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Game Preview (week 12): Stockton Lightning Vs. Spokane Shock

June 12, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Stockton Lightning News Release


QUICK FACTS:

Stockton Lightning (4-6)

vs. Spokane Shock (9-0)

Date: June 12, 2009

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT

Site: Stockton Arena (9,919)

Internet: www.NiFTyTV.com/af2 (Mike Benton, J.J. Stokes, Steve McElroy)

Officials: Referee - Steve Strimling; Umpire - Mike Ross; Head Linesman - John Jenkins; Line Judge - Patrick Turner; Back Judge - Ken Sarna

Public Address: Scott Moak

National Anthem: JeAnn Cherie Ahl

Color Guard: Fire Department, City of Tracy

Coin Toss: Terry Fox (97.7/98.3 KWIN)

Series Record: Spokane leads, 9-0

Coaches: Chad Carlson (Stockton - 13-22 overall, 2nd season)

Adam Shackleford (40-21 overall, 3rd season)

THE STAKES: A win against the unbeaten and #1 Coaches Poll ranked Spokane Shock is the goal for the Stockton Lightning in Week 12, a feat that has yet to be accomplished in the four-year history of the team. The Lightning is 3-1 in the last four games to creep back into the ArenaCup Playoff race, which has just seven weeks remaining. At stake is also a chance to capture the first three-game winning streak in Lightning history. Given a chance to beat the 9-0 Shock, a win could put a serious dosage of fuel into the Lightning playoff drive. Friday's game, also a home game first in Lightning history, is the third meeting of the year between Stockton and Spokane.

If Stockton defeats Spokane it would ...

- Give the Lightning a three-game winning streak for the first time in team history

- Give the Lightning their first victory over Spokane in 10 tries

- Help the Lightning match last season's output of five victories

HEAD COACH PROFILES:

Chad Carlson - Stockton: Chad Carlson is the third Head Coach in Lightning history, named to the team's top post on an interim basis on May 27, 2008, succeeding Doug Murray. Carlson was appointed to the position on a full-time basis on August 13, 2008.

The 36-yead old enters his third af2 head coaching venture after serving as General Manager/Head Coach for the Hawaiian Islanders (2002) and Head Coach of the Bossier City Battle Wings (2003), compiling an overall record of 6-12 before moving on to serve as a Volunteer Coach for the Arena Football League's Colorado Crush for the remainder of the 2003 season.

Carlson, who guided Hawaii to a 4-1 finish in the 2002 season after inheriting the team in the middle of the season, helped the Islanders finish second in the league for red zone offense (83.1 percent), tied for 10th in total offense (4,126 yards) and rank as the af2's leader in rushing offense (852 yards).

After Carlson inherited the Islanders offense that averaged 38 points per game through five contests, his offense went on to score an average of 50.4 points per game and finish 13th in af2 scoring offense.

Following two separate stints in the Canadian Football League with the Edmonton Eskimos (1994) and Ottawa Rough Riders (1996), the Portland, Oregon native spent the 1997 season with the AFL's Portland Forest Dragons as a wide receiver/defensive back and quarterback and was slated to sign with the Los Angeles Avengers of the AFL in 2000, but had his career cut short with a career-ending knee injury that he sustained during an indoor football campaign in 1999.

Converted from the quarterback position, Carlson finished his college career as a standout receiver at Lewis & Clark College (NCAA) and was named an NAIA All-American as a 1993 senior, leading the nation in yards per catch while creating accolades that still shine in Pioneer lore. Carlson's 209 receiving yards amassed in a game against Central Washington was the second-best single game output in program history at the time of his exit and he ranked 13th on Lewis and Clark's all-time list for receptions at the time of his exit.

A key member of an athletic family, Chad's wife, Monica, was a contestant winner in 2008 on the television show "American Gladiators" and plays the role of "Jet" on the current season. Chad and Monica reside in Portland during the offseason with two twin daughters, Ellee Jo (8) and Emma Ray (8).

Adam Shackleford - Spokane: This is Head Coach Adam Shackleford's third year as Head Coach in the af2, but his 6th year in the league. Last season, Shackleford led the Shock to the ArenaCup Championship game and in 2007, led the team to their second-consecutive Western Division title, a playoff berth and a 12-5 overall record. He has coached in the arenafootball2 league since ---2003 and worked with the - two seasons as Louisville Fire as Offensive Coordinator. The Fire offense was third in the league last season, averaging 58 points per game. Under Shackleford, the Louisville Fire produced the 2005 and 2006 Offensive Player of the Year (Matt Sauk and Rob Mager) and the Rookie of the Year in 2006 (Brett Dietz). Shackleford began his 2007 season with a win against the Stockton Lightning, defeating them 51-35.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING (courtesy of The Record)

"It doesn't get any better than being at home," Maurice Holmes said. "I push myself anyway, but to be on the field and look up and see your mom or your dad or your nephew or your friends, man, it's exciting."

- Lightning DB Maurice Holmes, a Stockton Stagg (Calif.) HS graduate, on his return to the area

"That's a very good team we just beat," Carlson said. "We really went after the giant tonight. The guys really believed in that story, and David took care of business."

- Head Coach Chad Carlson on the Lightning 83-56 victory over Rio Grande Valley

LIKE A BROKEN RECORD:

CHAD CAVENDER (QB): Chad Cavender threw for 10 touchdown passes against the Rio Grande Valley Dorados in Week 8, shattering the Lightning single-game record which finished two off the af2's all-time mark (Brett Dietz of Louisville in 2006).

ANDY COLLINS (QB): Collins set a Lightning record in a Week 4 loss to Central Valley, rushing for four touchdowns against the Coyotes. Through 3 games, Collins leads the af2 in rushing touchdowns (9) and actually broke his own franchise record he originally set, with 3 rushing touchdowns in a Week 1 victory at Central Valley.

JUSTIN TAPLIN (WR): Taplin's assault on the Lightning record books continued with a 7-touchdown catch effort against Rio Grande Valley in Week 8, one off the af2 single-game record, following a Lightning single-game record with 216 receiving yards in Week 5 against the Spokane Shock, additionally hauling in three touchdown receptions and 14 catches, which was one off the Lightning record (Phil Goodman, 2006).

STEPHEN IRVINE (K): In just his second game this season and his first returning from non-active status, Australian-bred Stephen Irvine connected on 11-of-12 point-after kicks against Rio Grande Valley on 5/16, setting a new Lightning single-game record. Irvine's feat finished two successful kicks shy of the af2 all-time record, held by Rich Ehmke (San Diego, 2004).

PARTY TIME: The Lightning are encouraging fans to attend the brand-new pre-game party at the newly-opened "Kings Room" of Stockton Arena to meet and greet select Lightning players, front office and Shockwave dance team members and take advantage of discounted food and beverages.

The new "Kings Room" is located adjacent to the North Entry of Stockton Arena and will be opening 90 minutes before kick-off. All fans in attendance must have a ticket to the game to enter and space is limited.

SEEING RED: The Lightning are climbing out of a red zone scoring hole where despite being ranked 19th in the league's red zone offense, a 53-37 victory over Tri-Cities last week was produced in part by a 6-for-6 performance in the red zone. Five scoring opportunities were from touchdown, four from the arm of QB Chad Cavender. Last week marked the second time Stockton was perfect in the red zone, following up a Week 4 performance where they went 4-for-4 vs. Central Valley.

TRIPLE-DIGIT HEAT: QB Chad Cavender threw a 107.32 pass rating last week against the Tri-Cities Fever, marking the fifth straight game the rookie signal-caller has breached the triple-digit, pass efficiency mark since the first start of his af2 career. Cavender threw no interceptions, completed 19-of-35 passes for five touchdowns and threw for 204 yards last week.

PLAYING "TAPS" FOR DEFENSIVE SCHEMES:

WR Justin Taplin's 108-yards in receiving in Week 9 vs. Bosie was the sixth time in seven games of this season that the second-year receiver has surpassed the 100-yard receiving yard plateau in a game (Taplin missed the Week 7 contest at Tri-Cities due to injury). During that streak, Taplin had 100 receiving yards or more in eight of nine games and currently leads the Lighnting with 1132 yards, 85 catches and 27 touchdowns.

HANGING (AROUND) CHAD:

Once a backup to begin the af2 season, Chad Cavender has been thrust into the af2 spotlight with the injury of Andy Collins and has taken the reigns at full grip. Cavender, a product of the University of Sioux Falls, threw five touchdowns in his Lightning debut against the Spokane Shock on April 25 - tied for the third best output in a Lightning QB debut:

MOST TOUCHDOWN PASSES - LIGHTNING DEBUT

Evan Gray (vs. Spokane, 4/28) 7

Chad Elliott (at Tri-Cities, 3/28) 6

Chad Cavender (vs. Spokane, 4/25) 5

Derrick Crudup (at Spokane 5/31) 5

Andy Collins (at Spokane, 5/31) 4

COLLINS HAULS IN THE WEEK 1 HONORS:

Lightning QB Andy Collins was named Russell Athletic af2 Offensive Player of the Week for Week 1. Collins (6-2, 215, Occidental College) led the Lightning to a 68-54 Week 1 road victory at West Division rival Central Valley. The 25-year old signal caller completed 24-of-28 passes (85.7 percent) in the contest for 287 yards and six touchdowns with just one interception. He also scored a career-high three rushing touchdowns to lead the Lightning to their biggest offensive output to open a season in team history. This is the first af2 weekly award of Collins' career.

DYNAMIC DUO TAKE WEEK 8 HONORS:

The offensive pair of QB Chad Cavender and WR Justin Taplin were named Russell Athletic af2 Co-Offensive Players of the Week for Week 8, becoming the first duo to share the award in seven years (Russell Copeland and Tim Lester, Memphis - Week 3 of 2002). Cavender, in his first af2 campaign and Taplin, in his third af2 season, both had career nights in Stockton's 83-56 upset win at home in Week 8 against Rio Grande Valley. The 6-foot, 190-pound Cavender, in his third career start, set a team record with 10 touchdown passes and Taplin set a Lightning single-game record with seven touchdown catches. He finished the night with nine receptions for a game-high 172 yards.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?: Three members of the Lightning share the honor of winning a championship or advancing to the Finals stage at the professional football level. OL/DL Manuel Wright was in uniform in Glendale, Ariz. for the New York Giants Super Bowl championship team in 2007, who upset the New England Patriots 17-14. WR Justin Taplin helped guide the Arizona Rattlers to an Arena Bowl playoff berth in 2006 and previously, was part of a 2004 Rattlers team that advanced to Arena Bowl XVIII. WR Etu Molden helped guide the Chicago Rush to an ArenaBowl championship in 2006, catching two TD passes in the title game at Las Vegas.

TALE OF THE TAPE:

(A look at the Lightning vs. Shock in 2009)

Statistical LIGHTNING SHOCK

Category Rank Stat Rank Stat

Scoring Offense 13 51.5 9 57.9

Scoring Defense 19 56.8 1 37.9

Total Offense 7 296.4 15 277.9

Total Defense 20 294.2 12 273.4

Pass Offense 7 268.5 13 257.0

Pass Defense 22 285.4 16 254.6

Rushing Offense 9 27.9 15 20.9

Rushing Defense 1 8.8 4 18.9

Pass Rating 14 106.1 2 124.9

Pass Def. Rating 16 108.1 5 93.7

Kickoff Returns 16 17.7 20 16.8

Turnover Margin 1 1.78 T-12 -0.10

Field Goals 20 0.273 1 0.778

PAT Kicking T-19 0.750 4 0.912

Sacks By T-24 7 T-4 22

Sacks Against T-19 22 T-3 5

First Downs 6 205 T-18 176

Opp. First Downs 14 191 2 171

Penalties 16 63.4 6 43.7

Opp. Penalties 23 45.6 1 73.4

Onside kick success T-8 40.0 T-8 40.0

LEAGUE TOP 10s: Players from the Lightning and Shock who rank among the af2's statistical leaders:

Lightning

Player Rank Category Stat

Taplin, Justin 6 Receiving Yds/G 125.8

Taplin, Justin 5 Scoring 18.7

Shock

Player Rank Category Stat

GILLIAM, Sergio T-10 Interceptions 0.56

DAVILA, Nick 2 Pass Efficiency 125.8

DAVILA, Nick 8 Receptions/Game 8.86

JACKSON, Brian 4 Field Goals 0.78

JACKSON, Brian 3 Scoring (Kicking) 9.2

JACKSON, Brian 4 PAT Kicking % 91.2

FRANKS, Stanley 2 Tackles 7.4

MCCOMBS, Ben 1 Sacks 1.17

WARREN, Justin 9 Sacks 0.72

MCCOMBS, Ben 1 Tackles for Loss 1.28

WARREN, Justin T-7 Tackles for Loss 0.83

MCCOMBS, Ben T-5 Fumbles Forced 0.33

WARREN, Justin T-7 Fumbles Recovered 0.33

DROPBACK: The Stockton Lightning (4-6) defense limited the Tri-Cities Fever to just nine points over the final two quarters to win its second straight game and third in the last four contests in a 53-37 victory over Tri-Cities at Stockton Arena on Saturday in Week 11 of arenafootball2 play.

Stockton QB Chad Cavender, who garnered Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game honors, continued to throw for his average with five touchdown passes, complementing a 19-for-35 and 204-yard passing effort. His frequent target, WR Justin Taplin, caught seven passes for 98 yards and two touchdown receptions. Emery Beckles led Tri-Cities' effort with seven catches, 113 yards and one touchdown reception.

Despite three consecutive missed point-after attempts, the Lightning took an 18-14 lead into the second quarter as Cavender spread three touchdown passes to receivers Justin Taplin, Etu Molden and Troy McBroom.

Japan native QB Tomotsuna Inuoe, in only his third af2 appearance, hooked up with WR Emery Beckles for a 29-yard bomb with 13:38 left in the second quarter to draw Tri-Cities to a 14-12 lead, but the Lightning answered on the ensuing possession with 11:58 left on a 29-yard bomb from Cavender to Taplin to put the Lightning up 18-14.

Following Inuoe's 11-yard snare to Rabb, Cavender found Molden on a four-yard lob with 2:30 left in the half to help the Lightning assume a 26-21 lead. Tri-Cities answered in the see-saw fashion of the first half's scoring as Inuoe hit Ray Little with a 10-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds left for a 28-26 Fever edge.

As time expired, Irvine nailed a 29-yard field goal in the second quarter, putting the Lightning up 29-28. Tri-Cities pressed into the red zone for the first possession of the third quarter but Jay Hunt's 45-yard interception return for a touchdown helped Stockton assume momentum with a 36-28 lead, one they would not relinquish for the remainder of the game.

Michael Braunstein quieted the Lightning's rally a 48-yard missile of a field goal with 7:09 to close the gap to 36-31.

It would be the closest the Fever would get for the remainder of the game as the Lightning posted the contest's final three of four scores. Taplin's critical fourth-and-goal touchdown catch from six yards out lifted the Lightning to a 43-31 lead and boosted the edge further to 50-31 when Cavender scampered for a three-yard score off left tackle.

Inuoe found WR Finas Rabb on a 25-yard bomb with 5:44 to play and Irvine closed the scoring for the Lightning with his second field goal of the game, a strike from 18 yards to put Stockton ahead 53-37.

FORWARD MOTION: The Lightning are at the end of a stretch of playing four home games in five weeks and this Friday's game against Spokane concludes a stretch of five consecutive games where the Lightning do not venture outside of the state of California until June 20 at Boise. The Lightning have three road games remaining on the regular season schedule - all outside of the state (Boise, Tri-Cities and Amarillo), with a paltry opponent record of 11-19.

LIGHTNING VS. SHOCK - SERIES NOTES: This week's matchup between the Lightning and Shock is the 10th in the all-time matchup and the Lightning are looking for their first victory in the lifetime head-to-head series. Spokane is 9-0 in the all-time series and has a 4-0 lifetime record in Stockton.

In the last matchup at Stockton Arena on April 25, QB Nick Davila threw for eight touchdown passes and 252 yards to help the Spokane Shock embark a 35-0 run in the second half send the Lightning to their third consecutive defeat in a 71-50 loss before 3,543 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday, in Week 5 of arenafootball2 play.

WR Justin Taplin broke a Lightning record with 216 receiving yards on 14 catches and three touchdown receptions but the Lightning were forced to deal with a blow to their offensive personnel in the loss of QB Andy Collins for the game to a knee injury, via a second-quarter sack by Justin Warren.

Collins, who had an 11-for-19 completion rate with 146 passing yards and two touchdowns before exiting with the injury.

QB Chad Cavender, a former NAIA national champion quarterback at Sioux Falls University, made his af2 debut replacing Collins and completed 13-of-19 passes for 209 passing yards and five touchdowns in his professional debut.

WR Raul Vijil racked up 141 receiving yards and six touchdown catches to lead all Spokane receivers.

Of note, in a May 31 matchup last season - Chad Carlson's debut as Lightning interim head coach - the team amassed a 35-7 rally in the second and third quarters to climb out of a 24-0 hole. QB Andy Collins threw for 271 yards and four touchdowns on a 21-for-28 passing effort, adding two rushing touchdowns, in his Lightning debut and Justin Taplin led all Lightning receivers with 102 yards (7 catches) and 2 touchdown receptions.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Spokane leads, 9-0

All-time Stockton vs. Spokane series

Score Date Site

Shock 41, Lightning 40 3/30/06 Spokane Tribe Field

Shock 63, Lightning 44 7/15/06 Stockton Arena

Shock 51, Lightning 35 3/31/07 Spokane Tribe Field

Shock 58, Lightning 55 4/28/07 Stockton Arena

Shock 70, Lightning 12 4/5/08 Spokane Tribe Field

Shock 52, Lightning 42 5/31/08 Spokane Tribe Field

Shock 65, Lightning 47 7/12/08 Stockton Arena

Shock 59, Lightning 42 4/3/09 Spokane Tribe Field

Shock 71, Lightning 50 4/25/09 Stockton Arena

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

CHAD CAVENDER (QB) - Stepping in for injured QB Andy Collins six weeks ago in his first taste of af2 action, Chad Cavender has winged 37 touchdown passes in six games, connecting for 10, a Lightning record, against Rio Grande Valley on May 16 en route to earning Russell Athletic af2 Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors. Even though he did not play the full game, Cavender's pass rating of 144.52 in his debut vs. Spokane shattered the Lightning single-game best, previously held by Evan Gray in 2007 (129.69 vs. Everett).

Cavender was named the Offensive Player of the Game against Tri-Cities in a Week 7 loss, throwing for a 27-for-40 rate along with a career-best 318 passing yards and five touchdown tosses.

JUSTIN TAPLIN (WR) - A former four-year veteran of the Arena Football League with Arizona, Utah and Georgia, Justin Taplin made a big splash after a mid-season arrival to Stockton last year. Taplin caught 61 passes for 795 yards and 15 touchdowns in just 9 games, leading the Lightning in all receiving categories. This year, Taplin leads the Lightning in receptions (85), touchdown catches (27) and receiving yards (1123).

Taplin earned Russell Athletic af2 Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors vs. Rio Grande Valley in Week 8 with a Lightning record 7 TD receptions. In Week 1, his monster game of 5 touchdown receptions, 13 catches and 168 yards broke career-high marks and surpassed the career-highs in catches (14) and reception yards (216) last week vs. Spokane.

TROY McBROOM (WR) - Back for his second season in a Lightning uniform, the Manteca, Calif. native McBroom ranks second among Lightning receivers in touchdown receptions (13), receiving yards (860) and receptions (68). His 12.6 yards per catch is second amongst the Lightning. McBroom erupted for a career-high 159 yards on eight catches against Rio Grande Valley on May 16, helping the Lightning upset the Dorados 83-56.



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