af2 Green Bay Blizzard

Pioneers at home on the road in Green Bay, win 38-24

by Paul Reeths
Published on June 3, 2005 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Green Bay Blizzard


The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers used a suffocating defensive effort to hand the Green Bay Blizzard its second straight loss, 38-24, at the Resch Center in Green Bay Friday night. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's defense pressured Green Bay all game, forcing two interceptions and eight Blizzard penalties.

The Pioneers gained revenge for a 48-40 loss to the Blizzard earlier in the season and drew to within one game of Green Bay in the American Conference East Division standings. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton kept its hopes of a divisional title alive with the win, and bounced back from four losses in its last five games.

Green Bay was shut out in the second half last week by previously winless Birmingham, and the offensive funk continued in Friday's game. Missing wide receiver/linebacker Robert Garth, the Blizzard managed just a single touchdown and converted one of five third down tries in the first half.

Green Bay turned the ball over on downs to start the night and then allowed the first score of the ballgame on a seven-yard Kyle Rowley to Ameer Riley toss. The Blizzard evened it on a 23-yard Lance Taylor catch and run, but the Pioneers countered with a six-yard Taso Apostolidis touchdown run and a nine-yard Rowley to Rocco Forgione scoring catch. Henrik Juul-Neilsen hit a field goal with 11.4 seconds left in the half to pull Green Bay within 21-10 at the break.

Green Bay's defense provided the spark to begin the second half by picking off Rowley, and the Blizzard made it count with an 11-yard Johnny Turman to Troy Mason connection to make it 21-17. David Davis extended the Pioneers lead back to seven with a 33-yard field goal, however, and Apostolidis rumbled in with his second on the ground to make it 31-17 Pioneers early in the fourth. Turman snuck in from inches out midway through the fourth, but Forgione beat the Blizzard secondary on a bomb to extend the visitors' advantage to 38-24.

Rowley connected on 16 of 31 throws for 176 yards, with Forgione on the receiving end of five of those throws for 72 yards and two scores. On the losing side, Turman completed 22 of 45 for 220 yards.

The loss dropped Green Bay to 6-3, one and one-half games behind the Manchester Wolves in the East Division, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton improved to 5-4.

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