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The drama around Pioneers camp from earlier in the week is behind them.
Now the team and coaching staff is ready to move on and focus on performances on the field.
That begins at 7:30 tonight at Wachovia Arena when Wilkes-Barre/Scranton opens its eighth season with a contest against East Division rival Manchester.
Knowledge is scarce for nearly every af2 team when it comes to season openers, as personnel changes occur frequently. So the most important thing for Pioneers head coach Rich Ingold is evaluating his own team in the first game.
“Bottom line, I want to see a victory,” said the coach, who’s beginning his fourth season at the helm of the team. “Then I want to see where we’re at and where we need to get better. That’s the main goal that first game. Where do we need to get better?”
One aspect of the team that is a concern for Ingold is the play of the offensive line. Last year, Zach Love and Jaden Volchoff combined to start more than 30 games for the team.
This year, as many as seven players figure to see significant playing on the O-line throughout the season.
“We got to protect (quarterback Ryan) Vena. These guys technically have never started for us up front on the offensive line,” Ingold said. “We had two staples last year that started 30-some games for us. These guys are going to be new. And I don’t know how game-tested they are to do it for us.”
A part of the offense that looks worry-free is the pass game. Vena has established a good rapport with several receivers. Last year, he had three receivers with more than 1,000 yards receiving in Rich Musinski, J.J. Outlaw and Larry Kendrick.
During camp, he has meshed well with af2 rookie Irving Campbell, a 2007 Georgia Southern grad, and newcomer Jim Lukowiak, who excelled for the Amarillo Dusters last year.
The Wolves, who finished last year at 9-7 compared to the Pioneers’ 14-2 regular-season mark, are led by quarterback James Pinkney, who threw for 2,877 yards in 2008.
They are coached by Danton Bardo, who is entering his second season with the team.
He coached the Arena Football League’s Las Vegas Gladiators prior to his job at Manchester. He also has an ArenaCup title on his resume when he led the Memphis Xplorers to the league title in 2005.
This is the first of four meetings between the teams this year. Their next game is May 1 in Wilkes-Barre Township. The other two contests, will be June 11 and July 24 will in Manchester.
af2 Week 1 Coaches Poll
1. Spokane… 328
2. Tennessee Valley… 310
3. Tulsa …304
4. Pioneers …301
5. Arkansas …209
6. Bossier-Shreveport …195
7. Green Bay …177
8. Central Valley …170
9. South Georgia …152
10. Manchester… 141
11. Florida …136
12. Quad City …135
13. Oklahoma City… 126
14. Boise …95
15. Amarillo …92
16. Kentucky …72
16. Milwaukee …72
Pioneers season opener
Who: Pioneers (0-0) vs. Manchester Wolves (0-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. today at Wachovia Arena
Radio: WILK 910-AM, 980-AM, 1300-AM, 103.1-FM with play-by-play from Rob Neyhard.
Internet: Live video streamed via af2 TV at www.niftytv.com
Last Year: The Pioneers won the season series 2-1, scoring over 60 in all three games. The Pioneers’ wins were by scores of 68-50 and 69-40. The Wolves’ win last year was 70-63.
The Pioneers had a 14-2 mark last year, while the Wolves finished 9-7.
The Series: In the 21-game history between the clubs, the Pioneers hold an 11-10 advantage. At Wachovia Arena, however, the Pioneers are 8-3.
About the Wolves: Quarterback James Pinkney is back for another season for Manchester. Last year, he played in 12 games and tossed for 2,877 yards, an average of 263.7 yards per game, good for seventh in the league.