Empire focus on execution against Carolina

“We definitely shot ourselves in the foot probably one too many times, but we don’t have to change much. We know who we are. We know that we kind of beat ourselves last week. So we don’t have to change much, we just have to go out and execute better,” Castronova said.

The Empire (1-1) can get back in the win column at 3 p.m. Sunday when they visit the Carolina Cobras (1-1).

“Clean up the mental mistakes and we’ll be good,” lineman Miquail Harvey said.

Perhaps the most critical of Albany’s errors against San Antonio was Castronova’s fumbled snap at the end of the first half. The Gunslingers scored on the subsequent possession and ran the clock down to the end of the first half.

“It’s a game of possessions, and their coach did a good job at the end of the first half, running out the clock,” Castronova said.

Albany came back in the second half to lead by five with a minute left, but defensive mistakes on San Antonio’s final drive — missed tackles and a penalty that gave the Gunslingers a fresh set of downs at Albany’s 6-yard line — cost the Empire the game.

“It wasn’t like we played bad, there were just some moments,” coach Damon Ware said. “Turning the ball over, that’s a huge thing, and we had some calls that didn’t go our way. There’s a lot to be proud of with our team, and so what we got to do is just focus on execution. If we can focus on execution and win the turnover battle we’ll be just fine this week.”

…