Shock have way with SaberCats
Spokane goes to 5-2 all-time versus San Jose
SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Spokane Shock continued their recent dominance over the San Jose SaberCats with a 73-62 Arena Football League victory Friday night at the SAP Center.
Spokane is 5-2 all-time against San Jose and has won the last four meetings by an average of 22.5 points. The Shock improved to 2-1 with the road win and took over the top spot in the Pacific Division. San Jose dropped to 2-2.
Quarterback Erik Meyer rushed for four touchdowns and tossed four touchdown passes. Mike Washington hauled in nine receptions for 171 yards and three touchdowns. Spokane’s defense came up with four turnovers, including Diyral Briggs’ fumble recovery and 6-yard return for a touchdown.
“We just needed to get back to normal,” Spokane coach Andy Olson said in a postgame radio interview. “Erik played out of his mind.”
San Jose quarterback Russ Michna, who sat out the last two games with concussion-like symptoms, had eight touchdown passes but was intercepted three times. Shock linebacker Terence Moore had two picks and defensive back Terrance Sanders snagged the third interception.
Spokane jumped in front on the first Meyer-to-Washington touchdown connection. Moore’s interception gave Spokane the ball and Meyer found Rashaad Carter for a touchdown that boosted the lead to 14-0.
The Shock led by as many as 21 before San Jose closed within 42-35 on Reggie Gray’s touchdown catch with 17 seconds left in the second quarter. Sanders returned the ensuing kick 55 yards for a touchdown, sending Spokane into halftime with a 49-35 lead.
Spokane scored 35 points in the second quarter. San Jose’s defense entered the game yielding 38.3 points per game.
Another Gray touchdown reception – he finished with five – narrowed Spokane’s lead to 49-42 in the third quarter. The Shock answered on Washington’s 41-yard TD reception and Meyer added a 1-run scoring run on fourth-and-goal to extend Spokane’s lead to 63-42.
“(Receiver) Brandon Thompkins played defensive back (in place of injured Paul Stephens), (receiver Adron) Tennell was a little banged up,” Meyer said. “Other guys have to step up and Mike had a heck of a game.”
Taylor Rowan was 10 of 10 on PATs and made a 23-yard field goal to hike Spokane’s lead to 66-49 with 6:03 remaining.
Michna passed for 352 yards, 177 of those going to former Shock receiver Rod Harper.