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Brigade Faces Defeat on Road

June 2, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Rochester Brigade News Release


Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (AP)- The Rochester Brigade (5-4) fell to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (2-7) 35-52 to end a three game winning streak in front of 6,358 fans at the First Union Arena.

The Brigade jumped out to an early 20-7 lead as QB Matt D'Orazio completed three touchdown strikes from 33, 22 and 3 yards out, and on the night he totaled 21 passes for 219 yards and four scores. WR/DB Derek Baker caught two passes from 33 and 22 yards, while WR/J Larry Long caught a three-yard strike in the first quarter.

The Pioneers answered the Brigade in the second quarter, scoring 21 points as QB Bryan Snyder landed three touchdown completions; two to game MVP OS John Knust from 12 and 4 yards. On the night Knust caught eight passes for 90 yards and four touchdowns. Pioneers' WR/DB Opio Gary returned a 50 yard missed field goal for a score to tie the game at 21. The teams were knotted at 28, ending the first half as D'Orazio rushed in a score from one-yard out with four seconds left in the half.

Baker led the Brigade with eight catches for 114 yards and three scores. He also returned six kickoffs for 47 yards and registered one tackle before leaving the game midway through the fourth quarter with a mild concussion.

The Pioneers shut down the Brigade in the second half, holding them to seven points and shutting them out in the fourth quarter. The Pioneers tallied 24 points of their own coming away with the 52-35 victory.

In the third quarter, Snyder hooked up with Knust for two additional scores from 15 yards out on both strikes, and he also connected with Jackson for a 33-yard score to put the game out of reach. For the Brigade, D'Orazio connected with Baker for the team's final score on a 34-yard touchdown pass.

Snyder led the Pioneers' offense, completing 17 of 30 passes for 202 yards and six touchdowns. He also completed five passes to WR/DB Matt Jackson for 78 yards and two scores. The game's ADT Defensive Player was Pioneers' DS Darius Ellison, who registered five tackles (four solo) and five passes defended to help shut down the Brigade offense in the second half.

Next week the Brigade continue their three game road trip as they travel to face the first place Atlantic Division Richmond Speed (7-1) on Saturday, June 8, for a 7:00 PM kickoff. You can catch all of the action on WASB 1590 AM, WRSB 1310 AM or WMJQ 105.5 FM with JC DeLass. The Pioneers will travel to face Divisional Rival the Mohegan Wolves (3-6) on Friday, June 7, for a 7:30 kickoff.

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