Vipers topple top seed Pioneers

Tennessee Valley Vipers fans had not seen the playoffs since 2004. Fans had not seen a playoff win since 2003. Now, in 2008, Vipers fans have seen both the playoffs and playoff wins. The biggest win of the playoffs and the season came with the defeat of American Conference top seed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday night at the Wachovia Arena in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Tennessee Valley (12-6) held the Pioneers (15-3) to a season low 30 points in the 34-30 win.
Alonzo Nix's fade route touchdown catch with seven seconds remaining in the game proved to be the winning score capping off an 8-play, 45-yard drive.
Vipers quarterback Kevin Eakin was nowhere near flawless, but made the plays necessary to send the Vipers to the conference championship for the first time since 2003. Eakin threw four touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions. However, the Pioneers signal caller, 2007 af2 Offensive Player of the Year Ryan Vena was held to an unimpressive 16-of-29 performance for just 158 yards, two touchdowns an interception and fumble lost.
After both teams failed to score on their opening possessions, Tennessee Valley took advantage of the Vena fumble and marched 41 yards and Eakin hit Maurice Brown for the first points of the night. But the Pioneers answered right back with a Vena pass to Larry Kendrick from 14 yards out.
The second quarter began with Travis Blanchard rushing one yard for a tough touchdown, and Wilkes-Barre responding with Vena's second and final touchdown pass to Rich Musinski to tie the game again at 14.
On the first half's final play, Vipers head coach Dean Cokinos sent his field goal unit onto the field, however, after a time out from the Pioneers, Cokinos elected to try for the touchdown. A touchdown was scored, unfortunately for Tennessee Valley it was Barry Drakeford of the Pioneers intercepting Eakin and returning the pass for a Pioneers touchdown. The score at halftime was 20-14 in favor of the Vipers after a failed Vena rushing attempt for a two-point conversion.
After halftime the Vipers defense stepped up again to force a David Davis field goal, but Wilkes-Barre still led 23-14. Eakin engineered another 40-plus yard drive ending with a Brown touchdown catch, cutting the lead to 23-20 after Nick Hayes extra point failed.
14 minutes and 40 seconds passed before another score would be made thanks to just over an 8 minute drive by the Vipers that ended with a Blanchard touchdown catch, putting the Vipers up 27-23 with just over two minutes to go.
Larry Kendrick then took the ensuing kickoff 56 yards for a score to put the Pioneers back on top. However, Nix's grab with seven seconds left would prove to be the difference.
Wilkes-Barre did not go out without a fight, though. After allowing the kickoff to hit the wall, the Pioneers started at their own five yard line. After a completion to Musinski, he lateraled to Kendrick who found his way to the Vipers three yard line before being brought down by Blanchard preserving the win for Tennessee Valley.
After the game, Vipers faithful were watching with close eyes to the result of the Green Bay Blizzard vs. Manchester Wolves contest to see who the Vipers opponent would be. The seventh-seeded Wolves escaped with a 55-54 win on a two-point conversion.
The Manchester win gives Tennessee Valley the right to host the conference finals on Saturday, August 16.
Hosting a conference championship game is nothing new for the Vipers. In 2003, the Vipers hosted Macon for the conference championship game, in which the Knights defeated the Vipers 51-48.