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Game Preview: Stockton Lightning At Spokane Shock

April 3, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Stockton Lightning News Release


QUICK FACTS:

Stockton Lightning (1-0)

at Spokane Shock (0-0)

Date: April 3, 2009

Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. PT

Site: Spokane Tribe Field (10,569)

Internet: www.NiFTyTV.com/af2 (Steve McElroy)

Officials: Referee - Gavin Anderson; Umpire - Roger Stewart; Head Linesman - Eric Crone; Line Judge - Ryan Fleming; Back Judge - Steve Currie

Series Record: Spokane leads, 7-0

Coaches: Chad Carlson (Stockton - 10-16 overall, 2nd season)

Adam Shackleford (31-21 overall, 3rd season)

THE STAKES: The Stockton Lightning return to play looking for their first 2-0 record to begin a season in franchise history. It comes with a tall task - their assignment is to knock-off the defending National Conference Champion Spokane Shock on their banner-raising night, a game that opens the Shock's portion of the 2009 schedule. The Lightning have never beaten Spokane in the previous seven tries. However, the last time both teams met at Spokane, it was a game that went down to the wire when the Lightning lost 52-42, in spite of scoring 35 unanswered points during one span of the ballgame.

If Stockton defeats Spokane it would ...

- Start the Lightning with a 2-0 record for the first time in franchise history

- Extend Chad Carlson's record to 5-1 in his last six lifetime games as Lightning head coach

- Give the Lightning their first victory against Spokane in franchise history

- Hand the Shock an 0-1 record to begin the 2009 season

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)

"I think what I intended to happen really happened at the end of the season," Carlson said. "We beat some pretty good teams and made a statement about how far we've come."

- Lightning interim head coach Chad Carlson on his return for 2009

It was fun to watch," Carlson said. "(Collins and Taplin) were still on the same page from last year, and that's what we needed."

- Carlson on the Andy Collins-to-Justin Taplin connection in a Week 1 victory at Central Valley

TRANSACTION UPDATE: Hours before the Lightning faces the Spokane Shock, the team announced FB/DL Roger Moppin has been assigned to the Lightning by the af2 League Office. In addition, it was announced FB/LB Mike Peko has been placed on the injured reserve list and OL/DL Maurice Murray has been assigned to the Lightning and subsequently placed on the team's "refused to report" list. Moppin, 25, competed at Laney College (Calif.) in 2003 and ranked 28th in scoring among California junior colleges, averaging 7.2 points per game. The 5-foot-11, 255-pound fullback is expected to suit up for the Lightning, who face the Spokane Shock on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Spokane Tribe Field.

LIGHTNING BACK ON COACHES POLL RADAR: For the first time in 2009, the Lightning are back on the af2 Coaches Poll by virtue of their highest offensive output (68 points) in a victory last week against the Central Valley Coyotes.

WEEK 2 - TOP 16

RANK TEAM PTS

1 Spokane 369 (17)

2 W-B/Scranton 309 (3)

3 Tulsa 292 (2)

4 Green Bay 278 (1)

5 Arkansas 257

6 South Georgia 222

7 Oklahoma City 221

8 Quad City 197

9 Iowa 193

10 Boise 167 (1)

11 Stockton 143 (1)

12 Tennessee Valley 123

13 Rio Grande Valley 117

14 Bossier-Shreveport 104

15 Mahoning Valley 93

16 Central Valley 82

DROPBACK: The Stockton Lightning (1-0) opened the 2009 campaign in resounding fashion with a 68-54 road victory over the Central Valley Coyotes at Selland Arena on Saturday night in Fresno.

The Lightning, who won at Selland Arena for the second straight time, were led on offense by QB Andy Collins, who completed 24 of 28 passes for 309 yards and six touchdown passes, and also scored a career-high three rushing touchdowns, en route to the biggest offensive output to open a season in Lightning history.

With the Lightning boasting an offense with a revamped offensive line and a wideout corps fully intact from last season (Justin Taplin, Troy McBroom and Ruben Jackson), WR Justin Taplin had a monster game, and was Collins' favorite target, with 13 receptions for 168 yards and five touchdown catches.

LIGHTNING VS. SHOCK - SERIES NOTES: This week's matchup between the Lightning and Shock is the 8th in the all-time matchup and the Lightning are looking for their first victory in the lifetime head-to-head series. Spokane is 7-0 in the all-time series and has a 3-0 lifetime record in Stockton.

In the last matchup at Spokane Tribe Field on May 31, the Spokane Shock used a goal line stand in the fourth quarter to thwart a dramatic comeback by the Lightning (2-8), who had a second half rally spoiled in a 52-42 loss to the Shock before a crowd of over 9,000 at Spokane Tribe Field in the 2008 campaign of Week 10 of arenafootball2 play.

In 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.

The Shock, who improved their all-time mark to 6-0 against the Lightning, rallied behind Nick Davila's 283 passing yards, 6 touchdowns and a 29-for-39 passing effort. Mutsumi Takahashi had the JLS Ironman of the Game honors with four returns for 83 yards and one tackle, while the Lightning were led by Ruschard Dodd-Masters' ironman efforts with 5.5 tackles and a game-high 7 returns with 133 return yards.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Spokane leads, 7-0

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



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