SCRANTON EAGLES: EAGLE News

Tuesday, February 26
2007 EFL All-Star Eagles

2007 EFL ALL-STAR EAGLES:

FIRST TEAM:
MATT WILLIAMS TE
LOUIS VERDETTO WR
JEREMY SCHAFFER C
TED WALLINGFORD QB
GEORGE ROMITI LB
CORY CHAMPI DB
SECOND TEAM:
JIM SCHAFFER LB
NICK PARLANTI LB
EFL OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
TED WALLINGFORD QB
EFL DEFENSIVE MVP:
GEORGE ROMITI LB



Saturday, September 29
Eagles get kick out of Perry
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BY MARK COONS
STAFF WRITER
09/29/2007
Scott Perry is bringing two things to the Scranton Eagles as they prepare for the Empire Football League playoffs, plenty of big game experience and a steady foot for an inconsistent kicking game.



Perry will look to pay some dividends as the local team travels to Canada tonight to battle the Ottawa Demon Deacons in an EFL quarterfinal game. The 40-year old kicker, a former Abington Heights and Moravian College standout, came back to the team after a chance conversation with Eagles coach Mike Arcure.

"Believe it or not, I ran into him in the supermarket," Arcure said. "I just asked him if he would like to play." It took a little coaxing, but Perry agreed to return.

After getting a tryout with the Philadelphia Eagles, Perry originally joined the local squad in 1989. In his first two seasons, he helped the team garner a pair of national championships. Perry still holds the team record with a 54-yard field goal against the Newburgh Raiders in 1996. Leaving the Eagles in 2000, Perry returned to help the Northern Tier Bruins to a national title in 2004.

"Scott can still make kicks and is able to kick it deep on kickoffs," Arcure said. "He also brings a lot of character and leadership to this team."

During the first six games this season, Eagles' kickers accounted for just four points. At one point, the team was living and dying by the two-point conversion.

In the last four games, Perry scored 12 points on three extra points and three-for-five in field goals.

In his first game back, Perry converted an extra point and a field goal in a 10-7 victory over the Deacon Demons. "When I came back, only Mike and my girlfriend, Ellen, felt I could do it," Perry said. "Everybody said that I was too old and couldn't play anymore."

The Eagles (3-7) finished the regular season in third place in the EFL Western Division, one-half game behind Ottawa. Scranton and the Deacon Demons split their two regular season matches, each team winning at home. The winner of tonight's game will travel to division champion Watertown next Saturday with the league championship scheduled for the October 6.

Contact the writer: mcoons@timesshamrock.com


Sunday, September 23
Late score dooms Eagles
09/23/2007 STAFF REPORT Kellen Nolan scored his second touchdown of the game, a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 4:13 to go, to lift the Lake City Stars over the Scranton Eagles, 14-10, Saturday night at Scranton Memorial Stadium.
Scranton scored first at 4:58 of the first quarter when Scott Perry booted a 25-yard field goal.

The Stars (4-5-1) took the lead with 6:08 to go in the first half when Nolan scored on a 16-yard bootleg to give Lake City a 7-3 advantage.

The Eagles regained the lead late in the third quarter when, after Andy Minnick recovered a Lake City fumble near midfield, quarterback Ted Wallingford found Christian Grandzol for a 27-yard scoring strike and a 10-7 lead.

The Eagles had a chance to capitalize on another Stars' miscue with 1:37 left in the game when Victor Rivero intercepted a pass, which he returned to his 35-yard line. After Wallingford took off on a 14-yard run, he found Cory Champi with a pass to put the Eagles in Lake City territory. However, Wallingord was sacked and the Eagles were unable to move the ball before time expired.

Wallingford went 14-for-27 for 157 yards through the air while Phil Ross led the ground attack with 62 yards on 19 carries. George Romiti, playing in his 150th consecutive game, led the defense with 13 tackles.

Despite the loss, the Eagles (3-7) qualified for the Empire Football League playoffs and will travel to Ottawa, Ontario to battle the Deacon Demons next Saturday.

Contact the writer:sports@timesshamrock.com
timessham

Sunday, September 16
Eagles shut out
Watertown rolled past the Scranton Eagles on Saturday night, 40-0, in an Empire League Football game.

Brian Harris returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the second quarter to lead Watertown.

The Eagles managed little offense as quarterback Ted Wallingford threw for 35 yards and three interceptions while under pressure much of the night.

Todd Keichle put Watertown in the lead with a touchdown run on a quarterback sneak in the first quarter.

Watertown broke it open in the second. In addition to the two touchdown returns by Harris, Lester Coles hauled in a 14-yard scoring pass from Keichle.

For the Eagles defensively, George Romiti had 16 tackles, while Nick Parlanti added 10.

 Contact the writer: sports@timesshamrock.com


Saturday, September 15
Eagles' Zoltek thrives
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EAGLES DE PETE ZOLTEK
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When Pete Zoltek was a child, he never dreamed that he would be playing American football. But after a life-altering move, Zoltek found himself embracing the sport in his new home.

Zoltek, a 24-year old two-way lineman for the Scranton Eagles, was born in Poland. His father was a member of the Red Berets, the Polish equivalent of the U.S. Special Forces, or Green Berets. The Zoltek family also had a farm in their native land.

Originally, Pete and his parents, Jozef and Maria, came to the United States when he was 3. But, after three years, the family returned to their homeland to bring Pete's older sisters, Eva and Ursala, back with them. The Zolteks had to endure four years of political red tape before the family could return to the United States.

"We came here to find a better life," Pete said. "It's hard over there; there is just farming. Then there was a lot of paperwork to be filled out."

Upon returning to the U.S., the family settled in northern New Jersey. Not long after, Pete took an interest in American football, but found that he wasn't able to play on any organized teams until he got to high school.

"I was in fifth or sixth grade and wanted to play," Pete said. "But I was too big to play in the youth leagues."

So, Zoltek had to wait until he reached high school before he could play organized football. But once he got there, he was able to maximize his talents.

At Sussex County Tech, he set a team record with 13 sacks in just eight games in his senior year, while playing most of the year with a broken thumb.

"It was under the meaty part of the hand and I had to wear a cast," Pete said. "I couldn't even make a fist with my hand."

Originally, Zoltek planned to attend Syracuse University before a paper snafu pushed Zoltek and his family into another life-changing event.

"My transcripts between schools became messed up and I was unable to go to Syracuse," Pete said.

About a year later, in 2002, the Zolteks moved to Lake Ariel, where Pete and his father operate a construction business. Being his own boss allows him to make just about all of the Eagles' practices and games. His wife, Michelle, and son, Anthony, who is one of the team's waterboys, are regulars at most home and away games.

"I'm just lucky I'm in my own business and can adjust my work schedule," Zoltek said. "A lot of guys aren't that fortunate."

Tonight's game

The Eagles travel to Watertown to take on the Western Division-leading Red and Black tonight. This is the second straight week the Eagles will take on a division leader, dropping a 37-10 decision to the Eastern Division kingpin Vermont Ice Storm. Scranton looks to avenge a 44-9 season-opening home loss to Watertown. The Eagles complete the regular season with a home game against the Lake City Stars on Sept. 22 at Scranton Memorial Stadium.

Contact the writer:mcoons@timesshamrock.com


Friday, September 7
Eagles to honor fallen soldier at game
BY MARK COONS
STAFF WRITER
09/07/2007

When is a game more than just a game?

For the Scranton Eagles' Scott Garrity and T.J. Conserette, Saturday night's game against the Vermont Ice Storm will be a time to honor a fallen friend and to give something back for his friendship and devotion to his family and his country.

The Eagles will honor Sgt. Jan Argonish. Sgt. Argonish, a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard was killed in an ambush in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on Aug. 27. Sgt. Argonish was on his third tour of duty, including his second in Afghanistan. This particular tour was one that Sgt. Argonish volunteered for.

"I didn't know that he volunteered (for this tour) until last week," Conserette said. "But it doesn't surprise me. That's just the type of person that he was."

The friendship between Garrity, Conserette and Sgt. Argonish developed back when they were students at Valley View High School.

"He would give you the shirt off of his back," Conserette said. "Everybody loved him. He was just a very likeable person."

For Garrity and Conserette, not only will the mental anguish show through, but also the physical side as well. Both players will play in the game with injuries that would have sidelined most players.

"I've been playing since the last St. Lawrence game with a torn MCL," Garrity said. "T.J. has a cracked tibia. But we wouldn't miss this game for the world. We have to play in this game."

The passion shown by these players is only rivaled by the devotion Sgt. Argonish had for his son.

"He was big into his family," "Garrity said. "Jakub was everything to him. He loved his son so much."

Kickoff for the game is at 7:30 p.m. A portion of the night's ticket receipts will go to a fund for Sgt. Argonish's 8-year-old son, Jakub. There will be special donation buckets set up at the gate at Scranton Memorial Stadium, as well as prizes to be raffled off during the game. All proceeds from these will go to the Argonish Family Fund.

Sunday, August 26
Scranton Eagles defense key in win over Ottawa
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EAGLES K Scott Perry
A stout defense got just enough help from the offense to lift the Scranton Eagles to victory Saturday night at Scranton Memorial Stadium.

Rob Wehner scored on a three-yard run with three minutes left as the Eagles rallied for a 10-7 win over the Ottawa Deacon Demons in an Empire Football League game.

The defense, which held Ottawa to a third-quarter touchdown and little else, put the exclamation point on the victory. Defensive back Deshwan Meyers picked off a pass after Ottawa had driven to the Eagles 40-yard line with 35 seconds left in the game.

Scranton (3-4) moved into second place in the EFL Western Division with the victory, dropping Ottawa (2-4-1) to third place.

The Eagles offense moved the ball early in the game, driving deep into Deacon Demons territory before stalling. Scott Perry, whose first run with the Eagles began in 1989, salvaged three points from the drive by booting a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Defensively, George Romiti and Nick Parlanti started racking up tackles, as Romiti finished with 12, two more than Parlanti. Parlanti, a Mid Valley product, delivered one of the Eagles’ three interceptions, as did Wehner.

But the Deacon Demons finally got on the scoreboard in the third quarter as Sean Harkes scored from the 1 six minutes into the second half. Dave Walters tacked on the extra point to give Ottawa a 7-3 lead.

The Eagles turned to the pass on their game-winning drive, as quarterback Ted Wallingford connected on a 23-yard pass to Cory Champi to the Deacon Demons 1 to set up Wehner’s game-winning touchdown.

Wallingford finished 14-for-22 for 162 yards and one interception. Matt Williams hauled down five passes for 55 yards while Champi accumulated 62 yards on his three receptions.

Former Valley View standout Phil Ross led the running game with 65 yards on 17 carries for the Eagles, who return to action on Sept. 8 to play division-leading Vermont at Memorial Stadium.

contact the writer:sports@timesshamrock.com

timessham

Saturday, August 25
Eagles battling financial woes
BY MARK COONS
STAFF WRITER
08/25/2007
The Scranton Eagles are fighting for their life.

As the Eagles prepare for tonight’s 7:30 game against the Ottawa Demon Deacons, the team has fallen into desperate financial straits. So bad, in fact, there is a distinct possibility they may not finish the 2007 season.

According to General Manager Ben Simmons, the combination of a decline of sponsorship revenue and poor drawing at the box office have brought the Eagles to this point.

“Right now, it’s the crowds that are the big thing. It’s the thought that we’ve had big crowds over the years,” Simmons said. “We are just not getting the crowd size that a sponsors need.”

Another factor in the decline in attendance is the constant struggle for the area’s entertainment dollar.

“I think the real decline started when the Red Barons came to town (in 1989),” Eagles vice-president and head coach Mike Arcure said. “Now, you have the Penguins, movie theaters, concerts. There is just so much more now to do in this area.”

The term “semi-pro” is a misnomer. The Eagles’ players do not draw a salary. Monies derived from the team’s revenue streams help defray the cost of team expenses, including stadium rental, referee’s fees, uniforms, medical tape for players and travel costs. While the team furnishes jerseys and game pants, a player is responsible for the remainder of his equipment.

Despite the off-field problems, the Eagles bolstered their kicking game this week when they signed former kicker Scott Perry. Perry, an Abington Heights and Moravian College product, first played with the Eagles in 1989. Perry holds the team record with a 54-yard field goal set in 1996.

The Eagles (2-4), sit just a half-game behind second-place Ottawa in the EFL Western Division. The top three teams in the division will make the league playoffs.

“On the field, this team is good enough to make the playoffs and possibly win the championship,” Scranton Eagles team president and linebacker George Romiti said. “Off the field, it’s been tough to pay the bills. Every week, we scrimp and scrape to pay them.”

Ottawa (2-3-1) defeated the Eagles 49-0 at home in week two. Since that game, however, the Eagles have gone 2-2, with the two losses coming by a combined four points.

“Since the last time that we played them, we’ve moved some players into different positions,” Arcure said. “ Phil Ross has seen more time at tailback and Cory Champi has played some wide receiver.”

Last week, Ross ran for 61 yards on eight carries while Champi grabbed a pair of passes for 63 yards in the victory over St. Lawrence.

Contact the writer:mcoons@timesshamrock.com

timessham

Sunday, August 19
Wallingford-to-Verdetto spells victory for Eagles
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"Mr. Versatile" Phil Ross
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Ted Wallingford hooked up with Louis Verdetto on a pair of touchdown passes and the Scranton Eagles defense made a goal-line stand in the final minute to preserve a 25-19 victory over the St. Lawrence Valley Trailblazers in a Empire Football League game at Sandstoner Park in Potsdam, N.Y.

Five minutes into the game, Wallingford found Verdetto on a 27-yard scoring strike to give the Eagles a 6-0 lead.

With three minutes to go in the second quarter, Wallingford found Verdetto with a 17-yard touchdown pass to give the Eagles a two-touchdown advantage.

St. Lawrence Valley struck back with 23 seconds to go in the first half when Cheyenne Dashnaw scored on a 81-yard interception return. With the extra point, the Trailblazers pulled to within 12-7 at the half.

The Eagles scored on their first two possessions of the third quarter when Phil Ross scored on a 17-yard scoring run and Gary Visnofsky bolted in from the one-yard line. The extra point gave the Eagles a 25-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

With 9:29 left in the game, Chris Tom found Joe Hutchinson with a 15-yard touchdown reception. With a missed extra point, the Eagles held a 25-12 advantage.

Danny Staton pull the Trailblazers to within six points with a 10-yard touchdown catch from Tom with 1:47 to go.

With less than a minute left, the Trailblazers got the ball back and moved to the Eagles 1. However, the Eagles defense was able to stop St. Lawrence Valley on downs to preserve the win.

Wallingford was 11-for-18 for 178 yards and a pair of scores. Cory Champi had four receptions for 62 yards, while Verdetto had four catches for 52 yards and a pair of scores. Ross led the Eagles running attack with 54 yards on eight carries and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Eagles were led by veteran George Romiti. Playing in his 146th consecutive game, Romiti had 10 tackles while Nick Parlanti and Jim Shaffer had eight tackles each. Chris Clancey had a key sack and fumble recovery late in the third quarter to stop a Trailblazers drive.

The Eagles (2-4) return home Aug. 25 when they battle the Ottawa Deacon Demons at Scranton Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Contact the writer:sports@timesshamrock.com

timessham


Saturday, August 18
Road takes Eagles to Potsdam, N.Y.
BY MARK COONS
STAFF WRITER
08/18/2007
For the third straight week and fourth in the last five, the Scranton Eagles hit the road as they travel to Potsdam, N.Y., to take on the St. Lawrence Valley Trailblazers in an EFL Western Division matchup at Sandstoner Park.

Once the Eagles return tonight, they will have logged more than 2,300 miles traveling to and from road games.

This past offseason, the geography of the EFL shifted north after the Broome County Dragons requested a one-year leave of absence and the Tri-County Bulldogs of Newburgh, N.Y., left the EFL to join a different league. Both teams were less than 100 miles away from Scranton. Currently, the Amsterdam Zephyrs are the Eagles’ closest EFL rival, 183 miles away. The Eagles have one more road game after this weekend, a 400-mile round trip visit to Watertown on Sept. 15.

“Believe it or not, I feel that it has actually helped us,” coach Mike Arcure said. “On the bus rides, we’ve been getting to places early and the rides have been bringing this team together.”

The Eagles defeated the Trailblazers at home, 28-7, on July 28 for Scranton’s only win of the season. Since the victory, the Eagles have lost a pair of heartbreakers on the road, by one point to Chateauguay and by three points at Amsterdam. The Trailblazers have yet to win in five EFL games this season. Their last two losses have come by a combined 87-7 score.

One bright spot for St. Lawrence Valley has been the play of James “Buddy” Compeau, the Trailblazers’ jack-of-all-trades. Compeau leads the team with 117 yards rushing, 17 catches, 217 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Compeau has all four of the team’s interceptions and has the fourth most tackles on the squad with 20. Compeau also averages 21.5 yards on his 18 kickoff returns.

“(Compeau) is very good,” Arcure said. “He’s small, 160 or 170 pounds, which makes him slippery and hard to see. On defense, he’s a good cover corner. But we like to go at him, because he goes both ways, to try to wear him down.”

Since opening the season with a pair of blowout losses, the Eagles (1-4) defense has been solid. After surrendering 93 points in the first two games, the Scranton defense has held its opponents to just 37 points over the last three games. Veteran linebacker George Romiti leads the EFL in tackles with 72 through five games.

“They’re firing off the ball with intensity,” Arcure said. “The corners are covering better and the linebackers are dropping back into coverage much better.”

Contact the writer: mcoons@timesshamrock.com

timessham

Saturday, August 18
Eagles’ Klimek delivers game-saving play
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Nate Klimek
BY MARK COONS
STAFF WRITER
08/18/2007 
In today’s sports world, things happen in the heat of battle that may come off to the casual fan as unsportsmanlike or disrespectful.

The taunting after a defensive back makes a highlight-reel hit on a wide receiver. A batter “styling” down the first-base line after hitting a home run.

For most purists and traditionalists, these things leave a bitter taste, knowing how sports used to be. Athletes would go about their job in a business-like fashion, without a lot of flash or style, but still getting the job done.

Then, there is a moment like this.

It happened Aug. 11 in an Empire Football League game between the visiting Scranton Eagles and the Amsterdam Zephyrs.

With 13:42 left in the fourth quarter, Amsterdam running back Jorge Rodriquez took a handoff and was tackled on a hard hit by Eagles defensive back Paul Shanaman on the Zephyr 35-yard line. While Shanaman was able to get to his feet, Rodriquez remained on the turf at Lynch Middle School, having sustained a potentially severe neck injury.

Then, out of nowhere, Nathan Klimek, a 23-year old rookie linebacker with the Eagles, jumped into action to help out.

“It was a bad hit, the two players just collided,” Klimek said. I told coach (Mike Arcure) that I think I should go out there.”

Klimek, a graduate of Pittston Area and Bloomsburg University, is a paramedic with Lackawanna Ambulance as well as White Haven Medic 22.

“I told them I was a paramedic,” Klimek said. “Together, we were able to get him immobilized and on a backboard for transport. (Rodriguez) was conscious and was able to move.”

Twenty minutes after the play had ended, Rodriguez was taken to a local hospital.

According to Amsterdam coach Dom Ruggeri, Rodriquez sustained a severely sprained neck as well as several pulled muscles in his back. Ruggeri also said Rodriquez will be held out of this week’s game with the Chateauguay Titans, but should return next week.

“Thank God that Nathan was there,” Arcure said. “He just went in there and took charge. He just did a great job.”

For Klimek, a gut reaction turned into something that some people will remember for years to come.

“I just ran on instincts. That’s why I became a paramedic,” Klimek said. “It just felt really good to have helped out.”

Contact the writer: mcoons@timesshamrock.com

timessham

Sunday, August 12
Early deficit stops Eagles
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EAGLES QB Ted Wallingford
An early deficit was too much for the Scranton Eagles Saturday in a 15-12 loss to the Amsterdam Zephyrs in an Empire Football League matchup.

The Zephyrs struck first at the 8:25 mark of the first quarter when Alberto Montez kicked a 15-yard field goal for an early lead. One minute later, the Zephyrs’ Eric Johnson picked up an Eagles fumble and rumbled 36 yards to give Amsterdam a 10-0 advantage.

The Eagles got on the board at 8:54 of the second period when DeShawn Myers recovered a fumble at the Amsterdam 44-yard line. On the next play, Ted Wallingford found Louis Verdetto with a 44-yard scoring pass to cut the lead to 10-6.

The Zephyrs made it 12-6 with 1:30 to go in the first half when Eagles punter Phil Ross stepped out of the end zone for a safety.

After a scoreless third quarter, Amsterdam padded its lead when Montez hit a 33-yard field goal with 1:44 left in the game to give the Zephyrs a 15-6 lead.

On the final drive of the game, the Eagles were aided by a pass interference penalty that moved the ball down to the Amsterdam 1 with three seconds to go. Wallingford found Cory Champi with a one-yard pass as time expired to complete the scoring.

Wallingford finished 8-for-23 for 103 yards and a pair of scores while Verdetto had five receptions for 85 yards and a score for the Eagles. Gary Visnofsky led the ground game with 56 yards on six carries.

Defensively, George Romiti led the way with 17 tackles whle Nick Parlanti added 10 for Scranton.

The Eagles (1-4) return to action Saturday night as they travel to Potsdam, N.Y., to face the St. Lawrence Valley Trailblazers.

Contact the writer: sports@timesshamrock.com

timessham

Friday, August 3
Scranton Eagles look to make it two in a row
Coming off their first win of the Empire Football League campaign, the Scranton Eagles take to the road Saturday as they make their second trip to Canada in three weeks when travel to Montreal to battle the Chateauguay Titans at 7:30 p.m..

 
The Eagles (1-2), a 28-7 victor over St. Lawrence Valley, are led offensively by quarterback Ted Wallingford and receiver Louis Verdetto. Wallingford, a Honesdale product, hit Verdetto, of Old Forge, with a pair of 30-yard touchdown passes. Lackawanna Trail graduate Tim Pazienza paced the Scranton running attack with 82 yards on 12 carries and a score.

“Offensively, we needed to get our running game going,” Eagles coach Mike Arcure said. “Before the game, I challenged our (offensive and defensive lines) to be more aggressive.”

Defensively, player-coach George Romiti has 44 tackles in three games this season, including 14 in last week’s win. Linebacker Nick Parlanti of Mid Valley added nine tackles and safety Cory Champi intercepted the Eagles’ first pass of the season last week.

In the Eagles’ return game, rookie Rob Solimini from Bishop O’Hara continues to impress, averaging 30.7 yards per kickoff return.

As far as injuries are concerned, fullback Bill Sandly from Riverside, recovering from a knee sprain, and Solimini, nursing a sprained ankle, hope to be in Saturday’s lineup, according to Arcure.

Like the Eagles, coach John Mouland’s Titans picked up their first victory of the regular season with a 34-18 home win over the Amsterdam Zephyrs. Chateauguay lost to the Vermont Ice Storm and Lake City Stars to open the season.

“That is a tough place to play,” Arcure said. “And according to our reports, they have a big, fast and tough team.”

Notes

This is the first of three straight road games for the Eagles, who will also visit Amsterdam and St. Lawrence Valley before returning home Aug. 25 to take on the Ottawa Demon Deacons at Scranton Memorial Stadium ... Chateauguay holds a 1-0 lead in the all-time series, defeating the Eagles in 2005.

Contact the writer:mcoons@timesshamrock.com

Tuesday, August 7
Behlke aims to help County post victory
For much of last football season, Jon Behlke was the other Abington Heights wide receiver.

With teammate Shaun Pasternak an all-state selection, it was easy for Behlke to be overlooked.

But after an outstanding football season, and a District 2 gold-medal winning track season, Behlke is a name everyone will recognize at Wednesday’s 73rd Scranton Lions Club Dream Game.

“I’ve been running all year,” said Behlke, a member of the County all-star team that takes on the City. “I’m hoping that will give me more endurance for the game.”

A Wesley College recruit, Behlke will be a breakaway threat for the County. He caught 20 passes for 431 yards and four touchdowns in his senior season as the Comets won the District 2 Class AAAA title.

 
After leading the Comets to the District 2 Class AAA track title as a sprinter and hurdler, he’s back on the football field.

He’ll be running patterns that he knows very well as the Comets’ staff — led by head coach Joe Repshis and offensive coach Greg Justave — is coaching the County, which has lost four straight in the series.

“I’m very comfortable,” Behlke said. “It’s nice to not have to learn a whole new system. That gives me an upper hand.”

And on the other side will be a familiar face — Pasternak.

“It’s just like the old days,” Behlke said with a smile.

Double duty

Bishop O’Hara graduate Rob Solimini certainly was ready for practice with the City all-stars.

Having made the Scranton Eagles as a kick returner, the wiry 5-foot-7, 145-pound wide receiver and defensive back has been working out with both teams each day.

“Right after City practices I raced right up and got to Eagles practice,” the 18-year-old Solimini said. “It’s a lot of fun. I’m in shape.”

Brothers in football

Scranton Prep graduate Matt Rader is a running back for the City all-stars, who are coached by Scranton’s John Marichak. Rader’s brother, Charley, is an assistant coach with the Knights and for the City squad.

Both are the sons of former Scranton Eagles coach Charles “Chick” Rader.

“That’s pretty neat,” Matt Rader said. “My father always wanted me to go to Scranton and play for my brother. It’s interesting. It’s a good experience.”

Contact the writer: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com

Sunday, July 29
Eagles grab first win
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WR Louis Verdetto
Ted Wallingford hit Louis Verdetto with a pair of second quarter touchdowns and Tim Pazienza ran for 80 yards and a score as the Scranton Eagles picked up their first win of the season, a 28-7 victory over the St. Lawrence Valley Trailblazers in a Empire Football League battle at Scranton Memorial Stadium.


After a scoreless first quarter, the Wallingford-Verdetto combination struck 54 seconds into the second as they connected on a 30-yard scoring pass. The extra point was missed and the Eagles took a 6-0 lead.

With 3:24 left in the first half, Wallingford found Verdetto on another 30-yard touchdown strike. Wallingford hit fellow Honesdale product Matt Williams with a two-point conversion and the Eagles led at halftime 14-0.

The Trailblazers scored on the first drive of the second half when Joseph Hutchinson found James Compeau on a 60-yard scoring strike to cut the Eagles lead in half.

The Eagles scored on the first play of the fourth quarter when Pazienza on a one yard run. Williams hauled in a Wallingford pass to give the Eagles a 22-7 lead.

Phil Ross completed the scoring for the Eagles as he bolted over from the one-yard line as time expired.

Offensively, Wallingford went 9-for-17 for 168 yards and a pair of scores. Verdetto, of Old Forge, had four receptions for 78 yards.

On the defensive side, veteran George Romiti led the Eagles with 14 tackles and Nick Parlanti added nine.

The Eagles (1-2) hit the road for three consecutive weeks as they travel to Montreal next Saturday as they battle the Chateauguay Titans. Scranton’s next home game will be August 25 when they take on the Ottawa Deacon Demons at Scranton Memorial Stadium.

Contact the writer:sports@timesshamrock.com
timessham

Saturday, July 28
Eagles optimistic for matchup against St. Lawrence Valley
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Dave Drake
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The Scranton Eagles, a team looking to right the ship after a pair of lopsided losses, host the St. Lawrence Valley Trailblazers in an Empire Football League matchup Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Scranton Memorial Stadium.


The Eagles (0-2), who lost 49-0 to Ottawa last weekend, received some good news this week when quarterback Ted Wallingford was cleared to play after suffering a severely bruised shoulder in the first half of last week’s game.

“He had X-rays and an MRI on the shoulder and the doctor said he was OK to play,” coach Mike Arcure said. “He’s going to practice, but we’re going to take it slow with him just to make sure he’s all right.”

The Eagles also added some defensive help this week as they signed lineman Dave Drake, a former standout at Lackawanna Trail.

“Dave is a big boy, about 6-1, 280 to 300 pounds,” Arcure said. “I’m hoping to see some aggression out of him, which is something that we have been lacking this year.”

Among the bright spots for the Eagles last week was the play of receiver Louis Verdetto and rookie kick returner Rob Solimini.

Verdetto, from Old Forge, caught five passes for 75 yards against Ottawa. On the season, Verdetto leads the team with 11 receptions for 137 yards.

“Lou is just a great all-around athlete.” Arcure said. “He runs a 4.4 in the 40 yard dash. Ted and Lou seem to be on the same page on the field.”

Solimini, a Bishop O’Hara product, helped get the Eagles solid field position with returns of 35 and 25 yards, while a third, a 90-yarder that put the Eagles near the goal line, was nullified by a penalty. Solimini is averaging 29.9 yards on his nine kickoff returns this season.

“Rob is like a little spark plug. He’s small and fast, the other team has a hard time finding him,” Arcure said. “We’re trying to find ways to get him the ball offensively. He’s been a nice little surprise for us.”

St. Lawrence Valley (0-2, 1-3 overall) looks to do much of their damage offensively through the air. Quarterback Dave Currier has passed for 345 yards with a pair of touchdowns this season while receiver Joe Hutchinson has hauled in a team-high 13 receptions for 149 yards and a score.

“They picked up some players from Lake City and from Watertown, plus they lost to Ottawa by only a touchdown in the opening week,” Arcure said. “We just aren’t playing physical football. We need to start blocking and we need to get more physical.”

Eagles’ notes

Saturday is Big Brothers/Big Sisters Night, sponsored by the Eagles. A percentage of the night’s gate receipts will be donated to that organization. ...The Eagles and Trailblazers have met only once, with the Eagles taking a 37-14 home decision in the ninth week of 2005.

Contact the writer:mcoons@timesshamrock.com

timessham

TED-MATT
Ted W. & Matt W.
Friday, July 27
Scranton Eagles Have Strong Ties to Wayne County
By KEVIN EDWARDS


SCRANTON EAGLES MATT WILLIAMS & TED WALLINGFORD (photo courtesy of Ab Rutherford)

OTTAWA, Ontario - Ted Wallingford received a less than polite welcome to the Empire Football League this past weekend in Canada.

The former Honesdale High and Ursinus College standout traveled with his Scranton Eagle teammates to Ottawa for Saturday's regular season battle with the Demon Deacons. This long road trip came on the heels of a 44-9 Week One loss at the hands of the Watertown Red & Black.

Wallingford was off to a solid start in this ballgame north of the border when disaster struck. Ted took a big hit in the pocket and went down hard. After a few tense moments on the turf, he was escorted off the field.

“It hurt a lot,” Wallingford told TWI Sports of the shoulder injury that sidelined him the rest of the night. “Luckily, though, it was my left shoulder ...so I can still throw ok.”

Wallingford went through a battery of tests Wednesday here in NEPA and the results have been inconclusive. Ted's personal opinion is that he suffered a shoulder strain.

“I've been icing it and resting a lot,” he said. “It already feels 100 percent better. I think I should be able to practice in the next couple of days and play this weekend.”

That would be welcome news for Scranton's coaching staff, which was forced to bring in emergency back-up Phil Ross to finish out the Ottawa game.

Ross, a graduate of Valley View High School, is a starter in the Eagles' defensive backfield. However, he acquitted himself well after being pressed into service under center.

Ross completed 9-of-17 passes for 91 yards, almost all of which came in the second half of a 49-0 loss.

“We're really lucky to have a guy like Phil,” Wallingford said. “He was going to be the starter before I got here, so he knows the offense and the guys respect him. I think he did a good job under the circumstances.”

The loss to Ottawa was Scranton's second in a row to start the ‘07 EFL campaign. Over the course of the first two weeks, the Eagles have allowed a league-worst 93 points and scored just nine.

Next up for the former five-time National Champions is a home game this weekend at Memorial Stadium. The Eagles will put out the proverbial welcome mat for St. Lawrence Valley Saturday night.

Opening kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Trailblazers are 0-2 so far in ‘07. St. Lawrence Valley lost its opener to Ottawa by a score of 20-13. In Week Two, Coach Mike Britton's squad then suffered a 44-0 beatdown at the hands of Watertown.

The Red & Black are currently atop the EFL standings with a 2-0 record. Watertown has outscored its opponents by a staggering margin of 88-9.

ROUGH START

With two weeks of action now officially in the books, Ted Wallingford and the Scranton Eagles are experiencing some genuine growing pains.

Wallingford is a rookie quarterback on a team trying to recapture even a semblance of its former glory. So far this season, it's been an uphill battle.

“I'm still settling in, but I feel pretty comfortable,” said Ted. “I think the offense is starting to come together. It's similar to the ones I ran in high school and in college. I'd like to make my reads quicker, maybe get rid of the ball a little bit faster. But, I have a big, strong offensive line in front of me, so I'm not really that worried.”

Thus far on the season, Wallingford has completed 14-of-33 passes for 189 yards. He's rushed for one touchdown and tossed a pair of picks.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS

While Wallingford has established himself as the Eagles' signal caller, three other players with local ties are also making their presences felt.

Matt Williams, another former Hornet grid star, is seeing time on special teams and has broken into the receiving corps as a tight end.

Listed at 6'1” and 275 pounds, Williams caught his first pass of the season last Saturday in Ottawa. To date, Matt has one grab for eight yards. He's also registered a pair of tackles as a member of the Eagles' kick-off coverage unit.

Rob Solimini is also making a niche for himself on special teams. A onetime standout for both Western Wayne and Bishop O'Hara, Solimini is piling up the yards as Scranton's kick-off return specialist.

After two weeks of regular season competition, Rob is the EFL's third rated returner. He has handled nine kick-offs, re-turning them for a total of 269 yards. That's an average of 29.9 yards per attempt.

Solimini's long went for 58 yards against Ottawa.

Finally, Honesdale's Victor Rivero is also inroads in his rookie EFL season.

Rivero sees action on defense (as a cornerback) and on special teams. He's been credited with one solo tackle and two assists thus far.

ON THE SIDELINES

The Scranton Eagles are under the direction of rookie head coach Mike Arcure, a former backup quarterback. Assisting Arcure are Pat Gaffney of Berwick, former defensive back Rob Wehner and George Romiti.


Wednesday, July 25
Area residents lead Scranton Eagles
BY NATHAN MILNER, Wyoming County Press Examiner        07/25/2007

The Scranton Eagles football team kicked off its season recently loaded with Wyoming County connections both behind the scenes and on the field.

Taking over as general manager of the Eagles this season is Elk Lake graduate Ben Simmons. Ben was the assistant general manager under Sue Foley for the past few seasons and said it's been difficult taking on all the added responsibilities. "It's an awful lot of work for one person," Ben said. "It's been a hectic spring for me."

The Eagles also picked up a new head coach this season as Lackawanna Trail graduate Mike Arcure took over the reigns. Arcure was the team's backup quarterback for the past eight years.

Arcure expects a solid season from the Eagles on the field this year but noted, "We've got a lot of rookies. It's about 50-50 with veterans and rookies."

Among those rookies on this year's squad are a pair of Trail grads - Tim Pazienza and Chris Clancey. The two are good friends and neither has played football since they played for the Lions.

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Pazienza, a running back and 1999 Trail grad, said he returned to the game out of a desire to play again and Clancey, a linebacker, said he returned through his friend's encouragement.

"It was tough getting back into it at first," said Pazienza. "I was glad we had a couple of months of conditioning before the start of the season."

"I haven't done any contact since high school," said Clancey. "But it's coming back now. It's like riding a bike."

Clancey and Pazienza played together in high school in the late 1990s, with Arcure just a few years ahead of them. Clancey said he hopes they will have the same success in Scranton that they had at Trail. "We want to start getting winning tradition going here too," Clancey said.

Arcure said he's glad to have the Trail grads on his team. "They know how to win," he said.

"It's nice being comfortable with the people you play with from day one," said Clancey. Pazienza agreed that Arcure taking over as head coach has helped his return to football. "With Mike there, it made it easier," Pazienza said. "He's closer to our age and he understands it's a different game now."

The Eagles are currently off to an 0-2 start but Arcure still believes in his team's chances to make the playoffs. "They're all fundamental mistakes - fixable mistakes," he said. "I expect team to contend later in the season, then go into playoffs and beyond."

The Eagles also feature, as the "Voice of the Eagles," Ed Simmons of Springville in the announcer's chair. Ed, Ben's father, has been the Eagles' announcer for the past four years and said he was volunteered for the job by his son.

Ed said the job can be a challenge at times when some within the organization expect him to act only as an announcer while others would like him to do play-by-play commentary.

Ed commended his son's efforts to get more community groups, like the March of Dimes and Big Brothers/Big Sisters, involved with the Eagles. "Things are happening which weren't happening before," Ed said.

Ed welcomes the team's new look. "It's a young team, a young general manager and the old man upstairs."

According to Ed, the Eagles would like to revive the tradition of playing a preseason game in Tunkhannock next year.



Sunday, July 22
Scranton Eagles crushed by Ottawa
1-ottawa
Eagles KR Rob Solimini
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OTTAWA — If it’s possible, Saturday night’s 49-0 Empire Football League loss at Ottawa was worse than the score indicated for the Scranton Eagles.

That’s because not only did the Eagles get blown out at Minot Stadium, but promising quarterback Ted Wallingford left the game with a shoulder injury with 7:49 to play in the first half.

Ottawa scored in every quarter and the Eagles never got closer than the Ottawa 25.

Bright spots for the Eagles were kickoff return specialist Robert Solomini. The Bishop O’Hara product had two returns of 55 yards, another for 35 and a fourth for 25 yards. Lou Berdetto made five catches for 72 yards.

Defensively, George Romiti had nine solo tackles and eight assists. Nick Parlanti had six solo tackles and six assists for the Eagles (0-2).

Saturday, July 21
Eagles fly north
For the Scranton Eagles, a five-hour bus trip awaits the players as they head to Ottawa to square off with the Deacon Demons in an Empire Football League game Saturday evening.

Head coach Mike Arcure is hoping to minimize the amount of mistakes that hurt the Eagles in last week’s 44-9 loss to Watertown in the season opener.

“We had about nine dropped balls and made a lot of mental errors last week,” Arcure said. “We were able to move the ball, but then we would get a penalty or drop a ball and that would kill the drive. Defensively, our corners got beat a couple of times for big plays.”

The Eagles are led offensively by rookie quarterback Ted Wallingford. The Honesdale product passed for 150 yards against the Red and Black and scored the Eagles’ lone touchdown on a quarterback sneak on the last play of the game.

Ottawa, a 20-13 winner over Northern Division rival St. Lawrence Valley last week, is coached by Jeff Pinck. Shaun Harkes ran for 101 yards on just 13 carries and Kevin Coombs returned the second half kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown in the win.

“Ottawa, especially up there, is going to have a good team,” Arcure said. “But this team is going to win some games this year. The players know what went wrong and have a good attitude and are working hard this week.”

Last season, Scranton and Ottawa played to a 19-19 tie in the second week of the season. The deadlock was the first in the Eagles’ 25-year history. Overall, this is the third time the teams have met, with the local team holding a 1-0-1 series advantage.


Sunday, July 15
Eagles fall short in opener
12-rnb
EAGLES QB Ted Wallingford
STAFF REPORT
07/15/2007

After falling behind by a field goal in the first quarter, the Watertown Red and Black scored 44 straight points as they went on to a 44-9 victory over the Scranton Eagles on Saturday night in the Empire Football League opener for both teams in front of an estimated crowd of 300 at Scranton Memorial Stadium.

The Eagles took the early lead on a Matt Roman 36-yard field goal at the eight-minute mark of the first quarter. Watertown took a 7-3 lead when Lamont Lane hauled in the first of two 32-yard touchdown passes from Todd Keichle with 5:10 to go in the opening period.

Two minutes later, Keichle found Lester Cole with a 91-yard scoring strike to give the Red and Black a 14-3 advantage.

Lane caught his second 32-yard scoring pass from Keichle at the beginning of the second quarter for a 20-3 Watertown lead. Leo Grant, who hit on five of six extra point attempts, added a field goal late in the second quarter as the Red and Black took a 23-9 lead into the locker room.

In the third quarter, Keichle scored on a one-yard sneak and George Eason scored on a pair of short runs to give Watertown a commanding lead.

Eagles’ rookie quarterback Ted Wallingford of Honesdale scored on a one-yard sneak as time expired in the game.

Wallingford finished the game 11-for-24 with 126 passing yards and one interception. George Romiti had 12 tackles while free safety Corey Champi added eight for Scranton.

The Eagles (0-1) travel to Ottawa to take on the Demon Deacons next.

Contact the writer: sports@timesshamrock.com

Sunday, July 15
Scranton Eagles look to repeat glory days
BY MARK COONS
STAFF WRITER
07/14/2007

Enduring five consecutive losing seasons, the Scranton Eagles, a proud, championship franchise is looking to return to past glory.

Tonight, the new-look Eagles open their 2007 Empire Football League season against the Watertown Red and Black at 7:30 p.m. at Scranton Memorial Stadium.

Among the changes for the Eagles, former tight end Ben Simmons, is the new general manager, taking over for Sue Foley, who resigned earlier this year.

Mike Arcure, a former backup quarterback for the Eagles, begins his first season as the head coach, hoping to improve on last season’s 1-8-1 record — the worst in franchise history.

Assisting Arcure will be Pat Gaffney, Berwick product and former Eagle defensive back Rob Wehner and George Romiti, who retired following last season, but decided to return as player-coach.

“The team is very excited with the changes that have been made,” Arcure said. “We’re confident that this will be a great season for us.”

Offensively, the Eagles will be quarterbacked by rookie Ted Wallingford, a former Honesdale and Ursinus College standout. He’ll have big shoes to fill, replacing veteran John Kennedy, who retired after 24 years with the franchise.

“We started him off slowly with the offense, but he has picked it up fairly well,” Arcure said of Wallingford. “We’re giving Ted quite a bit of control and feel that he will do a fine job for us.”

Helping Wallingford with his maturation process are reigning EFL Southern Division Offensive Rookie of the Year Louis Verdetto from Old Forge and Cory Champi from Pittston Area, who are two experienced receivers, while Honesdale and Lackawanna College product Matt Williams moves in at tight end.

In the backfield, West Scranton’s Gary Visnofsky, Riverside’s Bill Sandly and Mid Valley’s Nick Parlanti will get the majority of the carries.

Returning along the offensive line will be 6-foot-5, 245-pound center Jeremy Shaffer and 270-pound left guard T.J. Conserette from Valley View. The left tackle spot will be filled by 6-3, 330-pound Brian McClure, who played at West Virginia University. Kyle Popish, a 6-0, 245-pounder from Lackawanna College, will be the right guard, while 6-5, 315-pound T. J. Edwards, a Shippensburg graduate, will play right tackle.

Defensively, Romiti, the EFL Southern Division Defensive Player of the Year last season, and Parlanti, along with veteran Jim Schaffer and Deshawn Meyers anchor the linebacking corps. EFL Southern Division all-star free safety Champi, Patrick Gavin, Wade Hoover and Lamar Radcliffe hold down spots in the defensive backfield.

The defensive front will include veteran Pete Zoltek, second-year player Jason Sandly, along with Justin Kraft, Neal McMahon and Andy Minnick.

Watertown, 2-1 in the preseason, is coached by George Ashcraft. The Red and Black, whose roster includes