final playoff spot in the American Conference.
PEORIA PIRATES (5-10) AT STOCKTON LIGHTNING (5-10)
FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2009 - Stockton Arena (7,017) 10:30 P.M. ET
Friday night wraps up with an interesting first-time matchup as the Peoria Pirates travel to California to take on the Stockton Lightning. Both teams will be looking to end their seasons on a high note. The Pirates are coming off a 43-34 road loss at Kentucky. Rookie QB LUKE DRONE was replaced early in the second quarter of the game after throwing two interceptions. He finished the game having completed 6-of-10 passes for 25 yards. He was replaced by QB KENT SMITH who fared better, completing 13-of-26 passes for 229 yards and four TDs. WR BRIAN ALLBROOKS led the receiving corps of both teams with nine catches for 156 yards and three TDs. Fellow WR DANTE RIDGEWAY added six catches for 58 yards and one TD. DB JOSH HARRIS led the Peoria defense in tackles with 7.5. DB JOSH HARRISON meanwhile tallied 4.5 tackles and forced a fumble.
The Pirates are averaging just 41 yards per game in penalties, good for second in the league. DL MICHAEL LEWIS leads the league in fumble recoveries with seven. He also leads the club in sacks with seven. The Lightning are coming off tough, one-point loss at Amarillo, 42-41, as K STEVEN IRVINE missed a 17-yard field goal as time expired. Lightning QB CHAD CAVENDAR struggled a bit, completing 18-of-40 passes for 201 yards and six TDs. He hit WR ETU MOLDEN five times for 76 yards and three TDs. WR TROY MCBROOM also added six receptions for 81 yards and one TD. DB MAURICE HOLMES was good for six solo tackles and an INT. DB MERVIN BROOKINS, JR. added an interception as well. Brookins leads the club with seven interceptions on the season in just five games played. The Lightning, who are locked in at the 8-seed, are out to close out the regular season at home on a high note before looking ahead to No. 1-ranked Spokane in the first round of the playoffs. The Pirates, however, will show up and compete hard from start to finish as they still have an outside chance at sneaking into the final American Conference playoff spot.
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