Shock groomed for playoffs

If the arenafootball2 playoffs started today, Spokane Shock coach Adam Shackleford would be going head to head with one of his groomsmen.

As the end of the regular season nears, the playoff watch has officially begun – and if the postseason kicked off this week, the Spokane Shock would host the Louisville Fire in the first round.

Louisville was one of two teams to defeat the defending ArenaCup champions last season (79-69 at Louisville) when Shackleford was the Fire’s offensive coordinator.

Fire head coach Tommy Johnson was in Shackleford’s wedding last year.

“I think it would be great,” said Shackleford of a potential meeting with his former mentor. “Tommy Johnson is a guy who I learned a lot from and who stood in my wedding, and I’d love to see that happen … we’re very familiar with each other’s coaching styles, and it would make for a great game.”

The Shock are the current No. 2 seed in the American Conference, and would play host to the Fire, currently No. 7 in the conference, to open the playoffs – which have changed from last year to add four total teams and eliminate the first-round bye for the top two teams in each conference.

This year, the three division winners and five wild-card teams in each conference will square off in the 16-team playoff that begins in early August and concludes Aug. 25 in Bossier City, La., with the ArenaCup.

For the Shock (9-5) to clinch the Western Division and home-field advantage in the first round this week, they have to defeat the Tri-Cities Fever by more than five points, and Central Valley needs to lose at Lubbock (6-7).

The Shock have a one-game lead over the Fever and CV, who are tied for second at 8-4.

Brown released

The Shock released fullback Ben Brown and will fill the position with veteran defensive lineman Katon Bethay, who started in Brown’s position in the Shock’s win two weeks ago at Central Valley.

Brown led the Shock with an average of 13.8 rushing yards a game and hauled in a total of 13 touchdowns this season, third behind Antwone Savage (35 TDs) and Raul Vijil (16 TDs).

Shackleford believes the move solidifies an offensive line he felt was one position away from being really strong and said the team will sign a defensive lineman later in the week to fill Bethay’s spot.

“We realized when we protect (quarterback) Andrico (Hines), our offense clicks real well. We felt this was the best decision for the football team. This is a pass-happy league and to have four guys over 300 pounds to protect has been an advantage for us when we’ve done that.

“We had to have the best guy in there to protect our quarterback.”

Notes

Only Fox Hole tickets remain for Saturday’s game against the Tri-Cities Fever at the Arena. … Savage, who caught a record eight TD passes two weeks ago at CV, will start this week against the Fever alongside WR Kelvin Dickens. Receivers Chico Mackey and Vijil have been trading rotations this week at practice, and could potentially both dress for Saturday’s game. … After the bye week, Savage’s numbers continue to rank among the league’s best. After 12 games, Savage is third in scoring with 35 TDs (17.5 points a game), fourth in receiving yards per game (112.8), fifth in receptions per game (8.42) and all-purpose yards per game (174.8) seventh in total all-purpose yards (2,097) and eighth in total receptions (101). … DB Rob Keefe is fourth in the league with nine interceptions and DB Alex Teems is sixth in total passes defended with 29.