Sports

Arenafootball2

The Times Leader staff

QUAD CITY, Iowa – Rod Rutherford had his formal introduction into arena football Friday.

And what a memorable debut it was.

The former University of Pittsburgh and NFL signal caller completed 22 of his 38 pass attempts in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 48-41 af2 loss to Quad City, compiling 267 yards in the air and just four on the ground. Rutherford did pass for four touchdowns and ran for another two, but the real problem came in his timing, as the quarterback was sacked seven times.

The Pioneers were within one touchdown of tying the game, having mounted a comeback in the second half.

Down 15 points in the fourth quarter, William Ferguson intercepted Steamwheeler quarterback J.J. Raterink in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s end zone, returning the ball to the 6-yard line. The key interception not only gave the Pioneers a last gasp in a game that was fast getting out of control, but kept Quad City from spreading its lead to three touchdowns.

The Pioneer offense moved down the field, passing the 1-minute warning and scoring on a low pass to Tyreak Saviour in the left side of the end zone with 34 seconds left on the clock. Rutherford gave the Pioneers a fighting chance with a rushing 2-point conversion into the right side of the end zone.

But on the ensuing kickoff, kicker Matt Kamphoefner’s onside attempt sailed too far and too high for any Wilkes-Barre/Scranton player to make a recovery attempt. The Quad City special teams unit was able to bat it into the stands for the safe recovery. Kamphoefner was 2-for-4 in extra point attempts and had one missed field goal on the night, a 48-yard attempt.

One play was all it took for the Steamwheelers to run out the clock, as Raterink forced his way forward on a 1-yard keeper to keep the clock moving.

It was Quad City that drew first blood in the game, though. With 9:15 left in the first quarter, Raterink hit wide receiver Jesse Schmidt on a 40-yard touchdown pass from the 10-yard line. It would be the first of six touchdowns for Raterink, as he completed 20 of his 34 pass attempts for 225 yards on the night.

The Pioneers then went on a three-touchdown run, scoring on Rutherford’s 1-yard rush into the middle of the end zone followed by consecutive 15- and 24-yard passes to Jamaine Blalock and Larry Kendrick.

Kendrick’s touchdown came at the expense of Steamwheeler fullback Russ Monk, who fumbled the ball on the previous play into the hands of a waiting Ferguson.

The Pioneers’ offense hit the skids entering the second quarter, though.

Aside from Kendrick’s touchdown at 12:25 in the second quarter that gave the Pioneers a 20-7 lead, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton only mustered another 23 yards in the second quarter. Rutherford was sacked four times to end the period as the Steamwheelers began to solve the Pioneers’ large offensive line.

As Wilkes-Barre/Scranton tried to sort out its offensive problems, Quad City was busy scoring touchdowns.

The Steamwheelers, behind Raterink who was 9-for-16 with 95 yards and four touchdowns in the first half, fought back from the early deficit and scored three touchdowns to end the half with a one-point lead.

Raterink hit Schmidt for a 4-yard touchdown and followed it with a 20-yard score to Kris Peters. A 7-yard touchdown pass to Deontrae Johnson gave Quad City the 21-20 lead to end the half.

The second half was not as productive as the first for Quad City, as Raterink only managed two touchdowns, both in the third quarter.

The Steamwheelers signal caller hit Schmidt for a 9-yard touchdown pass and Johnson for his second of the night, a 19-yard score.

The Pioneers had touchdowns from Saviour and Rutherford en route to their second-half comeback.