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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Shock scrap way to win

Bob Highfill Special to The Spokesman-Review

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Spokane Shock had too much to play for to be ambushed in Stockton.

The Shock, an expansion franchise with the best record in arenafootball2, clinched the National West Division and a first-round bye in the ArenaCup playoffs with a 63-44 victory over the Lightning in front of 7,572 fans on Saturday at Stockton Arena.

The game was marred by an altercation involving several players with less than 1 minute remaining in the game. The fracas started when Lightning receiver Kenyatte Morgan and Shock defensive back Isaiah Trufant got tangled in the end zone following an incomplete pass. Punches were thrown and the coaches separated the players, as the final 56 seconds ran off the clock. After order was restored and the game was officially over, many players knelt in a circle at midfield.

Spokane, which also secured home-field advantage for the postseason leading up to the Arena Cup, scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter and pulled away with a touchdown to open the third quarter.

The Shock (12-2) won their fourth consecutive game and improved to 6-1 on the road, while Stockton (5-9) lost for the third time in its last four games, and is 2-5 at home in its inaugural season.

Spokane coach Chris Siegfried earned his 52nd career victory, tying him with Kevin Guy for first place on the af2’s all-time wins list.

Shock quarterback Kyle Rowley efficiently ran the offense in only his third start this season. The former Brown University player completed 15 of 19 passes through the third quarter for 173 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Stockton’s Josh Blankenship went 20 for 39 for 259 yards and three touchdowns with one interception through the third, but Stockton entered the final quarter trailing 49-32.

The Shock outscored the Lightning 21-6 in the second quarter and led 35-19 at halftime. Spokane has owned the second quarter in its last two games, outscoring Amarillo and Stockton 37-6.

The Shock scored less than 2 minutes into the second quarter when Antwone Savage corralled a missed field goal by Mark Hickok and scampered 58 yards for a touchdown. Spokane extended the lead to 28-13 midway through the second quarter on a 7-yard pass from Rowley to Charles Frederick.

Stockton’s Dell Hawkins snapped the Shock’s 21-point run with a 2-yard touchdown run, then Rowley found Frederick open in the end zone from 6 yards out with 1 second remaining before halftime. It was Frederick’s second TD reception and the third touchdown for Rowley, who completed 11 of 12 passes for 137 yards in the first half.