Empire Football League

The 2005 Empire Football League season got underway tonight as The Scranton Eagles traveled from Pennsylvania, to take on the Albany Metro Mallers.

In front of a small but enthusiastic crowd at Bleecker Stadium, The Mallers wowed the fans with exceptional play from both the offense & defense as they shut out the Eagles 49-0.  Starting Quarterback Scott Lawson ended the evening early bowing out in the 3rd quarter after posting numbers of 9 completions on 16 passes for 148 yards & 4 Touchdowns.

He spread the ball among the Albany Receiver Corp as his favorite target Macio Clinton hauled in  a team high of 3 passes for 45 yards & 2 Scores; and Lawson connected with Running Back Sylvester Cooperwood twice for a total of 65 yards, but in each case, Cooperwood used his athleticism and power to turn short gains into Touchdowns of 20 and 45 yards. The Maller Running game also showed power and balance as 6 backs combined for 213 yards on 28 carries with Tailback Jadel Whitfield leading the way with 9 caries for 63 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tight end David Jenkins added the final score on the ground with a 15 yard reverse.

On the other side of the ball Albany's swarming Linemen and Linebackers led by Rick Fish,  Greg Woodward and Tony DiChiaro were more than a match for the Eagles as the Pennsylvania team was victimized on the run stopping runners for a loss on 10 out of 27 Rushing plays with 4 other stopped for no gain while  allowing only 84 total yards on the ground. Using 2 quarterbacks, EFL Veteran John Kennedy and his apprentice Michael Arcure, the Eagles passing game was also no match for the Mallers secondary as Albany victimized the Scranton Passers.  Eagle QB's completed 5 of 17 and had 3 passes intercepted and 5 knocked down. The Eagles managed to get inside the Albany 30 twice but in both instances the drives were stifled on interceptions by Alvin Foy and  Jeff Turman. 
James Mitchell accounted for the third interception.
Even the Mallers Special Teams were near perfect as Jason Bradwell was 7 for 7 on PAT's. Bradwell also punted twice, one for 37 yards and no return and the second glanced off an Cover man Jim Schaeffer and Albany recovered the free ball.

The Mallers are on the road next Saturday as they travel to Potsdam to take on the St Lawrence Trailblazers, and will return home to Bleecker Stadium on July 23rd  at 7:30pm when they host the Ottawa Demon Deacons from Canada, in Empire Football League Action.

BOX SCORE :   
                      1      2      3      4      Total
Scranton         0      0      0      0           0
Albany           7     21     14    21         49

LINE SCORE:

Qtr      Time Remaining      Who                      How                                   PAT
   1                8:18                M.Clinton            16 Yard
Pass from S. Lawson         Bradwell Kick
   2                12:35              J. Whitfield          10 Yard
Run                                    Bradwell Kick
   2                2:47                M.Clinton            19 Yard
Pass from S. Lawson         Bradwell Kick
   2                1:43                J. Whitfield          13 Yard
Run                                    Bradwell Kick
   3                10:55              S. Cooperwood   20 Yard Pass from
S. Lawson          Bradwell Kick
   3                7:05                S. Cooperwood   45 Yard Pass
from S. Lawson          Bradwell Kick
   4                13:00              D. Jenkins           15 Yard
Run                                     Bradwell Kick