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JAMIE A. RAUB jraub@timesleader.com

WILKES-BARRE TWP. – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defensive lineman Isaac Hilton may have put it best.

The Pioneers offense runs with quarterback Ryan Vena.

The defense runs with the pass rush.

No time was that clearer than Saturday night, when the Pioneers ran out to a 23-point lead after the first quarter and had Quad City down 30 by the halfway point in a 57-29 win.

With the win, top-seeded Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (15-2) earned a berth in the American Conference semifinals against Tennessee Valley (11-6). The fourth-seeded Vipers beat No. 5 Florida 48-33 Saturday night to advance to the second round.

The Pioneers won their only meeting with Tennessee Valley, 77-49, on June 13.

“I’ll go every game if we start the game off fast – start the game off with a great pass rush,” said Hilton. “This week, we’ve got to work our pass rush, watch film and get ready for the next team.”

The Pioneers defense recorded three sacks and two interceptions. Defensive backs blanketed receivers, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s linemen flushed Quad City (8-9) quarterback J.J. Raterink out of the pocket countless times, rattling the Steamwheelers signal caller off his usually solid passing game.

Raterink finished the contest a mere 21-of-40 passing with 270 yards and four touchdowns.

It was certainly a far cry from where Wilkes-Barre started the season.

It was only a few months ago that Quad City posted a 48-41 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to start the season. Raterink threw for seven touchdowns in that game and was allowed free reign over a still developing defensive unit.

The lone highlight came on a TuTu Ferguson interception. Quad City looked the defensive juggernaut, sacking Pioneers quarterback Rod Rutherford seven times.

“Last year we went to the ArenaCup, but we didn’t feel we had all the pieces in place, defensively,” said Hilton. “This year we’ve got all the pieces in place. It’s our Cup to win.”

American Conference

Third seeded Green Bay (12-5) compiled a team record 10 sacks in a 65-37 win over No. 6 Lexington (9-8) Saturday night to advance to the semifinal round of the American Conference playoffs.

The Blizzard will face Manchester (10-7) in the semifinals. The seventh seeded Wolves upset second-seeded South Georgia (12-5), 46-23, to earn their trip to the second round.

National Conference

Amarillo quarterback Julian Reese was 20-for-30 as the seventh-seeded Dusters (9-8) staved off defending ArenaCup champions and No. 2 seed, Tulsa (12-5), in a 65-62 win Saturday night in Amarillo, Tx. No. 1 Spokane (16-1) cleaned up with a 42-14 win over eighth-seeded Austin (8-9).

No. 3 seed Bossier-Shreveport’s (9-7) Chavis McCollister set an af2 playoff record, returning three kicks for touchdowns (50, 51, 56) in a 77-61 win over sixth-seeded Lubbock (9-8) Saturday night.

The Battle Wings will move on to face Amarillo in the National Conference semifinals. Spokane will play the winner of Sunday night’s Arkansas-Central Valley matchup.