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MANCHESTER WOLVES (0-0) AT QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS (0-0)
SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2004 - THE MARK OF
THE QUAD CITIES (9,437) 8:30 P.M. ET
After a disappointing loss to the Arkansas Twisters in the ArenaCup playoffs to
end their 2003 season, the Steamwheelers return in 2004 with sights again set on a championship. Despite Ira Gooch leaving
for the AFL, the Steamwheelers` receiving corpse remains strong. JEFF HEWITT and his 31 touchdown catches last year and TIM
DODGE and his 22 touchdown receptions last year, both return. After spending last season as the back-up, quarterback RONNIE
GORDON looks to step into the starting job. The 2004 season will be the first in Manchester, New Hampshire for the Wolves
after spending the last two as the Mohegan Wolves playing in Connecticut. Wolves quarterback CHRIS SANDERS returns to the
af2 to start for the Wolves after spending the 2003 season in the AFL. Head coach Rik Richards comes to Manchester with considerable
af2 experience from Charleston where he was their head coach last season. The meeting will be the first of two games in two
weeks between the teams as the Steamwheelers will travel to Manchester next week, April 10, for the Wolves first-ever game
in Manchester.
Steamwheelers Open With a Bang
DAVENPORT, Iowa In the latest arenafootball2 coaches poll, the Quad City Steamwheelers were ranked the leagues
top team. They wasted no time in proving that as they stormed out to a 41-20 lead midway through the second quarter and never
looked back as they defeated the Manchester Wolves 71-32 on Saturday night.
It was the Steamwheelers Fifth Anniversary season opener and a crowd of 5,872 was on hand to watch a Wheelers
team throttle the visiting Wolves. ADT Defensive Player of the Game and defensive specialist Danny Thomas forced a fumble
with six minutes, 18 seconds to go in the first half to help the Steamwheelers add to their already 18 point lead.
Wolves quarterback Chris Sanders completed a pass to George Williams, but Thomas out muscled Williams to strip
the ball away. Steamwheelers offensive lineman/defensive lineman Harvie Herrington fell on the ball at the Wolves 18-yard
line. From there the Steamwheelers offense took advantage of the turnover on the very next play when Ronnie Gordon hooked
up with Tim Dodge for a 23 yard touchdown pass and catch to increase their lead to 35-20. Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player
of the Game Jeff Hewitt gave the Steamwheelers their final score before halftime returning a kick 58 yards for a touchdown,
giving the Steamwheelers a 48-26 at the break. Hewitt finished the game with four receptions for 104 yards and three touchdowns.
He also accounted for six kick returns for 192 yards and two touchdowns. The Steamwheelers defense came up big in the second
half forcing two safeties. Leading the defensive pass rush was U.S. Army Ironman of the Game Harvie Herrington, who finished
the game with a sack, a fumble recovery, and three quarterback hurries. The Steamwheelers offense continued to role in the
second half behind the arm of Matt Pike, who took over for starting quarterback Ronnie Gordon after he suffered a high ankle
sprain during the third quarter. Pike stepped in and completed three passes on five attempts for 56 yards and two touchdowns.
af2 rookie Jeremy Conley snagged Pikes final touchdown pass of the night with about six minutes left to go in the game putting
the Steamwheelers up 71-26. Manchester would add a late touchdown to make the final score 71-32.
These two teams will square off in week 2 of the af2 season next Saturday in Manchester, NH at 6:30 CDT.
BOX SCORE
Box Score (Final)
Manchester Wolves vs Quad Steamwheelers (Apr 03, 2004
at MOLINE, Ill.)
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score
----------------- -- -- -- -- -----
Manchester Wolves... 20 6 0
6 - 32 Record: (0-1)
Quad Steamwheelers.. 21 27 8 15 - 71
Record: (1-0)
Scoring Summary:
1st 11:46 MAN - WILLIAMS, George 13 yd pass from SANDERS, Chris
(OBERT,
Jesse kick
blockd), 4-38 3:14, MAN 6 - QCS 0
07:22 QCS - GORDON, Ronnie 2 yd run (GEISLER, Ryan kick
failed), 5-45
4:24,
MAN 6 - QCS 6
03:36 MAN - SANDERS, Chris 1 yd run (OBERT, Jesse kick), 5-17 3:46, MAN
13 - QCS 6
02:28 QCS - HEWITT, Jeff 30 yd pass from GORDON, Ronnie (GORDON, Ronnie
rush from GORDON, Ronnie), 1-30 1:08, MAN 13 - QCS 14
00:58 MAN - WILLIAMS, George 45 yd
pass from SANDERS, Chris (OBERT,
Jesse kick from SANDERS, Chris), 1-45 1:30, MAN 20 - QCS 14
00:00 QCS - DODGE, Tim 44 yd
pass from GORDON, Ronnie (GEISLER, Ryan
kick from GORDON, Ronnie), 1-44 0:58, MAN 20 - QCS 21
2nd 07:18 QCS - HEWITT, Jeff 30 yd pass from GORDON, Ronnie
(GEISLER, Ryan
kick
from GORDON, Ronnie), 4-45 3:40, MAN 20 - QCS 28
05:15 QCS - DODGE, Tim 23 yd pass from
GORDON, Ronnie (GEISLER, Ryan
kick from GORDON, Ronnie), 1-23 1:03, MAN 20 - QCS 35
00:40 QCS - GORDON, Ronnie 2 yd run
(GORDON, Ronnie pass failed), 5-15
1:22, MAN 20 - QCS 41
00:19 MAN - ROBINSON, Reggie 7 yd pass from SANDERS, Chris (SANDERS,
Chris pass failed), 2-29 0:21, MAN 26 - QCS 41
00:11 QCS - HEWITT, Jeff 58 yd kickoff return
(GEISLER, Ryan kick), ,
MAN 26 - QCS 48
3rd 05:19 QCS - HEWITT, Jeff 7 yd pass from PIKE, Matt (GEISLER, Ryan kick
failed), 3-45 2:12, MAN 26 - QCS 54
02:30 QCS - TEAM safety, , MAN 26 - QCS 56
4th 14:53 QCS - TEAM safety, , MAN 26 - QCS 58
14:23 QCS - HEWITT, Jeff 58 yd kickoff return
(GEISLER, Ryan kick), ,
MAN 26 - QCS 65
05:50 QCS - CONLEY, Jeremy 11 yd pass from PIKE, Matt (GEISLER, Ryan
kick failed), 10-11 8:33, MAN 26 - QCS 71
00:55 MAN - SORENSON, Chad 6 yd pass from LUCERO,
Rich (LUCERO, Rich
pass failed), 5-45 4:55, MAN 32 - QCS 71
MAN QCS
FIRST DOWNS................... 15
12
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 2-6 5-12
PASSING
YDS (NET)............. 194 260
Passes Att-Comp-Int...........
41-19-1 23-12-2
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 47-200 29-272
Fumble Returns-Yards..........
0-0 0-0
Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 7-137 6-192
Interception Returns-Yards.... 2-24 1-0
Fumbles-Lost..................
1-1 0-0
Penalties-Yards............... 7-76
6-51
Possession Time............... 29:47 30:13
Sacks By: Number-Yards........
1-2 4-20
RUSHING: Manchester Wolves-ROBINSON, Reggie 1-5; SANDERS, Chris 1-1. Quad
Steamwheelers-GORDON, Ronnie 4-6; BERG, Brian 1-6.
PASSING: Manchester Wolves-SANDERS, Chris 15-35-1-173; LUCERO,
Rich
4-6-0-41; TEAM 0-0-0-minus 20. Quad Steamwheelers-GORDON, Ronnie 9-18-1-206;
PIKE, Matt 3-5-1-56;
TEAM 0-0-0-minus 2.
RECEIVING: Manchester Wolves-WILLIAMS, George 13-154; SORENSON, Chad 3-13;
ROBINSON,
Reggie 2-25; FULLER, Kelvin 1-22. Quad Steamwheelers-DODGE, Tim
6-141; HEWITT, Jeff 4-104; CONLEY, Jeremy 1-11;
COLE, LaRico 1-6.
INTERCEPTIONS: Manchester Wolves-FRAZIER, Henry 1-24; SEBASTIEN, Allistair
1-0.
Quad Steamwheelers-THOMAS, Danny 1-0.
FUMBLES: Manchester Wolves-WILLIAMS, George 1-1. Quad Steamwheelers-None.
Stadium: The MARK of the QC Attendance: 5872
Kickoff time: 7:40 pm
End of Game: 10:10 pm Total elapsed time: 2:30
Officials: Referee: Tony Canella; Umpire:
Pat Bayers; Linesman: Ed Pevonka;
Line judge: Donald Rager; Back judge: Larry Orrico; Scorer: Dave Beyer;
BABY RUTH REAL DEAL MOST VALUABLE PLAYER- Jeff Hewitt (QC)
US ARMY IRONMAN- Harvie Herrington (QC)
ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME- Danny Thomas (QC)
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