Foundation of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Training Camp Roster Beginning to Set
Michael Balakier
Monday February 11, 2002
“Our roster is starting to take shape. I’m excited about the combination of young players and arena-experienced talent coming in,” said Head Coach Terry Karg.
Below is a list of the current players assigned to the Pioneers training camp roster:
Aman Abye—WR/DB (University of Pennsylvania)—Abye has previous arenaball experience, playing most recently for Richmond in the af2
Rich Butcofski—FB/LB (East Stroudsburg)—Butcofski spent the 1999 and 2000 seasons as part of the East Stroudsburg University football team. During his senior year, he recorded 99 tackles and was named to the All-PSAC Eastern Division second team. Prior to East Stroudsburg, Butcofski started for two years as a middle linebacker at Nassau Community College (Long Island).
Chad Clark—FB/LB (Moravian)—Clark spent the 2001 season with the Greensboro Prowlers of the af2 and has played locally with the Scranton Eagles from 1997-2000.
Chris Gicking—QB (Shippensburg)—Gickling, the first quarterback assigned to the Pioneers, has previous arenaball experience in the National Indoor Football League (NIFL) with the Johnstown J-Dogs.
Matt Jackson—WR/DB (Northwood)—Jackson has previous arenaball experience for Pensacola of the af2.
Terrel Johnson—WR/DB (Cheyney)—Johnson has previous arenaball experience for Carolina of the af2.
Joe Kowalski—WR/DB (Charleston Southern)—Kowalski, a graduate of Lackawanna Junior College, has spent the last two seasons at Charleston Southern University, where he was utilized primarily as a defensive back. Kowalski will also be reunited with mentor and Lackawanna head coach Mark Duda, who was recently named as a Pioneer assistant coach.
Carl Majer—OL/DL (Temple)—Majer, the first player signed by the Pioneers, has played locally with the Scranton Eagles.
Ky Oday—WR/LB (Utah State)—Oday was a Division II All-American at Mesa State before transferring to Utah State.
Chris Orlando—WR/DB (Bloomsburg)—Orlando, a former Bloomsburg University and Lackawanna Junior College standout, is the younger brother of former NFL player Bo Orlando.
Elly Salamo—FB/LB (Morrisville Junior College)— Salamo was regarded as one of the nation’s top linebackers coming out of Reading High School.
Damon Saxon—WR/DB (King’s College)— The former Monarch running back holds 12 individual and career records at King’s and was the nation’s leading rusher in NCAA Division III football for the 2000 season.
Jeff Smith—OL/DL (Bloomsburg)— Smith, a Division II All-American his senior year, helped lead Bloomsburg University to the Division II national title game. In addition to his All-American honors, Smith was also an Associated Press Little All-American as well as the Brooks-Irvine Player of the Year in South Jersey, an award given to the top player from Division I, II, and III who is a resident from south Jersey.
Markevius Woods—Northwest Oklahoma State—Woods comes to the Pioneers from Northwest Oklahoma State, where he played several positions on both offense and defense. He also spent the 2001 season with the Billings Outlaws of the NIFL.
Phil Yzeik—OL/DL (Bloomsburg)—Yzeik has played locally for the Scranton Eagles.
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.
