by Rick Allen
Brooklyn Sports Network

vs.

March 30, 2007 1 2 3 4 F Albany Conquest 14 17 10 17 58 Green Bay Blizzard 10 0 7 7 24

Green Bay, WI- The Albany Conquest took advantage of six turnovers to dominate the Green Bay Blizzard in the opening game of the af2 football season for both teams, winning 58-24. The American Conference East Division combatants kicked off Arena football's minor league circuit, af2, at the Resch Center in the Wisconsin suburbs of Green Bay. 

Kenneth Williams set the tone early, forcing a funmle on the opening kickoff and returning it  for an 8-yard touchdown. The fumble recovery was the first of six Conquest takeaways, two of which resulted in direct tochdowns. Albany quarterback Ryan Vena added five touchdown passes, two of more than 40 yards, in the rout. 

After Green Bay answered the opening score with a field goal Albany forced another turnover in the first quarter.  Quarterback James MacPherson was picked off over the middle by linebacker Jose Harris, who returned the interception four yards for a touchdown.  Before the quarter ended the Blizzard drove for a scoring touchdown, a two-yard run by MacPherson, pulling them to 14-10, as close as they'd be the rest of the way.

The second quarter was all Albany as Vena hooked up with wideout Manwell Talbert on a six-yard touchdown early in the period. Kicker Vinny Cirrincione added a field goal midway through the second before Vena and Talbert connected again.  The 14-yard touchdown made the score 31-10 at the half and Albany was running away with the game. 

Vena and Talbert hooked up yet again early in the second half, this time on a four-yard pass. Green Bay finally scored again, on a long pass from MacPherson to Robert Garth for 33 yards. Cirricincione field goals at the end of the third and start of the fourth clearly put the game out of reach.

But the Conquest didn't quit, scoring when Vena's long bomb bounced off the end boards and into Bakari Brown's hands for a 43-yard touchdown. Green Bay managed another score, MacPherson to Garth for 16 yards, against Albany's prevent defense and recovered the ensuing onside kick.

The Blizzard turned the ball over on downs, giving Vena the ball one more time. The quarterback and Talbert connected on another long pass, 47 yards for a final touch down.

Around the af2: Week 1  

THU 3/29 10:00PM Stockton Lighning (0-1) 20 @ Spokane Shock (1-0) 44

THU 3/29 10:30PM Bakersfield Blitz (1-0) 58 @ Everett Hawks (0-1) 31

FRI 3/30 7:00PM Louisville Fire (0-1) 44 @ WB/Scranton Pioneers (1-0) 54

FRI 3/30 8:15PM Arkansas Twisters (0-1)  36 @ Quad City Steamwheelers (1-0) 41

FRI 3/30 8:30PM Albany Conquest (1-0) 58 @ Green Bay Blizzard (0-1) 24

SAT 3/31 8:30PM Memphis Xplorers (0-0) @ CHI (0-0)

SAT 3/31 10:30PM Rio Grand Valley Dorados (0-0) @ Central Valley Coyotes (0-0)

Sat. Apr. 7 7:30PM Macon Coliseum Macon, GA

Albany Conquest (1-0) vs. Macon Knights (0-0)

Next Up: The Conquest stay on the road, moving on to Macon Georgia to take on the Knights at the Macon Coliseum . It will be the Knights opening game as they were off in Week 1. Macon competes in the American Conference's Southern Division.

Brooklyn Sports Network brings you the hard-hitting action all season long so don't miss a play.

And be sure to follow Arena's Major League circuit, AFL, with the New York Dragons .