Thunder Clip Firebirds In Season Opener 44-34
March 27, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Albany Firebirds News Release
YOUNGSTOWN, OH - The Albany Firebirds squandered an 11-point fourth quarter lead as they dropped their 2009 season opener 44-34 to the Mahoning Valley Thunder Friday night at the Chevrolet Centre.
The first half was a sloppy affair as the two teams combined for eight turnovers, including five fumbles, two turnovers on downs and one interception. Mahoning Valley opening the scoring on the first possession of the game as they capped off a eight-play drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass from QB Davon Vinson to WR Quorey Payne. Albany answered right back with a six-play drive that ended with a ten-yard TD pass from QB Stephen Wasil to WR Christian Wise; after K Brian Umstead's extra point the Firebirds had their first lead 7-6.
After recovering a Vinson fumble in the final minute of the first quarter the Firebirds extended their lead to 13-6 when back up QB Adam Bednarik hit WR Mike Wall with a deep pass for a 38-yard strike just 40 seconds into the second quarter. Following back-to-back defensive stops, the Firebirds quickly got the ball down to the Thunder one yard line, but then fumbled on the next play and Mahoning Valley made them pay with a five-yard pass from Vinson to Payne for a 20-13 lead. Three fumbles and in interception later, Albany answered when Bednarik punched in his first career af2 rushing touchdown from one yard out to tie the game at 20-20. Mahoning Valley kicker Derek Schorejs drilled a 26-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to give the Thunder a 23-20 lead after thirty minutes.
The Firebirds dominated the third quarter; Bednarik led the team on a nine-play, 45-yard drive that ate up almost six minutes of the clock that ended with a nine-yard TD pass to WR Anthony Rodriguez on a crucial fourth down and five play to give Albany it's first lead of the second half 27-23. The Thunder slowly march down the field on a long possession, and had a first and goal situations at the Albany one-yard line, but the Firebirds defense mounted a heroic goal-line stand to force a turnover on downs.
Albany's next possession carried them into the fourth quarter as Bednarik again led a nine-play drive, this time for 49 yards, which took 6:41 off the clock. On second and goal from the Mahoning Valley seven-yard line, Bednarik connected with WR Alvin Ray Jackson with his third TD pass of the night and with twelve minutes remaining in the game the Firebirds led 34-23. The Thunder then rallied for 21-straight points to deny Albany their first season-opening victory in three years. Vinson fired a strike to WR Chris Schubert from four-yards out to cut the Firebirds' lead to four points and then with four minutes left the Thunder sacked Bednarik, forcing a fumble that was recovered by former Albany DB Brandon Taylor at the Firebirds four-yard line. Vinson took the next snap and ran it into the end zone to put the Thunder ahead 37-34. Mahoning Valley took a ten-point lead with another sack-fumble of Bednarik, recovered again by Taylor, who returned the ball ten-yards for the first defensive touchdown of the game and a 44-34 victory.
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