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PIFL Lehigh Valley Steelhawks

Steelhawks 2015 First Quarter Report

April 23, 2015 - Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL)
Lehigh Valley Steelhawks News Release


Bethlehem, PA: The first quarter of the 2015 PIFL season has quickly come and gone. Lehigh Valley currently sits in second place (3-1) overall record, (2-1) in the PIFL. This is the 5th season for the Steelhawks which saw them race out to a fast start defeating the Erie Explosion in the opener on March 29. The (3-1) record is the second best start in team history only behind last year's undefeated record through four games. Lehigh Valley has welcomed Embassy Bank Field at the PPL Center as their new nest.

The opening contest saw the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks battle the Erie Explosion in an entertaining game that came down to the final minutes of the game. With Erie leading with seven minutes remaining in the game, Lehigh Valley's defense amped up the pressure that ultimately changed the outcome of the game. The top ranked defense in the league made two game changing plays. Amara Kamara was at the forefront on the first fumble recovery that immediately resulted in points and tied the game at 43. With just under a minute left in the game, Larry Ford sacked Jeff Sinclair and caused another fumble recovered by Kamara once again. Quarterback Shane McSweeny would capitalize on that turnover and score the tiebreaking and winning touchdown with twenty seconds left. David Castillo, former Explosion member would seal the victory with an interception as time expired.

In Week Two, Lehigh Valley would once again be on the road for the second straight week. A rematch of the PIFL championship game was in store for the team with revenge on their mind. Last year's title game saw the Nashville Venom defeat the Steelhawks to capture the crown. A defensive battle was the story line in the first half with both offensives struggling to put points on the board. At the end of the first half, the Venom held an 11 point lead. Lehigh Valley struggled in the second half on both sides of the ball. The only points in the third quarter came from Shane McSweeny who scampered into the endzone to cut the Venom lead to 5. This was the closest they would get for the remaining of the game. Nashville's leading receiver Jordan Jolly had a monster game with 121 yards adding 3 touchdowns. Lehigh Valley fell short in the rematch of the title game suffering their only loss of the season so far.

Finally, after two consecutive weeks on the road, Lehigh Valley would open their new home at the PPL Center against the X-League Marion Blue Racers. The electric atmosphere inside the arena witnessed the Steelhawks take flight and coast to an easy 85-38 victory. A total team victory in which the defense recorded three defensive touchdowns in the second half alone contributed to the explosive 65 point second half. Jesse Cooper led the defensive attack with a fumble and interception return for a touchdown. With that interception, Cooper tied the franchise record with 10 for his career. Larry Ford also recorded his 11th career sack on the night to become the Steelhawks leader in that category.

The latest victory came in the second round of the PA Classic when the Erie Explosion and Lehigh Valley would meet once again. This time the contest saw the Steelhawks handle their intrastate rival by 26 points. For the second straight week, another solid team performance helped solidify another victory. Most games are decided in the trenches and this was one turned out to be no different. Both the defensive and offensive line for Lehigh Valley were excellent on this night. Constant pressure by the d-line led to six sacks and six tackles for a loss. Also from the outstanding play of the line, the Steelhawks defensive backs also benefitted. Joe Powell and Jesse Cooper both had pick six's that put the final nail in the coffin for the Explosion. On this night, Cooper became the franchise leader with 11 interceptions in his career for Lehigh Valley.

Lehigh Valley heads into the second portion of their schedule with the first ranked scoring defense only allowing 42.2 points per game and the third ranked scoring offense averaging 55.5 points per game. Along with the first ranked defense, Lehigh Valley is an outstanding plus-15 in the turnover battle which also ranks first amongst all teams in the PIFL. The Hawks will be tested in their next four games with one against their New Jersey rival Trenton Freedom (2-2), two against the first place Columbus Lions (3-1), and the Alabama Hammers(2-1).

Keep checking for the latest news and events from the Steelhawks! For further information please call Lehigh Valley Steelhawks Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Clark at (610) 282-3100, or visit our website at www.lvsteelhawks.com for the latest Steelhawks news!

Season ticket packages are currently on sale for the exciting Steelhawks action inside the PPL Cneter where the team will be playing on their new EMBASSY BANK FIELD. It's not too late to get your to every 2015 Lehigh Valley Steelhawks game. You can reserve your seats by calling the Steelhawks front office at 610-282-3100. Individual game tickets for each home game are now available as well!

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