Pioneers Down Conquest 51-37 To Close Out Season
July 25, 2008 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Albany Firebirds News Release
ALBANY, NY - Albany Conquest DB Brandon Taylor intercepted his seventh pass of the season to set a new single-season team record in a 51-37 defeat to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers on Friday night at the Times Union Center.
The Pioneers struck first when former Conquest QB Ryan Vena hit WR Larry Kendrick from ten yards out to give Wilkes-Barre/Scranton an early lead. Albany QB Joe DeLuise, making his second career af2 start, answered right back with a spectacular 27-yard touchdown dash and the Conquest went ahead 7-6. After the Pioneers responded with a ten-yard TD grab by WR Rich Musinski, Albany WR Jared Jones hauled in a 6-yard score from DeLuise to tie the game at 14-14. The visitors retook the lead on the last play of the quarter when Vena found Kendrick in the end zone for a second time, giving Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a 21-14 advantage after the opening quarter.
The Conquest faced a fourth-and-thirteen from deep inside their own territory to open the second quarter. DeLuise scampered for what appeared to be a 40-yard touchdown run, but a holding penalty washed out the play. After Albany turned the ball over on downs, the Pioneers increased their lead as Vena hooked up with WR JJ Outlaw for a five-yard TD pass on the first play of the drive. Trailing 28-14 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton threatening to add to their total, Conquest LB Michael Lewis sacked Vena for the second time, forcing a fumble that the Pioneers recovered. On the next play, more Albany pressure led to DB Brandon Taylor intercepting a Vena pass for his seventh pick of the season, setting a new Conquest single-season franchise record. The first half came to a close with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton continuing to hold onto a 28-14 edge.
DeLuise capped off an impressive five-minute Conquest drive with a four-yard completion to Jones to open the third quarter, cutting the deficit to seven points. But Albany would get no closer; the Pioneers regained their two touchdown advantage on an eight-yard run from FB Kirby Griffin and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton carried a 34-21 lead into the fourth quarter.
Griffin then grabbed two more touchdowns on passes from Pioneers backup QB Matt Schabert, who replaced Vena at the start of the second half, giving the visitors their biggest lead of the game at 48-21. Conquest TE Jacob Hobbs got in on the scoring action with a two-yard score with just under a minute left and DeLuise ended the season on a high note with a 15-yard rushing TD with no time remaining. The rushing touchdown was DeLuise's second of the game, but it was too little too late as the Pioneers held on for a 51-37 victory.
Albany Conquest QB Joe DeLuise finished the game 22-for-41 passing totaling 224 yards, three touchdowns and one interception; he also rushed four times for 47 yards and two TDs. Pioneers QB Ryan Vena finished 9-for-11 passing for 105 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Backup QB Matt Schabert played the entire second half and went 8-for-16 passing for 86 yards and two TDs. Albany WR Jared Jones caught 10 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns, while WR Larry Kendrick hauled in six passes for 90 yards and two TDs to lead the visitors. Albany DE Michael Lewis recorded two sacks to finish the season with a team-leading 9.0 sacks; Pioneers NT Troy Blackwell ended with a game-high 3.0 sacks.
Schutt Offensive Player of the Game: WR Jared Jones (ALB)
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: NT Troy Blackwell (WBS)
U.S. ARMY IRONMAN OF THE GAME: WR/LB Rich Musinski (WBS)
CUTTERS CATCH OF THE GAME: DB Brandon Taylor (ALB)
Score By Quarters: 1 2 3 4 F WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON (14-2) 21 7 6 17 51
ALBANY (5-11) 14 0 7 16 37
After playing the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers for the third time this year, the Albany Conquest have completed their 2008 season with a record of 5-11; it was their seventh season as a member of arenafootball2. The Conquest will not see post-season action for the fifth-straight season, after winning their division in both 2002 and 2003.
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