|
After going undefeated
and winning it
all in 2000, the bar was set pretty high for the 2001
season. Frank Haege brought back many of the 2000 players minus
those who were called up to the AFL. Mike Gluski (QB) felt the starting job
was his when Haege brought in Jay McDonagh. Jay took the job and never
looked back. The perfect season was put to the test to see whether
it was a fluke or not.
The Peoria Pirates entered the af2 after
winning the IFL championship and before they even got here, the smack talk
had already begun. The season opened against the Peoria Pirates and
the Steamwheelers wasted no time in showing their dominance over their
I-74 rivals. Quad City beat Peoria 41-0. It was the first shut
out in the af2. The Steamwheelers etched into the 2001 sesaon
week-by-week with pressure mounting to continue their undefeated
ways. Their run for a second undefeated season came to an end in a
close contest at Tulsa in week seven when a two-point conversion from
McDonagh failed. The Steamwheelers lost 49-47.
The proverbial monkey was off their back and
the Steamwheelers never looked back as they went on to claim their 2nd
ArenaCup af2 championship over the Richmond Speed at The MARK. The
game was close and it looked bleak with time running out until Jay
McDonagh found Scott Hvistendahl on a drag route in the back of the end
zone for the game winning touchdown, taking it 55-51. |
