Another Shocker at the finish

The Spokane Shock is only three games into their arenafootball2 existence, but they’re already adept at pulling out white-knuckle victories.

The Shock knocked off Everett 44-41 on Raul Vijil’s 30-yard touchdown reception with 34 seconds left, before a sellout crowd of 10,187 Saturday night at the Arena. Vijil’s touchdown, his fifth of the game, answered an Everett touchdown just 14 seconds earlier.

Spokane improved to 3-0 while the Hawks slipped to 0-3.

“We never want it to be in these situations,” said Vijil, an Eastern Washington University product. “But it helps that we’ve been through them before.”

Contrary to the Shock’s previous two victories, they held the upper hand statistically, but nearly got caught at the finish line.

Spokane was in front 37-27 when Hawks’ quarterback Julian Reese scored on a 1-yard keeper with 10:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. Spokane had a chance to put the Hawks away, but failed to convert on a fourth-and-3 with just under another minute left.

Everett scored on the ensuing play with Reese hitting A.J. Street on a 24-yard touchdown pass, putting the Hawks on top 41-37 with 48 seconds left. The Shock’s Charles Frederick returned the kickoff to the 20 and Vijil beat defensive back Kendrick Walker on a post-corner route for the TD reception.

“That was a great catch,” Spokane quarterback Alex Neist said. “I just tried to give him a chance to go up and get it.”

Neist finished 31 of 47 for 351 yards, nearly doubling his average from the first two games. The Shock brought in former Miami quarterback Derek Crudup for a tryout earlier this week, but Neist responded with his best performance of the season.

“In these pro leagues that’s the way it is,” Neist said. “The thing I’m happiest about is the way the offense came together.”

Spokane visits Amarillo next Saturday.