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Thunder to Spokane to Take on Shock

April 11, 2014 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Portland Thunder News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - The Thunder head to Spokane hungry for a win.

It's a place where the coaching staff is familiar with winning - Head Coach Matthew Sauk and assistants William Mulder and Clay Harrell were part of the Shock's last championship run in 2010 and they're hoping to rekindle some of that feeling with this year's Thunder.

"It's just another game," said Head Coach Matthew Sauk about a potential rivalry in the Northwest with Spokane. "I had a good time when I was there, I like the fans, but at the end of the day, I'm on a different team now, and it's just another game."

The Thunder defense was fierce against Iowa and Los Angeles. Against the Barnstormers, they intercepted three passes and returned a fumble for a touchdown. Against the KISS, they crushed J.J. Raterink five times for sacks and picked off another pass.

This week, however, they'll be tested thoroughly by last year's AFL MVP and the Week 4 AFL MVP, Erik Meyer and his revamped cast of receivers.

"It's a tough offense to go against. They're obviously really good - Erik's killing it again this year," said Sauk. "They're probably the best offense in this league - this is going to be a big challenge for our defense. It's really about trying to slow them down and frustrate their offense."

Leading the way for the Shock is Mike Washington, who is second in the league in yards per game with 112.0. The Shock's "other" receiver is Adron Tennell, last season's Offensive Player of the Year.

The Thunder offense, meanwhile, will look to get on track for the season with new quarterback Danny Southwick. In last week's game against the KISS, Southwick came off the bench at the start of the second quarter and threw for four touchdowns and a franchise-record 270 yards.

His number one target is likely to be Jeffrey Solomon, who leads the Thunder in receiving yardage with 321 yards this season. Solomon played for the Shock in 2012 and 2013.

The battle of the day could take place on special teams, where both Portland and Spokane have elite kick returners. Spokane's Terrance Sanders and Portland's Duane Brooks average 21.4 yards per return and each is a threat to take the ball to the house on every kick.

Back to the Thunder defense - against Iowa they allowed just 40 points. Against Los Angeles, only 37 (seven of the KISS' 44 points were scored on a return). The defense is putting up top-five numbers, and they're only getting better.

The defense features two key rookies - on the line, Donte Paige-Moss has been causing headaches for offensive coordinators and linemen, as he comes into the game second in the AFL in sacks. In the secondary, Jack linebacker Bryce Peila has made game-changing plays in every game, picking off two passes and returning a fumble for a touchdown.

It's all hands on deck - the offense, defense, and special teams will have to come up big to take down the Shock in Spokane Veterans Memorial Coliseum.



Arena Football League Stories from April 11, 2014


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