Shock dodge Lightning, 52-42
June 1, 2008 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Spokane Shock News Release
Spokane, WA: No one said that it would be easy, but the Shock pulled a dramatic victory 52-42 over the Stockton Lightning to give them their ninth win of the season.
"It doesn't matter how many you win by, you just have to win," Head Coach Adam Shackleford said.
After the Shock stormed out to an early 17-0 first quarter lead, newly acquired QB Andy Collins - who was appearing in his first game for the Lightning - continued to improve throughout the game and ended the night with six total touchdowns (Four passing and two rushing) with 271 passing yards. Collins performance kept them in the game as he continued to find open receivers, including WR Justin Taplin who led the receiving core with two touchdowns.
Late in the fourth quarter, Collins started their final drive of the game from the nine-yard line thanks to KR Rushard Dodd-Masters, with the Lightning down by only three points 45-42. Collins completed a 30-yard pass to WR Clarence Cunningham, down to the 4-yard line. After four rushing attempts, the Shock's defense came through with one of the biggest defensive stops this season denying the Lightning the touchdown that could have won the game. On fourth down, Collins tried to sneak it up the middle but he was stopped by DL Harrison Nikolao and a host of other Shock defenders.
"I just had to make a big play and come up with the stop," Nikolao said. "I wasn't going to let him get in for anything."
After this crucial stop, the Shock's offense took over and scored their final touchdown of the night, with only 5-seconds left in the game on a one-yard run by QB Nick Davila. Davila, who was named the Schutt's Offensive Player of the Game, had seven total touchdowns (6 passing and one rushing) with 283 passing yards.
WR Patrick Bugg, who had his second start of the year, put together another complete game with ten receptions (that tied Andy Olson for the team led in receptions) and two touchdowns. But it was second year man WR Kelvin Dickens who stole the show in the fourth quarter. After going down with an injury in the third quarter Dickens battled back in the fourth quarter and scored a 45-yard touchdown, the longest of the evening.
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