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Preds Blank Blue Devils, 20-0 RAFL Kicks Off 2007 Season

By Joe Pietaro

Staten Island, NY- The New York Predators picked up right where they left off in the preseason with a 20-0 whitewashing of the Brooklyn Blue Devils at Monsignor Farrell High School in Regional Atlantic Football League action. Quarterback Lou Scala threw for 157 yards and two touchdowns while completing 10 of 17 passes and Chi Chi Mansaray rushed for 127 yards on 14 carries.

The Predators, who were 2-0 in the preseason, are the defending Metro Bowl champions and won their last six games in 2006 and are 15-2 in their last 17 contests.

Scala drove New York down the field for the first score of the game in the opening quarter, finishing with a 29-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Billy Simo (2 touchdowns). The Predators defense then set the pace of the game with second quarter interceptions by Keith Assanti (4 tackles, 1 interception) and Louis Valmon to keep the score 7-0 at halftime.

Predators defensive end Alex Vygon (2 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery) forced a fumble after making a stop in the backfield and recovered the loose ball. New York was poised to add to their lead but fumbled the ball back to Brooklyn.

Trying to cash in on the turnover, the Blue Devils put together a strong drive before Valmon picked off his second pass of the evening. Points off turnovers are key, and the Predators were able to take advantage of this opportunity. Running back Tim Kelson (8 for 84 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 catches for 31 yards) had three big runs on the drive of 20, 17 and 8 yards, the last one resulting in a score. The conversion failed, keeping the score 13-0.

On the ensuing drive, New York defensive end Joe Romero made a tackle for an 8-yard loss and then sacked the Brooklyn QB, forcing the Blue Devils to punt.

The Predators wrapped up the scoring with a drive highlighted by the running of Mansaray, who had 54 yards on 6 carries to set up an 8-yard play action scoring pass from Scala to Simo.

“We didn’t click on all cylinders tonight, but we did what we had to do to win the game,” said Simo. “It hasn’t been pretty so far this season [counting the preseason], but we are winning and that’s all that matters for now. We have a much bigger and more talented team than we’ve ever had before. We expect to do big things this year.”

Linebacker Will Coriall led the Predators with 6 tackles and fellow LB Shariff Wiltshire had 5 tackles.

The Predators will face the Long Island Pit Bulls on Saturday, July 21 at 2:00 pm at Roosevelt High School in Nassau County. The Pitbulls (1-0) defeated their borough brethren, the Brooklyn Jazz, on the road in their opener, 27-6.

After competing in the North American Football League a year ago, the Predators are now in the RAFL, which is in its inaugural season. 14 teams will compete, and the Predators are one of six organizations in the Northern Conference. The other clubs are the Brooklyn Blue Devils, Long Island Pitbulls, Brooklyn Jazz, Hudson Valley Cowboys and Empire State Wolfpack.

“We are very pleased to be in the new league,” Simo said. “It has structure and great communication.”

Teams will play a 10-game regular season and the top four in each division will qualify for the playoffs, which begin on October 6. The semi-final round will take place on October 13 and the RAFL Championship will be played between the two conference champions on October 27.

For more information, please visit www.nypredators.net and www.rafl.net.

Joe Pietaro is the staff writer for the New York Predators and the Editor-in-Chief of New York Sportscene magazine.