The No. 1 seed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers outlasted the No. 6 seed Green Bay Blizzard, 72-67, to win the American Conference Championship Saturday night in front of 5,863 fans at Wachovia Arena.

Win the victory, the Pioneers (16-3) earned the right to advance to the 2009 ArenaCup Championship game to be played next Saturday, August 22, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

Green Bay reached the end zone first after using 7-plays to get down to the 1-yard line before QB Gino Guidugli took it in himself. A missed the extra point left the Blizzard with 6 points. But the Pioneers answered with a 35-yard touchdown reception by JJ Outlaw. Davis' extra point split the uprights and the Pioneers took a one-point lead.

The Blizzard took the lead back with a 1-yard touchdown reception by Robert Garth but gave it up shortly after when Vena connected with Rich Musinski for a 45-yard touchdown pass. Forstrom hit his mark and Davis missed his leaving the score all tied up at 13. On their next drive the Blizzard couldn't reach the end zone and opted to kick a 55-yard field goal, which was no good. Larry Kendrick returned the missed field goal 17-yards where the Pioneers offense took over.

Vena connected with Musinski for a 21-yard sliding touchdown catch and Davis tacked on the extra point giving the Pioneers a 7-point lead. Nate Forse got into the scoring mix for the Blizzard catching a 13-yard Guidugli pass for a touchdown. However, another missed field goal kept the Pioneers up by a point. Vena once again answered by connecting with Musinski in the end zone making the score 27-19 with 8:50 left in the first half.

Green Bay used a few Pioneer penalties to get closer to the end zone on their next drive before Guidugli dumped it off to William Bourdlais for the 5-yard touchdown. But the Pioneers responded quickly with a 40-yard touchdown reception by Outlaw to extend their lead again. With a minute left in the first half the Blizzard cut the lead back down to 1 with a 2-yard run by Garth. A great return by Larry Kendrick and an off sides penalty by Green Bay started the Pioneers off on the Blizzard's half of the field. After a few short passes to Campbell to move them closer Kirby Griffin took it in for the touchdown making the score 41-33. With time winding down in the first half, Guidugli connected with Terry Love for a 38-yard touchdown pass. The Blizzard opted to go for 2 and came up successful tying the score at 41 all.

Kendrick had another great return and the Pioneers offense took over with 10 seconds left in the first half. David Davis completed a 30-yard field goal to give the Pioneers the 44-41 lead going into half time.

Vena came out firing in the second half connecting with Rich Musinski for the 19-yard diving catch in the end zone putting them up by 10. The Blizzard answered with a touchdown pass of their own by a helmetless Anthony Crissinger-Hill cutting the Wilkes-Barre lead to 4 after another Forstrom missed extra point. Vena called his own number and bulled his way into the end zone for a 11-yard touchdown run. After a trick play attempt by the Blizzard that didn't work as planned, Guidugli connected with Crissinger-Hill again for a 20-yard touchdown pass. After tacking on the extra point the Pioneers lead was once again cut to 4 with about 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. Kirby Griffin took the Vena pass 19-yards for the score increasing their lead and making the score 65-54 ending the 3rd quarter.

Guidugli decided to take it in himself this time for the 1-yard score cutting the lead to 4 once again on the night. Vena found Campbell in the end zone for the Pioneer touchdown after eer-plays making the score 72-61 with about 8 minutes to play in the 4th quarter. In the final minute the Blizzard came up with another touchdown and attempted to go for 2 but the pass was intercepted by Larry Kendrick in the end zone who pitched it to Micheaux Robinson who was stopped before he could reach the end zone. Kirby Griffin recovered the Blizzard's onsides kick attempt, and the Pioneers ran out the clock to end the game with the score 72-67 naming the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers the 2009 American Conference Champions.

Score by Quarter    1     2      3      4        Final
Green Bay            13   28    13     13        67       Record: 12-7
W-B/Scranton       13   31    21      7         72       Record: 16-3

Leaders
Passing
Ryan Vena WBS - 15-19-0, 331 yards, 8 TD
Gino Guidugli GBB - 28-50-0, 377 yards, 7 TD
Receiving
Rich Musinski WBS - 5 catches, 128 yards, 4 TD
Anthony Crissinger-Hill GBB - 11 catches, 192 yards, 2 TD

Game Awards
JLS Ironman of the Game: Larry Kendrick WBS
Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game: Ryan Vena WBS
Aaron's Defensive Player of the Game: LaBrose Hedgemon WBS
The Big Game Catch of the Game: Rich Musinski WBS
Nifty Hit of the Game: Antwun Williams WBS

Attendance: 5,863