The Wheeling Miners, pictured after successful the AAL2 Championship over the Peach State Cats, 61-14
WHEELING – After a season through which the Wheeling Miners dominated the competitors in AAL2, their championship recreation in opposition to the Peach State Cats was no exception.
The 2 groups traded touchdowns within the first quarter, with the lead swinging backwards and forwards till it was 14-13 Peach State with 6:51 to play within the first quarter.
After that, it was a blur of blue and gold.
Enjoying in entrance of what was most likely the biggest crowd of the season at WesBanco Enviornment, the Miners outscored the Cats 48-Zero the remainder of the best way to seize the AAL2 League Championship, successful 61-14 behind the identical explosive offense and the stifling protection that propelled the Miners to an undefeated inaugural season.
“Thank God,” Miners quarterback and league MVP Grant Russell stated. “Three years in the past I used to be at one of many lowest factors in my life and to have the ability to come right here in entrance of all these individuals, particularly my household and associates, and win a championship, I can't ask for the rest. . I thank God, I'm blessed that mainly my entire household was right here to witness it, and I'm simply prepared to hang around with the blokes and have enjoyable.”
Russell, who final performed for the AFL's Columbus Destroyers in 2019, accomplished 17 of 24 passes for 225 yards and 6 touchdowns. He additionally rushed twice for seven yards, one with a two-yard landing that gave the Miners a lead they’d not relinquish, 20-14, with four:04 left within the first.
Russell performed Saturday after being unavailable for the Miners' North Division championship recreation whereas away within the continental U.S. on his honeymoon.
“My spouse and I watched the sport once we had been in Hawaii,” stated Russell, an Ohio Dominican graduate. “It was positively powerful, however I knew the blokes would pull it off, and so they did. Coming again on Tuesday morning I bought bear hugs from all of the boys. I'm fortunate sufficient to be with a gaggle that would settle for me, being their quarterback and chief, going and coming again. I'm very blessed for the coaches now we have, the house owners now we have and the gamers now we have.”
On the receiving finish of the Miners' air assault Saturday, 4 totally different gamers entered the top zone for Wheeling. Jeremiah Flores (5 catches, 71 yards) and Jarvai Flowers (three catches, 45 yards; 4 carries, 19 yards) every caught two touchdowns.
West Liberty alum Isaiah Robinson caught two passes for 29 yards, together with a nine-yard landing within the first quarter on a wheel route after faking a closing handoff. Andre Thomas-Cobb caught three passes for 41 yards and a landing. Pete Savrides additionally completed with three receptions for 39 yards. In all, seven gamers made a minimum of one catch for the Miners.
As excessive because the day's rating was for the assault, the protection's efficiency was equally stingy. The Miners gave up three interceptions, recovered two fumbles and completed with 9 sacks.
An interception and a fumble restoration had been every returned for touchdowns. Tire Williams scooped up a fumble within the backfield with lower than a minute to play within the second quarter and went 10 yards for a landing. Halfway via the third quarter, AAL2 Defensive Participant of the Yr Dontae Mason bought a choose on an unmarked deep move and ran it almost the size of the sphere – 45 yards for a choose six that put Wheeling forward 47-14. .
Devonte Tinsley and Aaron Finch every secured interceptions of their very own, each within the fourth quarter. Finch additionally recovered a fumble within the third quarter.
Javin Jones, Dioh Desuah, Andrew Plowden, Isaiah Lewis, Devon Thomas, Robi Stewart and Shaun McGee all bagged for the Miners. Desuah and Jones every had two sacks.
Wheeling made fast work of AAL2, proving they had been in a league of their very own throughout their first season of operation. Now, they may look to proceed their success in a brand new league after revealing on June 22 that they are going to be transferring to the Nationwide Enviornment League (NAL) for the 2025 season.
“The size and momentum going into the offseason goes to be unbelievable for us,” Wheeling Miners head coach Josh Resignalo stated. “From a recruiting standpoint, we're already getting blown away by a number of gamers wanting to return right here as soon as we made the NAL announcement. We're constructing one thing particular right here and I can't wait to take that to the place we're going.”
