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Week 10: Friday Night Matchups

May 28, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS (4-4) AT GREEN BAY BLIZZARD (4-4)

Friday, May 29, 2009 - Resch Center (7,695) 8:30 P.M. EST

The second half of the season officially begins on Friday night with a Midwest Division matchup as the Quad City Steamwheelers head to Wisconsin to take on the Green Bay Blizzard. This is the 15th all-time matchup between the two clubs. The series is currently tied at 7-7 overall. This is also the second of three head-to-head meetings between Quad City and Green Bay this season. The Blizzard won the first encounter, 65-52, at Quad City in Week 4. After a 4-2 start, the Steamwheelers have lost their last two games amid added pressure of whether they would finish their 10th anniversary season. This week the Quad City contingent should be in better spirits after the team's home arena, the i wireless Center, agreed to assist in seeing that the Steamwheelers finish the year out. On the field, Quad City's most recent result was a 65-48 road loss to Peoria last Saturday. The win was just the second of the season for the Pirates. QB J.J. RATERINK completed 29-of-45 passes for the Steamwheelers with five TDs. All five of his scoring tosses went to WR JESSE SCHMIDT, who also had game-highs in receptions (18) and receiving yards (193). Quad City kept things close through the first half and trailed by only three points (24-21) at the break. The Steamwheelers lost control of the game in the second half, however, as they gave the ball up three times, including two Raterink interceptions and a fumble that was recovered in the end zone for a Peoria score. Overall, Schmidt has been the team's top playmaker. The veteran receiver has had a stellar season so far, ranking among the league's elite in scoring (176 points - 3rd) and receiving (97 catches - 3rd; 1,288 yards - 2nd; 29 TDs - 3rd). Injuries on the offensive line have hurt the team's effectiveness. The Steamwheelers have already given up 21 sacks through eight games, a total which ranks them 23rd out of 25 teams. On the defensive side, the trio of LB JERMAINE PETTY (3), LB TYUS JACKSON (3) and DL ANTON CEASAR (4.5) have been strong up front as the cast has been responsible for 10.5 of the team's 18 sacks (T5th in af2). Currently the Steamwheelers are ranked No. 14 in the latest league coaches poll. The Blizzard enter Week 10 ranked No. 13 overall. Green Bay suffered a 69-19 road loss to the red-hot Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers last Saturday. The Blizzard struggled to hold on to the football, fumbling six times of which three were recovered by the Pioneers. Green Bay QB GINO GUIDUGLI also had three interceptions in the game. Guidugli had a tough time dealing with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defense as evidence by his 17-of-35 passing performance with one touchdown. He had little help from his offensive line. The Blizzard big boys up front, who are normally solid, allowing just five sacks in the previous seven games, gave up six against the Pioneers. One good flash of Blizzard offense came from WR TERRY LOVE, who caught of a 24-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter and totaled 114 all-purpose yards. The Blizzard defense didn't have its best outing against the Pioneers, but they did record three interceptions of their own against All-af2 QB RYAN VENA. Overall, the group's strength is up front. Green Bay currently ranks second in the league in sacks with 22. DL ANTHONY HOKE leads the team individually with six. These teams are pretty evenly matched, but the winner will likely limit turnovers by protecting their quarterback and controlling the clock.



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