Steeldogs Look to Upset Pioneers
June 13, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Alabama Steeldogs News Release
Birmingham, Ala. - Alabama Steeldogs Head Coach Ron Selesky believes an upset victory over the top-ranked Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers could be exactly what his team needs to get its season back on track.
The Steeldogs (5-5) have lost their last two games and dropped three of their last four contests, leaving the players and Selesky searching for answers as they prepare to face the Pioneers this Saturday at Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
"We are putting a very talented team on the field every game," Selesky said. "A team that has the ability to play with the best in this league."
"The best" is a fitting description for the Pioneers. Wilkes-Barre is 9-0 this season and has sat atop the af2 Coaches' Poll for the last eight weeks.
"They don't make a lot of mistakes," Selesky said of the Pioneers. "They play hard and play together - all the things that we need to do to be successful against them."
Wilkes-Barre is led by veteran quarterback Ryan Vena, who manages the league's sixth-best passing offense. The Pioneers average 261.3 yards through the air this season, with Vena ranking first in the af2 for pass completion percentage (69.7) and pass efficiency (128.4).
"Ryan played for me in Albany in 2002, and he's a winner," Selesky said. "We have to take him out of his comfort zone if we want to be successful on defense."
The Steeldogs travel to Wilkes-Barre to face their sixth top-ten opponent of 2007. The Steeldogs have struggled against those teams, going 1-6 with the sole win against Quad City in Week 6.
"We have had a difficult schedule this season," Selesky said. "But that is no excuse for being 5-5. We've had our chances and have simply failed to execute when we needed to."
One bright spot for the Steeldogs over their last six games had been the team's overall defense. Alabama has jumped from 27th among the af2's 30 teams to 16th in defense over the past six contests. The Steeldogs are giving up an average of 260.3 yards per game, a far cry from the 303.5 yards per contest that the team was averaging in week four.
"Our defense continues to improve," Selesky said. "But we still have a long way to go."
The Steeldogs kick off against the Pioneers at 6:00 p.m. (CST) this Saturday at Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The game can be heard live on the Alabama Steeldogs' Flagship radio station WSPZ 690 "The Animal" with veteran broadcaster Matt Coulter calling the action. Fans can also tune in online to www.themightyx.com to listen to the broadcast.
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