The 2007 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers season was the team's sixth season as a member of the af2. Under coach Rich Ingold and led by quarterback Ryan Vena, the Pioneers advanced to their fourth straight playoff appearance, winning three games at home to earn a spot in the ArenaCup. The Pioneers lost the championship to the Tulsa Talons 73–66 after the Pioneers' final pass play in the waning seconds of the game fell short. [1] Several members of the team were given season awards, including David Davis as 2007 Havoc Kicker of the year, [2] Ryan Vena as Schutt Offensive Player of the Year, [3] and Coach Ingold as Sportexe Coach of the Year. [4]
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 4, 2007 | Tri-Cities Fever | W 57–54 | 1–0 | Wachovia Arena |
2 | August 11, 2007 | Central Valley Coyotes | W 70–53 | 2–0 | Wachovia Arena |
3 | August 18, 2007 | Green Bay Blizzard | W 46–43 | 3–0 | Wachovia Arena |
4 | August 25, 2007 | Tulsa Talons | L 73–66 | 3–1 | CenturyTel Center |
American Conference East Division | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Overall | Division | ||||
Wins | Losses | Percentage | Wins | Losses | Percentage | |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers | 14 | 2 | 0.875 | 6 | 2 | 0.750 |
Manchester Wolves | 10 | 6 | 0.625 | 6 | 2 | 0.750 |
Mahoning Valley Thunder | 7 | 9 | 0.437 | 2 | 4 | 0.250 |
Albany Conquest | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 1 | 7 | 0.125 |
Week | Opponent | Attendance |
---|---|---|
1 | Manchester Wolves | 5,110 |
3 | Albany Conquest | 5,014 |
5 | Cincinnati Jungle Kats | 4,645 |
6 | Manchester Wolves | 4,508 |
9 | Albany Conquest | 5,396 |
12 | Alabama Steeldogs | 6,030 |
14 | Mahoning Valley Thunder | 6,260 |
17 | Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings | 6,248 |
Playoff | Opponent | Attendance |
1 | Tri-Cities Fever | 4,645 |
2 | Central Valley Coyotes | 4,844 |
3 | Green Bay Blizzard | 5,635 |
Total | 58,335 | |
Average | 5,303 |
The Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz were an arena football team. The team began play as a 2004 expansion team of the Arena Football League's minor league af2 before becoming a member of the AFL in 2010. Formerly a tenant of the Ford Center from 2004 until 2008, the Yard Dawgz were forced out when the National Basketball Association's Oklahoma City Thunder moved into town; starting in 2009, the Yard Dawgz played across the street at the Cox Convention Center. On October 25, 2010 Yard Dawgz owner Phil Miller announced that he decided not to play in the Arena Football League for the 2011 season.
The Manchester Wolves were a professional arena football team, based at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, which folded at the end of the 2009 season along with the rest of the league. They played in the East Division of the American Conference of the AF2 league, which was the minor league of the Arena Football League.
The Green Bay Blizzard is a professional indoor football team based in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, founded in 2003. The Blizzard began play in the Indoor Football League in 2010, after having played the previous seven seasons in af2, the now-defunct minor league of the Arena Football League. They play their home games at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin. The team's logo represents Bruiser, the team mascot.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers were a minor league arena football team that played in the AF2. The team was part of the East Division in the American conference. The Pioneers were an expansion team for the league's 2002 season, and were the runners-up in ArenaCup VIII and ArenaCup X.
Richard Ingold was an Arena Football League (AFL) quarterback who played with the Washington Commandos and the Detroit Drive. He holds the all-time record for most career head coaching wins in af2 history, coaching the Quad City Steamwheelers and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers, whom he led to Arena Cup VIII in 2007. His head coaching career also included a partial season coaching the Dallas Vigilantes of the AFL in 2010.
Breznev Maduaubuchie Ibeh is a former American football wide receiver and defensive back who played for the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League. He then played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers in the 2007 season, and traveled with them to the 2007 af2 Arena Cup in Bossier City, Louisiana. Ibeh joined the South Georgia Wildcats in 2008, and played for the Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings in 2009. He attended Temple University.
The 2006 AF2 season was the seventh season of the AF2, the Arena Football League's minor league. It was preceded by 2005 and succeeded by 2007. The league champions were the Spokane Shock who capped off an impressive inaugural season with a win over the Green Bay Blizzard in ArenaCup VII.
The 2007 AF2 season was the eighth season of the AF2. It was preceded by 2006 and succeeded by 2008. The regular season began on Friday, March 30 and ended on July 28. The league champions were the Tulsa Talons, who defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers in ArenaCup VIII.
The 2008 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers season is the team's seventh season. The Pioneers attempted to return to the ArenaCup after falling to the Tulsa Talons in ArenaCup VIII, the team's first championship appearance.
The 2002 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers season was the team's first season. The team finished with a 6–10 record under head coach Terry Karg, finishing fourth out of five in the American Conference Northeast Division; they did not go to the playoffs. Following the season, Karg resigned as head coach.
The 2003 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers season was the team's second season as a member of the AF2. The Pioneers finished third out of four in the American Conference Northeastern Division with a 6–10 record, the same as the year before, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
The 2004 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers season was the team's third season as a member of the AF2. The Pioneers finished with a 13–3 record under new head coach Les Moss, their fourth head coach in three seasons. The Pioneers clinched the Northeastern Division and secured their best first playoff appearance. The Pioneers lost in the third week of the postseason, ending their playoff run just short of the ArenaCup. Following the season, Moss signed a contract to remain the head coach for a second season, the first returning coach in team history.
The 2005 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers season was the team's fifth season as a member of the af2 and the second under head coach Les Moss. The team ended with a 9–7 record and qualified for the playoffs, but the Pioneers fell to the Florida Firecats for the second straight year. Following the season, Moss left the team to be an assistant coach with the Orlando Predators, leaving the team looking for its fifth head coach for its fifth season.
The 2006 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers season was the team's fifth season as a member of the af2. Following the resignation of head coach Les Moss after the 2005 season, the team hired area native Rich Ingold as the team's fifth coach in as many years. Ingold took the Pioneers to the playoffs for the third straight year; they lost in the first round to division rival Manchester Wolves.
Ryan Vena is a former arena football quarterback. Vena attended Colgate University in Hamilton, New York and graduated in 2000. Vena started his career in arena football in 2002. He ended his career with over 720 career passing touchdowns. His best years were with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers. He finished his career with the Philadelphia Soul in 2011.
The 2009 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers season was the team's eighth season of arena football. The Pioneers made another attempt to return to the ArenaCup after falling out of the playoff race for ArenaCup IX. The team signed many key players from the 2008 campaign, including quarterback Ryan Vena and defensive lineman Alan Barnes.
Christopher Winmond Royal is a former American football quarterback and defensive back and current cornerbacks coach for Morehead State University.
Kyle Rowley is an arena football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He also played in the former af2. He played college football at Brown.
Les Moss is a former American football coach. He was the head coach of the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2010 to 2016. He was the assistant head coach of the Albany Empire of the AFL from 2018–2019. He is the son of former NFL, AFL, CFL and NCAA head football coach Perry Moss, who is enshrined in the AFL Hall of Fame.
Justin Allgood is a former American football quarterback who played two seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Tulsa Talons and Philadelphia Soul. He played college football at Trinity Valley Community College and Central Oklahoma.