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Some players ponder their future following devastating loss to Spokane in title game.
WILKES-BARRE TWP. – Players made one last visit to Wachovia Arena on Monday for the 2009 season amid questions surrounding the 2010 Pioneers.
After losing to Spokane in ArenaCup X by a league-record 47 points, team members returned equipment and took end of season physicals.
While some players were still in Las Vegas, the site of the af2 title game, a few impact guys from the American Championship East Division squad stopped in Wilkes-Barre Township to reflect about the special time they had this past season.
Irving Campbell, an af2 rookie out of Georgia Southern, got himself noticed all over the football world with his team-leading 99 receptions and 1,329 yards. Campbell also piled up 14 touchdowns in the postseason to lead the team. His receiving yards are second most in one season in Pioneers’ history.
He was also part of one of the freakiest plays in Saturday’s loss when he was open for a pass and was knocked down by a devastating hit by the Shock’s Sergio Gilliam. Stanley Franks then caught the deflection and ran it back the other way for a score.
Campbell, 24, is like many other Pioneers’ players and doesn’t know if he will be back with the team next season.
“Wherever the Lord leads me and guides me I will just leave it at that,” Campbell said about a return to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton next season. “The last game we wanted to win and we didn’t but overall I think we had a good season.”
While the team awaits a decision from quarterback Ryan Vena on whether he will return for his seventh season, defensive lineman Troy Blackwell is also undecided on his future.
“I can’t answer that right now,” Blackwell said about his future. “I’m getting old in this arena game, but if we can keep this team together that would be good for Wilkes-Barre, which is one of the better teams in (af2).”
The 6-foot-9, 305-pound defensive lineman had a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry in Saturday’s game to go along with five tackles and 2.5 sacks in the entire postseason.
The season stats for the 26-year-old out of Tennessee-Chattanooga were even more impressive as he piled up 24 tackles, 6.5 for a loss, 4.5 sacks, 12 pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
Blackwell also knows the defense played well on Saturday but with all the pressure the Spokane defense put on Vena and the rest of the offense, it was tough to get a stop every time with the good field position the Shock were getting.
The WBS defensive capabilities were shown, however in the game as it put together a goal-line stance early at the end of the first half.
“It’s a tough ending to a good season but – I hate to say a good season because of the way it ended was disappointing – but we did win the American Conference which was one of our goals, but it was a disappointing ending.” Blackwell said. “Obviously we could have played better (on Saturday) but we had our backs against the wall a lot.”
Sure the team had a tough last game, but the season appeared to be an overall success as it put together a 16-4 record and had several offensive weapons.
To go along with Vena and Campbell, fellow receivers J.J. Outlaw and Rich Musinski and fullback Kirby Griffin also had stellar seasons. Outlaw, out of Villanova, also went over the 1,000-yard mark and had 33 TD receptions to set a new team record. He also set team single-game records this year in touchdowns (6) and scoring (36 points) to go along with four career team records.
“It was a long season but I was a small piece of the puzzle and I was just happy to be able to contribute,” Campbell said. “It felt pretty good knowing I was able to contribute and I felt good knowing I was a part of a high-powered offense. I knew if I could just come here, learn the offense and work hard I would be able to get my job done.”