Shock clinch division title
July 19, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Spokane Shock News Release
With a 74-26 win over the Central Valley Coyotes (3-12) Saturday night the Spokane Shock (14-1) clinched the Western Division title, for the fourth consecutive year in a row.
The Shock also clinched the National Conference's top-seed heading into the playoffs thanks to an old friend. Former Shock Head Coach Chris Siegfried, currently the Head Coach of the Arkansas Twisters, defeated the second-seeded Tulsa Talons tonight 81-55 in Little Rock. Tulsa's loss Saturday night mathematically eliminated them from surpassing Spokane in the fight for the Conference's top spot. Spokane now has home field advantage throughout the single-elimination playoffs.
With a loss to the Stockton Lightning last week, the Coyotes lost any chance of making the playoffs and assumed the spoiler role tonight hoping to hurt the Shock's chances of winning the division.
The Coyotes hit the field with the chance to strike first and did so with ease, capping off the drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown by QB Jimmy Collins who joined the team early this week.
But the Shock were on a mission tonight to clinch a title and they didn't let up until they had achieved that goal, scoring three unanswered touchdowns before the end of the first quarter, taking a quick 20-7 lead.
With WR Andy Olson out this week with an injury, WR Markee White was given the opportunity to step up and he didn't disappoint. White scored the first two Shock touchdowns and with 30-seconds left in the first quarter WR Raul Vijil carried in a 20-yard TD reception to jump out to the early 13 point lead.
The Shock continued to dominant the Coyotes' in front of their home crowd, piling on 53-consective points, including four touchdowns, a safety and a field goal, before Coyotes' WR Lamonte Jones carried in a 16-yard touchdown reception with just over eight minutes remaining in the third quarter, narrowing the lead to 40 points.
The Coyotes continued to fight back but could only put up two more touchdowns before the end of the game, losing their ninth consecutive game of the season, their second to the Shock.
"We had a great show tonight," Head Coach Adam Shackleford explained. "We had a lot family and friends here and we're going to celebrate tonight."
Shock QB Nick Davila displayed the strengths of the top team in the af2 with one of his best games of the season completing 86 percent of his passes for 260 yards and six touchdowns.
While Dillon led the Shock in receptions (8) and receiving yards (85), White and Vijil both found the endzone three times before the night was over.
Defensively, the Shock had one of their best games of the season tacking on four interceptions, four sacks and six tackles for a loss. Collins was held to just 49 percent, 228 yards and three touchdowns.
"We have a great defensive football team," Shackleford said. "We've got four great defensive backs, and when we get Aaron (Williams) back we'll have four."
With just one game remaining this season, the Shock remain the top team in the af2 and will travel to Boise next week to take on the Boise Burn at 6:10 PM.
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