Steamwheelers Add It All â Local talent, former Hawkeyes, AFL and af2 veterans
Published on December 15, 2004 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa â The Quad City Steamwheelers can finally field a full football team. On Wednesday, the Steamwheelers roster grew to the arenafootball2 league, regular season maximum of 21 players with the assignment of eight players to the Steamwheelers for their upcoming sixth season. The Steamwheelers are able to bring 35 players into training camp, but must be down to 21 by the start of the season.
The league office assigned the following players to the Steamwheelers: former Iowa Hawkeyes' and Steamwheelers' veterans, offensive lineman/defensive lineman Pete Traynor and wide receiver/linebacker Tony Burrier, former St. Ambrose (Iowa) Fighting Bees standout Mikey Novak, former Arena Football League kicker Stephen Scaldoferri, NFL tested and former Florida State star, offensive lineman/defensive lineman Pat Hughes, former Syracuse notable offensive lineman/defensive lineman Govanni Deloatch, as well as af2 stars wide receiver/linebacker Torrey Morris and defensive specialist Kofi Smith.
Traynor returns to the Steamwheelers for a third season although he has only played in 12 games for the team. After joining the Steamwheelers midway through the 2003 season, Traynor retunred for the 2004 season only to suffer a broken ankle in the Steamwheelers second game at Manchester (N.H.). Traynor didn't return until the final regular season game and the playoff game, both against rival Louisville.
Shortly after joining the Steamwheelers, Traynor quickly adapted to the game and became one of the teams' top linemen. Traynor was also a standout at the University of Iowa for the Hawkeyes and was the backup center his senior year.
Burrier is in a similar boat as Traynor. Burrier sat out the 2004 season with nagging injuries, but is healthy now and ready to improve on his rookie season. In 2003, Burrier played behind the likes of AFL promoted offensive specialist Ira Gooch and wide receiver/defensive back Tim Dodge as well as returning Steamwheelers teammate wide receiver/linebacker Jeff Hewitt. In 11 games with the Steamwheelers, Burrier accounted for a 10-yard touchdown reception on offense. Burrier was a force on the defensive side of the field as he had 21 tackles (11 solo), a sack and an interception returned for a touchdown. He had a pass deflection and a forced fumble.
New to the Steamwheelers squad is Novak, who comes from local St. Ambrose University. Novak was a part of a Fighting Bees squad in 2003 that won a fourth straight Mid-State Football Association Midwest Division crown and qualified for the NAIA national playoffs. This past season, Novak helped guide the Fighting Bees to a 7-3 record. In two seasons, Novak has accounted for 97 tackles (46 solo), 12 tackles for losses, 11 sacks, two quarterback hurries, five fumble recoveries and six forced fumbles.
The Steamwheelers have also added a seasoned football veteran. Hughes comes to the Steamwheelers with experience at one of the premier college football programs, Florida State and brings experience from the NFL.
At Florida State, Hughes was a part of the 1999 National Championship team and played in the 2001 National title game against Oklahoma. Hughes played four seasons for the Seminole, which includes a medical red-shirt season in 2000. In his final year, Hughes was the starting tight end for a Florida State team that finished 9-5 and a Sugar Bowl appearance. In those four seasons, Hughes caught nine passes for 82 yards. Over his five-year span at Florida State, the Seminoles won the ACC four of the five years. His senior year he received all-ACC honors.
Hughes came to Florida State as the nation's top high school tight end and rated the nation's 13th best player overall out of Nacogdoches High School. He also earned High School All-American honors.
Hughes then went on to sign with the Chicago Bears on Draft Day 2003 as a free agent. He later was a training camp cut with the Houston Texans and had a private workout with the Carolina Panthers this past August.
This past summer, Hughes spent time with the San Angelo Stampede of the Intense Football League. Through two games, he had four sacks, five pass deflections and two blocked kicks.
Smith joins the Steamwheelers after spending three seasons in the af2 with Columbus and Norfolk. Smith rejoins Steamwheelers coach Rick Frazier, as the two were together in 2003 at Norfolk.
In 27 af2 games, Smith has tallied 146 tackles (88 solo), five tackles for losses, eight interceptions and 55 passes defended. He also forced a fumble.
Last season, the Georgia Tech product Smith led the Corpus Christi Hammerheads of the IFL. He was first in the league in passes defended and was a first team all-IFL defensive specialist. He had 93 tackles (71 solo), 63 passes defended, four interceptions and two forced fumbles.
More Arena Football experience comes to the Steamwheelers in the form of Morris. Morris spent last season with the Cape Fear Wildcats. He caught 39 passes for 458 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games. On defense, he had nine tackles (four solo), forced and recovered a fumble.
Deloatch will enter his first season in Arena Football after a stellar career at Syracuse and a season in the semi-pro National Indoor Football League. At Syracuse, Deloatch started all 14 games at offensive tackle and defensive tackle in 2004. In 2001 and 2002, he started in all 13 games (both seasons) at offensive tackle.
In 11 games with the Ohio Valley Greyhounds (NIFL), Deloatch accounted for four tackles, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery.
The first kicker for the 2005 season training camp roster is Scaldaferri. Last season with the Grand Rapids Rampage and coach Frazier of the AFL, Scaldaferri connected on 5-of-15 field goals, including a career best 57-yarder. He was 26-of-35 on extra points.
Prior to joining the Rampage, Scaldaferri played a season with Frazier at Norfolk. In 16 games, he was 12-of-29 on field goals with a long of 42 and was 71-of-94 on extra points. Scaldaferri also recorded eight tackles (six solo).
The Steamwheelers are gearing up for their sixth season, as a charter member of the af2 under new coach Rick Frazier, a veteran head coach in the Arena Football League. The 2005 af2 season is set to kickoff the first weekend of April, with the Steamwheelers opening their season on the road the following weekend at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Their first home game of the 2005 season will come on Saturday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m., when they host the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings. Season tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the Steamwheelers office at (563) 324-4888 or toll free at 1-866-STEAMTIX (78326849).
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