Pioneers impressive

WILKES-BARRE TWP – If there was any doubt that the Pioneers would advance past the first round of the American Conference playoffs, it was crushed after the first quarter Saturday night.

In their 21st consecutive at Wachovia Arena, the Pioneers defeated Quad City handedly, 57-29 in front of a crowd of 3,905.

“This is what motivates us,” said defensive lineman Isaac Hilton. “Last season we made it to the ArenaCup and lost. This season, all the pieces are in place.”

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton moves on to the semifinal round where they’ll face the winner of Saturday’s Florida (10-6) vs. Tennessee Valley (10-6) quarterfinal matchup.

With either opponent, the Pioneers will have already had the advantage of a win this season.

It’s something Wilkes-Barre/Scranton didn’t have last season when they faced four different postseason opponents they hadn’t played in the regular season.

“It’s an advantage in that you’ve already gotten a look at somebody,” said Pioneers quarterback Ryan Vena. “But this is the playoffs. Everything pretty much gets thrown out the window from here.”

Vena was near perfect in Saturday’s game, completing 20-of-24 passes for 237 yards and six touchdowns.

Larry Kendrick (8-76 YDs) and J.J. Outlaw (7-102) led the receivers with three touchdowns each.

Wyoming Area graduate Rich Musinski caught nine balls for 114 yards and chipped in one TD on the night.

But, Saturday’s game turned out to be a showcase for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s defense, who turned in impressive numbers in the win, holding Quad City to two scoreless quarters and keeping the Steamwheelers under 30 points in the game.

The Pioneers put up 23 unanswered points on Quad City in the first period alone, running out to a lead thanks the defensive play of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s line.

“I really believe we have the best pass rush in the league,” said Hilton. “That only has to get better next week with our next opponent.”

The second quarter wasn’t much better for the Steamwheelers, as the Pioneers expanded the margin to 30 points.

Hilton registered two first quarter sacks on Quad City quarterback J.J. Raterink, including a first quarter safety that put Wilkes-Barre/Scranton up 9-0 on the Steamwheelers.

“Man, I could go every game if it meant that my quarterback was 100 percent and their quarterback was playing at only 50 percent,” said Hilton, who was named the game’s MVP.

“We had him running around all day. He was looking left when he should have been looking right.”

The safety was only the second of the season for the Pioneers, but it adds to a mounting total of sacks for the league-leading defensive line.

Add that to Micheaux Robinson’s 15th interception of the year and the Pioneers were off and running before Quad City’s feet ever hit the ground.

“It was unbelievable,” said Pioneers coach Rich Ingold. “The energy that they were putting out; they were just dominating.”

Ingold also noted how this year’s first round game differed from last year’s, a 57-54 win where the Pioneers came back in the final minutes to win over Central Valley and advance to the American Conference semifinal game.

“We were sharp today,” said Ingold. “We didn’t rest anybody and I think that was the key.

The Steamwheelers did manage to get their offense going in the second half. Unlucky for them, the game had been put too far out of reach.

After wide receiver Kris Peters grabbed Raterink’s 22-yard touchdown pass to put the game at 50-21, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Quad City successfully recovered their own onside kick.

Peters then capped off the 20-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown catch to put the game at 50-29.

With backup quarterback Matt Schabert under center, J.J. Outlaw caught his third touchdown with 3:23 left in the fourth for a 57-29 lead that stuck.

NOTES: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defensive back Allan Barnes suffered an injured shoulder in the final minutes of the fourth quarter on a Quad City onside kick attempt.

Barnes was taken into the locker room for treatment by the Pioneers, but the extent of his injury is unknown.