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Wheeling Miners Win AAL2 Championship

By NICK HENTHORN 4 min read

WHEELING - After a season where the Wheeling Miners dominated the competition in the AAL2, their championship bout against the Peach State Cats was not a departure from the norm.

The two teams traded touchdowns through the opening minutes, the lead swinging back and forth until it was 14-13 Peach State with 6:51 to play in the first quarter.

After that, it was a blur of blue and gold.

Playing in front of what was probably their largest crowd of the season inside WesBanco Arena, the Miners outscored the Cats 48-0 the rest of the way to capture the AAL2 League Championship, winning 61-14 behind the same explosive offense and stifling defense which propelled the Miners to an undefeated inaugural season.

"I thank God," Grant Russell, the Miners' quarterback and MVP of the league, said. "Three years ago I was at one of the lowest points in my life, and to be able to come in here in front of all these people, especially my family and friends, and win a championship, I can't ask for anything else. I thank God, I'm blessed that basically my whole family was here to witness this and I'm just ready to hang out with the guys and have a good time."

Russell, who last played for the Columbus Destroyers of the AFL in 2019, completed 17 of 24 passes for 225 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed twice for seven yards, one a two-yard touchdown dive which gave the Miners a lead they would not relinquish, 20-14, with 4:04 in the first.

Russell played Saturday after being unavailable for the Miners' North Division championship game, when he was away from the continental U.S. on his honeymoon.

"My wife and I watched the game when we were in Hawaii," Russell, an Ohio Dominican alum, said. "It was nerve-wracking for sure, but I knew the guys would pull it out, and they did. Coming back Tuesday morning I was getting bear hugs from all the guys. I'm fortunate enough to be with a group that could accept me, being the quarterback and their leader, leaving and coming back. I'm very blessed for the coaches that we have, the owners that we have and the players that we have."

On the receiving end of the Miners' aerial attack Saturday, four different players got into the end zone for Wheeling. Jeremiah Flores (five catches, 71 yards) and Jarvai Flowers (three catches, 45 yards; four carries, 19 yards) each caught two touchdowns.

West Liberty alum Isaiah Robinson caught two passes for 29 yards, including a nine-yard first-quarter touchdown on a wheel route after faking an end-around handoff. Andre Thomas-Cobb caught three passes for 41 yards and a touchdown. Pete Savrides also finished with three receptions for 39 yards. Seven total players reeled in at least one catch for the Miners.

As high-scoring of a day it was for the offense, the defense's performances was equally as stingy. The Miners pulled down three interceptions, recovered two fumbles, and finished with nine sacks.

One interception and one fumble recovery were each returned for touchdowns. Tyre Williams scooped up a fumble in the backfield with under one minute to play in the second quarter and strolled 10 yards for a touchdown. Midway through the third quarter, AAL2 Defensive Player of the Year Dontae Mason snagged a pick on an off-the-mark deep pass and housed it nearly the length of the field– 45 yards for a pick-six which put Wheeling ahead 47-14.

Devonte Tinsley and Aaron Finch each secured interceptions of their own, both in the fourth quarter. Finch also recovered a fumble in the third quarter.

Coming away with sacks for the Miners were Javin Jones, Dioh Desuah, Andrew Plowden, Isaiah Lewis, Devon Thomas, Robi Stewart and Shaun McGee. Desuah and Jones each had two sacks.

Wheeling made quick work of the AAL2, proving they were in a league of their own throughout their first season in operation. Now, they'll try to continue their success in a new league, having revealed on June 22 that they would be moving to the National Arena League (NAL) for the 2025 season.

"The drive and the momentum into the offseason is going to be incredible for us," Wheeling Miners head coach Josh Resignalo said. "From a recruiting standpoint we're already getting blown up by a lot of players who want to come here once we made the announcement about the NAL. We're building something special here and I can't wait to take this where we're going."

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