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Wolves Looking to Handle Pioneers this Friday with Playoffs in Sight

July 16, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Mohegan Wolves News Release


NEW LONDON, Conn. (July 16, 2003) – The Mohegan Wolves (arenafootball2) are preparing for battle this Friday night (July 18) with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers knowing that a spot in the playoffs is just a win away. Kick-off for the Wolves 2003 regular season home finale is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Mohegan, at 9-5 overall, currently stands in fourth place in the American Conference playoff race. The top six teams from each conference (American and National) make the postseason.

Also on Friday, as part of "Fan Appreciation Night," every fan through the doors will receive a FREE Mohegan Wolves team poster, courtesy of Advanced Automotive, Victory Motorcycles, The Day and 103.7 FNX Radio.

"Our goal all season long has been to win the ArenaCup, but the first step is to get to the playoffs," Mohegan Coach Mark Stoute said. "Everybody involved with this team knows how big this game is.

This week's game at a glance – Wolves (9-5 overall, Streak: Lost 1) vs. Pioneers (6-8 overall, Streak: Won 1)

Friday's game is the sixth all-time meeting between the Wolves and Pioneers. The Pioneers currently lead the series 3-2. Mohegan has won the last two head-to-head affairs (both in 2003) while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won all three meetings in 2002. Their most recent battle came on June 14 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Wolves defeated the Pioneers in that contest, 55-22, on the strength of Game MVP LaJhon Jones' three-touchdown performance. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is led on offense by QB Chris Boden and OS Cosmo DeMatteo. Boden ranks fourth in the league in completions (271), seventh in touchdown passes (57) and ninth in passing yards (3,031). DeMatteo leads the team in receptions (81), receiving yards (893) and touchdowns (22). Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's defense, however, is a sore spot for the club. The Pioneers rank near the bottom of the league in scoring defense, allowing over 49 points per game (49.2). In contrast, the Wolves defense is rock solid. A year after recording just 18 sacks in 16 games, Mohegan currently ranks among the league's best in sacks with 29 posted in 2003. Offensively, the Wolves will look for a solid showing from QB Greg Smith and his receiving corps. Smith is currently among the league's sharpest passers, ranking fourth in pass rating at 112.0. OS Mel Long leads all Wolves receivers with 68 receptions for 1,081 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Wolves Game Fourteen Recap – 7/11/03 – The Wolves lost a tough game on the road at Richmond, 44-41, last Friday night. The Speed used a quick-passing attack to keep Mohegan on its heels for much of the game. In addition, the Wolves offense was again slow to get going. The team's first offensive score came on a Greg Smith 45-yard strike to Mel Long with less than a minute to play in the first half. The touchdown closed the Mohegan deficit to 21-14 at the half. The Wolves took the momentum they gained at the end of the first half and carried it into the second when LaJhon Jones scored on a one-yard TD run on the team's first possession of the third quarter. That would be the first and last time of the night, however, that Mohegan caught up to the racing Speed. Richmond scored the final nine points of the quarter to go ahead 30-21 after three quarters. The Speed scored twice in the fourth to hold off a late Wolves rally. Long recorded a career-high 180 yards receiving to lead Mohegan in defeat.

Don't miss out on the Mohegan Wolves special 2004 season ticket offer, available now. When a Wolves fan purchases their 2004 season tickets and pay in full by the end of the 2003 regular season (July 26), they will receive a 20% discount on their 2004 season tickets AND their seats FREE for each 2003 playoff game at the Mohegan Sun Arena.



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