Pioneers Continue to Press On
Michael Balakier
Saturday June 28, 2003
The game looked as if it was going to be another nail biter as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (5-7) led 34-33 with under 3:00 to go in the fourth quarter. Faced with a fourth and two from the Speed 16 yard line, the Pioneers lined up to attempt a field goal with WR/DB Aman Abye as the holder. Abye took the snap and ran to the left, gaining six yards on the play for a Pioneers’ first down. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton quarterback Chris Boden then connected with OS Terrell Johnson two plays later to give the Pioneers a 41-33 lead.
On the Speed’s first play of the ensuing possession, Roy Johnson’s pass was intercepted by OL/DL Nate Bandy and returned 26 yards for a touchdown. The score sealed the game for the Pioneers; and for Bandy, it was the second time in as many weeks he has helped clinch a victory for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Last week, against Rochester, Bandy partially blocked the Brigade’s final extra point attempt to prevent the game from going into overtime.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach Dean Cokinos credited his players after the game. “Our guys are really starting to play well,” said Cokinos. “Our offense played well, our defense played well, and our special teams played well in the second half. You’re seeing complete football right now. You’re seeing the results of hard work.”
And that hard work is starting to payoff as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has won four of their last five games. During that stretch, the Pioneers have played some of their best football of the season, and that helps make the games more fun to play, regardless of the score.
“The fun part is we’re playing well,” said Cokinos. “You’re really not looking at the scoreboard. They’re playing well and you like to see that and that’s what makes it fun. It makes it fun to come to practice, come to games ‘cause you know you’re going to have a good game.”
Aiding the Pioneers in their victory were 21 penalties committed by the Speed (5-7). Also, Richmond’s defensive coordinator, Chad Davis, assumed the roles of both offensive and defensive coordinator for the game after his brother and head coach Richard Davis resigned earlier in the week.
“I think anytime your head coach goes through what he’s gone through it’s a tough situation for guys to come out and play well and I was afraid of that,” Davis said. “Richard has done a wonderful job with this organization and from a coaching perspective and a football part of it, he has built this (franchise). I think it’s hard when he’s your leader and these kids have had him around for so long, it’s hard for them to respond. I was proud of our effort. We killed ourselves with undisciplined penalties and stupid things. [When] those things happen, it’s just hard to win a football game.”
Davis also said that taking over for his brother has but him in a tough situation. “I felt odd all week,” said Davis. “I respect (Richard) and am proud of him for what he’s done for this organization. I feel bad about what happened. I wish it never happened and I hate what happened. But we can’t worry about what we can’t control.”
The Pioneers travel to Albany next week to face the division leading Conquest. “We’re on a little bit of a roll,” said Cokinos. “[We’re] playing with confidence and learning how to come from behind when things go wrong. We’re starting to come around.”
Game Notes
Speed bump: Despite the recent departure of Richard Davis as head coach, this season has been unkind to the Speed, an organization that is used to winning. Chad Davis spoke after the game about the ups and downs of Richmond’s season. “I think for everybody it’s been real real difficult,” said Davis. “So when you have some adversity with a young football team…and the situation happens with my brother, it’s just kind of hard to rebound with things like that when they occur. But the character will come out and hopefully these guys will learn form all these things and we’ll learn from what Richard has taught us in the past and we won’t give up. We’ll get better and get back to Richmond, get on the film, and do the best we can to get better.”
Bye-Bye: Friday night’s victory against the Speed arguably may be the biggest win in the Pioneers’ franchise history. However, to the players, with an outside chance of making the playoffs, each victory is as important as the last. Pioneer’s quarterback Chris Boden explains: “Every win we get from here on out is the biggest one we get. The win in Richmond was a good win because it helped turn our season around. It’s unfortunate we had the bye week when we did because all our timing got thrown off and we came out flat against Mohegan but we picked it back up and we’re playing well now.”
Mr. Primetime: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s OS Terrell Johnson is making a name for himself when the game in on the line. Johnson caught the go-ahead touchdown pass last week against the Brigade and also caught another touchdown pass with just over a minute to go in the fourth quarter this week against Richmond. Johnson explains how he approaches those ‘primetime’ situations. “I feel no pressure because when the game is on the line it’s like ‘I want the ball’ and that’s what I really mean. When (the ball) is up in the air I feel like the ball is mine and nobody else can touch it. So I want the ball when the game is on the line.”
Michael Balakier first discovered a knack for writing during his senior year in high school while reporting for his school`s newspaper. Aside from being an Arenaball fan, Michael is an avid Syracuse University athletics follower, which poses a problem for him, as he attends the University of Pittsburgh. Michael plans on using what he has learned through his Arenafan experience to remain as impartial as he can during future Syracuse/Pitt events. Michael also serves as co-Editor of the af2 section of Arenafan Online.
