2009 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers season

2009 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers season
OwnerCosmo DeNicola
General managerJoe Shaughnessy
Head coachRich Ingold
Home fieldWachovia Arena at Casey Plaza
Results
Record13–3
Division place2nd NC West
Playoff finishWon First Round 78–21 (Firebirds)
Won American Conference Semifinals 82–49 (Horsemen)
Won American Conference Championship 72–67 (Blizzard)
Lost ArenaCup X 27–74 (Shock)

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.

The Pioneers returned to the ArenaCup, but lost to the Spokane Shock 74–27.

Rosters

Training camp

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers 2009 training camp roster

Quarterbacks

Receivers

  •    Irving Campbell
  •    James Lukowiak
  •  4 Rich Musinski
  •  9 J. J. Outlaw
  •    Jarrett Smith

Kickers

  •  3 David Davis
  

Offensive linemen

  •    Mike Butterworth
  • 70 Jaden Volchoff

Defensive linemen

  • 78 Troy Blackwell
  •  8 Justin Parrish

Offensive/Defensive linemen

  •    Brandon Cook
  •    Randy Degg
  •    Kalani Heppe
  • 49 Jacob Hobbs
  • 56 Eugene Newsome
  • 50 Joe Villani
  •    Monroe Weekley
  •    Deon McPhee
  

Fullbacks/Linebacker

  • 30 Jason Acquaye
  •    Brett Albanesius
  •    Matthey Brunck
  •    Charles Bryant
  •  7 Kirby Griffin
  •    Cory Lacek
  •  6 Darius Leak
  •    Adam Lipiski

Wide receivers/Defensive backs

  • 28 Allan Barnes
  •    LaBrose Hedgemon
  •    Joshua Taylor

Wide receivers/linebackers

  • 25 Larry Kendrick
  •    Jermaine Moye
  

Defensive backs

  •    Darrell Carlton
  • 23 Barry Drakeford
  •    Clay Hamblin
  •    Dionte Henry
  •    Raymond Lamb
  •  1 Micheaux Robinson

Injured reserve

Week 1

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers 2009 Week 1 roster

Quarterbacks

Receivers

  •  4 Rich Musinski
  •  9 J.J. Outlaw
  • 23 James Lukowiak
  • 81 Irving Campbell

Kickers

  •  3 David Davis
  

Defensive linemen

  •  8 Justin Parrish
  • 78 Troy Blackwell

Offensive/Defensive linemen

  • 50 Joe Villani
  • 56 Eugene Newsome
  • 70 Jacob Hobbs
  • 74 Royce Morgan
  • 94 Brandon Cook
  • 98 Deon McPhee
  • 99 Keith Glover
  

Fullbacks/Linebacker

  •  6 Darius Leak
  •  7 Kirby Griffin
  • 44 Cory Lacek
  • 64 Adam Lipski
  • 30 Jason Acquaye

Wide receivers/Defensive backs

  •  2 LaBrose Hedgemon
  • 28 Allan Barnes

Wide receivers/linebackers

  • 25 Larry Kendrick
  

Defensive backs

Injured reserve

Final roster

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers Roster

Quarterbacks

Fullbacks

Wide receivers

  Offensive linemen
  • 70 Jacob Hobbs
  • 56 Eugene Newsome
  • 50 Joe Villani

Defensive linemen

  • 78 Troy Blackwell
  • 99 Keith Glover
  • 98 Deon McPhee
  • 74 Royce Morgan
  •  8 Justin Parrish
   Linebacker
  • 25 Larry Kendrick
  •  6 Darius Leak

Defensive backs

Kickers

  •  3 David Davis
   Inactive
  • 30 Jason Acquaye LB
  • 22 Tutu Ferguson
  • 23 James Lukowiak
  • 44 Cory Lacek
  • 94 Brandon Cook

Source: Roster

Updated 2009-07-11

Team staff

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers 2009 team staff
Executive Administration
  • Owner – Cosmo DeNicola
  • CFO-Susan DiBrango
  • General manager – Joe Shaughnessy
  • Executive assistant to the Owner – Natalie Scarantino

Coaching staff

Schedule

Regular season

Week Kickoff Date Opponent Result Record Game site af2.com Recap
1 7:30 PM EDT March 27, 2009 Manchester Wolves W 59-28 1-0 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap[permanent dead link‍]
2 7:30 PM EDT April 3, 2009 Albany Firebirds W 70–28 2–0 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap
3 7:00 PM EDT April 11, 2009 Kentucky Horsemen L 63–56 2–1 Rupp Arena af2.com recap
4 7:30 PM EDT April 18, 2009 Mahoning Valley Thunder W 80–43 3–1 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap
5 7:00 PM EDT April 25, 2009 Albany Firebirds W 70–26 4–1 Times Union Center af2.com recap
6 7:30 PM EDT May 1, 2009 Manchester Wolves W 53–50 5–1 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap
7 7:05 PM EDT May 8, 2009 Mahoning Valley Thunder W 73–37 6–1 Chevrolet Centre af2.com recap
8 Bye
9 7:30 PM EDT May 23, 2009 Green Bay Blizzard W 69–19 7–1 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap
10 7:30 PM EDT May 30, 2009 Tennessee Valley Vipers W 48–34 8–1 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap
11 8:00 PM EDT June 6, 2009 Tulsa Talons L 66–48 8–2 BOK Center af2.com recap
12 7:30 PM EDT June 11, 2009 Manchester Wolves W 63–34 9–2 Verizon Wireless Arena af2.com recap
13 7:30 PM EDT June 20, 2009 Central Valley Coyotes W 58–20 10–2 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap
14 7:05 PM EDT June 27, 2009 Mahoning Valley Thunder W 62–47 11–2 Covelli Centre af2.com recap
15 Bye
16 10:00 PM EDT July 11, 2009 Spokane Shock L 56–52 11–3 Spokane Arena af2.com recap
17 7:30 PM EDT July 18, 2009 Albany Firebirds W 49–40 12–3 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap
18 7:30 PM EDT July 24, 2009 Manchester Wolves W 63–38 13–3 Verizon Wireless Arena af2.com recap

Postseason

Week Kickoff Date Opponent Result Record Game site af2.com Recap
1 7:00 PM EDT August 1, 2009 Albany Firebirds W 78–21 1–0 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap
2 7:00 PM EDT August 8, 2009 Kentucky Horsemen W 82–49 2–0 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap
3 7:00 PM EDT August 15, 2009 Green Bay Blizzard W 72–67 3–0 Wachovia Arena af2.com recap
4 10:00 PM EDT August 22, 2009 Spokane Shock L 27–74 3–1 Orleans Arena  

Final standings

American Conference East Division
Team Overall Division
Wins Losses Percentage Wins Losses Percentage
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers 12 3 .812 10 0 1.000
Manchester Wolves 7 9 .438 4 7 .364
Albany Firebirds 7 9 .438 4 6 .400
Mahoning Valley Thunder 2 14 .125 2 7 .222

Attendance

Week Opponent Attendance
1 Manchester Wolves 4,781
2 Albany Firebirds 5,067
4 Mahoning Valley Thunder 4,718
6 Manchester Wolves 4,913
9 Green Bay Blizzard 6,058
10 Tennessee Valley Vipers 5,472
13 Central Valley Coyotes 5,178
17 Albany Firebirds 7,050
 
Playoff Opponent Attendance
1 Albany Firebirds 2,474
2 Kentucky Horsemen 2,980
3 Green Bay Blizzard 5,863
 
Total 54,554
Average 4,960