Shock take next big step
The idea two weeks ago was that the Spokane Shock’s game with the Tri-Cities Fever was the most important matchup of the season.
The Shock lost 39-34 and saw their division lead shrink to one-half game over the Fever.
Lo and behold, the Shock have another most important game Saturday against the Central Valley Coyotes.
After the Coyotes (7-4) cooled the Fever (6-5) last Saturday, Tri-Cities dropped to third place and the Coyotes, who were tied with the Fever for second, can move into first with a win over the Shock (8-4) this weekend.
“It’s the biggest game and the next game,” Shock coach Adam Shackleford said. “It’s a chance to gain a game-and-a-half lead – at least – on everybody. They’re a very good football team and we’ve got out work cut out for us.”
When the teams met in Spokane on May 26, the Shock won 66-63 on a last-second connection from backup quarterback Justin Rummell to receiver Kelvin Dickens.
Shackleford feels the most important advantage for the Shock this week is that they are healthy on the offensive line. Amos Lamb has been playing the past two weeks with a broken toe and a slipped disk, which Shackleford said is healed, and two roster additions – Jason Karcher (Wyoming) and Ryan Belcher (Western Oregon) – are battling for a starting spot with current starter Brandon Leyritz.
“We’ve gotten better the last couple weeks,” Shackleford said. “Rico (Ochoa) has been pretty solid all year and Ben (Brown) and Katon (Bethay) have overall been pretty solid. … We’re one lineman away from being really good and I’m hoping one of these guys (Leyritz, Karcher or Belcher) emerges.”
Shock hit the links
Andrico Hines may have the starting quarterback job, but he’s definitely not the next Tiger Woods.
When it comes to golf, apparently Rummell has the edge.
Spokane Shock majority owner Brady Nelson, Hines, Rummell and kicker John Koker all enjoyed a prepractice round of 18 at the Coeur d’Alene Resort on Thursday for a charity event to benefit the Idaho Youth Ranch for boys.
“I would say Justin was the most consistent,” Nelson said.
Hines, who had never golfed before, said his first drive of the day went about 200 yards (and straight), but after that things literally got rough.
“I think if we would have kept an actual tally, he would have shot a 190,” Nelson said with a laugh. “I believe he won the shortest drive competition. The first hole he did great, and his second drive he hit it about 10 feet.”
On the Resort’s Floating Green, Nelson became $5 richer at the expense of Rummell, who made a bet that he could hit the green after Nelson, and came up just short with his sand wedge.
Notes
Wide receiver Antwone Savage is a game-time decision for this week’s game against the Coyotes. Shackleford originally thought Savage would be sidelined for the second straight week with a nagging hamstring injury, but said he had a good practice Wednesday that changed his mind. … Raul Vijil’s six receiving touchdowns last week – a franchise record – ties him for second (with three others) for single-game touchdown receptions in the league. The most scored in a single game was by South Georgia’s Chavis McCollister, who caught eight touchdown passes against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on June 9. … Secondary defender Nygel Rogers’ two trips to the end zone off interceptions last week is an af2 season high. Rogers, Alex Teems and Rob Keefe collected six picks, tying them for first in team interceptions in a game.