Pirates to Announce Starting Quarterback Just Before Season Opener
Steve Robinson
Tuesday March 30, 2004
By Monday morning, the number of quarterbacks was cut to two, but Cowdrey said Tuesday he has not made his mind yet as to whether Pekin Community High alum Troy Edwards or Illinois State near-graduate Mike Souza will get the starting nod.
Cowdrey said he would wait and make his decision just before his Pirates start their 2004 season in the Kansas Coliseum, where taking on the Wichita Stealth in a 7:00 PM Saturday contest.
“The prerogative of the head coach” will determine who lines up behind center, Cowdrey explained.
Both the established Edwards and the rookie Souza are not making Cowdrey’s decision any easier while the clock ticks away. Souza was prolific in his passing last season at ISU, completing 51.5 percent of his tosses for 2,101 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also demonstrated his scrambling ability, having rushed 99 times for 411 yards last season.
Edwards played six games last season, getting the starter’s nod for one of them. On the season, he went 13-for-25 for 148 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. His longest pass sailed 37 yards. He ended the season with an average throw of 24.7 yards.
Looking Forward: Sean Ponder is at the Stealth’s helm for the second year, his first full season since taking over for an ailing Bob Cortese. Just before the Pirates-Stealth game in Peoria last May, Cortese suddenly resigned, citing health problems. Ponder, a volunteer coach with Wichita at the time, was tapped to succeed Cortese before the Stealth arrived in Peoria. Wichita won that game, 52-49.
“We are looking forward to this game because (Wichita) has a good team,” Cowdrey said. “They have some good players. It will be a good challenge for us to start the season with.”
There is one name on the Stealth roster for this game that wore a Pirates jersey briefly last season. Anthony Griffin, a 5 foot-10, 190-pound wide receiver/defensive back combo is now a member of Ponder’s platoon.
Ed’s Back: The Pirates were among a handful of teams last season, which, for one reason or another, did not have radio coverage of either home or away games. WWFS Fox Radio AM 1290 will serve as the home of Pirates broadcasts, home and away, this season. Ed Hammond will call the play-by-play.
“I’m excited,” Hammond said of his impending return to the Pirates’ broadcast booth. “The thing I have heard from people is that they are glad Pirates games will be on the radio so that they can hear the team while they are on the road.
“That’s the gratifying part for me, because, when the team is on the road in Wichita, I will be able to tell people what the team is doing. I’ve missed it. I’d be a liar to say that I didn’t. I did miss it. So, I am really excited about being back and doing it again.”
Alongside Hammond for the broadcasts will be Washington High School assistant athletic director John Venturi, who will serve as game analyst for the broadcasts this season.
No Frenzy Over Coyotes: The season formally opened early for four teams March 26-27. One of the cities, Fresno, Calif., is getting another chance in af2 after a year’s absence and a change in management group. Fresno’s last team, the Fresno Frenzy, ended the 2002 season with a 4-12 record, which included splitting their eight home games and losing all their road games.
Cowdrey’s Pirates beat the Frenzy, 55-12 in April 2002. Fresno’s new entry, the Central Valley Coyotes, lost their opener, 68-35 to the Hawaiian Islanders. Peoria travels to Central Valley for a May 1 game.
The Bossier City-Shreveport Battle Wings beat the Birmingham Steeldogs, 63-41, in the weekend’s other opener.
In addition to Fresno, new af2 teams this season are located in Oklahoma City, Laredo and Hidalgos, both in Texas. One team relocated as the Mohegan Wolves moved from Massachusetts, becoming the Manchester (N.H.) Wolves.
Steve Robinson, a freelance writer since 1984, has written about the Peoria Pirates since the Pirates were members of Indoor Football League, beginning in 1999. He covers the Pirates currently for the Bloomington IL Pantagraph.
