Barracudas Dominate Ball; Steamwheelers Dominate Game
Michael Vergane
Friday August 4, 2000
Not all of the news was good Wednesday evening for the Steamwheelers. Their two leading receivers, Shon King and Xavier Patterson, both left the game with injuries. (King with a cut mouth and Patterson with a stinger in his shoulder.) Ironically, both injuries came on touchdown catches. King did not return after his 2nd quarter injury, but is expected to play Sunday night.
Pensacola`s biggest enemy Wednesday was themselves as receivers dropped pass after pass. The Barracudas were also without their leading receiver Rodney Woodham. "When you lose your top receiver and kick returner, it puts a chink in your armor,” said a soft spoken Kevin Porter, Head Coach of Pensacola. "But you have to give all the credit to those guys [Quad City]. They proved they are the best team in the league."
Pensacola`s evening got off to a shaky start early. On their third play from scrimmage, QB Bobby Clayton was intercepted by Quad City DS Cornelius Coe. Two plays later, Billy Dicken threw his first of two touchdown passes to OS Shon King. However, the biggest ovation of the evening came midway in the 3rd quarter with the Steamwheelers up 34-3.
Billy Dicken threw a screen to 335 lb. Offensive Lineman Jamarr Ward, and he rumbled down the sideline 31 yards for a touchdown, leaving Barracudas strewn about the field.
"He`s a fantastic athlete,” said Steamwheeler Head Coach Frank Haege. "That was probably the funnest play of the year, without a doubt. He played both ways in college, and he is doing them both well here."
As is the case with all Quad City Steamwheeler games, the opposing team dominated the time of possession. Pensacola held on to the ball for over 44 minutes. But time and again they came up empty once they got inside the Quad City red zone. Looking at the numbers, Quad City QB Billy Dicken was 15-19 for 237 yards and 6 touchdowns. His leading receiver was Scott Hvistendahl, who had 5 catches for 64 yards and one touchdown.
Michael Vergane was a writer for ArenaFan Online from 2000 to 2002.
