Shock nip Coyotes

FRESNO, Calif. – The Spokane Shock held on for a 42-40 arenafootball2 victory over Central Valley Saturday at Selland Arena when the Coyotes missed a 2-point conversion attempt with 6 seconds left.

Spokane (4-0) was led by wide receiver Raul Vijil, who caught 11 passes for 134 yards and four touchdowns.

“We knew they were a hard team,” Vijil said. “So we came out and played hard.”

Shock quarterback Jason Murrietta completed 17 of 36 passes for 200 yards, with five TDs and one interception.

During the first half the Shock defense dominated, giving up just one touchdown and taking a 28-7 lead.

The Coyotes (2-2), however, were the first to score. They had their only lead when quarterback Joe Ayoob connected with Tonae Martin for a touchdown.

Kicker Mikeal Bjork missed his first extra-point attempt, but a flag against the Shock for illegal formation brought the ball back.

The Coyotes led 7-0 after the successful second attempt.

The Shock wasted no time taking the lead and keeping it.

Vijil’s 26-yard kick return began the run.

After a few incomplete passes, Murrieta found wide receiver Andy Olson in the end zone.

The Shock continued to find the end zone and extended their lead to 28-7 halfway through the second quarter.

“We came out well in the first half and then struggled to get the ball in the end zone in the second half,” said Shock lineman Kyle Young. “We’ve just got to finish our drives.”

The Coyotes came out determined in the second half and scored two touchdowns, cutting the Shock’s lead to 14.

At 35-21, the Shock quickly answered back when Murrieta threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Vijil.

Minutes later, the Coyotes responded with a touchdown. Ayoob threw an 11-yard pass to Martin to bring the Coyotes within two touchdowns. A missed extra-point attempt, however, made the score 42-27.

“I thought I didn’t play too bad, but I think I could have done some things individually to help us,” Ayoob said. “I think other guys on the field in certain plays could have done some other things, it’s really no one in particular. It’s just one guy screws up the play and it screws up the whole play.”

To start off the fourth quarter, the Shock were unable to complete a pass and the Coyotes took over at Spokane’s 9-yard line.

Ayoob ran it in for the score, cutting the lead to 42-34.

In the Shock’s next two possessions, they were unable to complete a pass. With less than 2 minutes remaining, they turned over the ball.

That turnover resulted in a touchdown with 6 seconds left, which brought the Coyotes within two points.

On the 2-point attempt, however, defensive back Sergio Gilliam was in the right place and got a hand on the ball to knock it down and keep the Coyotes from tying up the game. Spokane recovered the ensuing onside kick.

The Shock were 4 of 8 on third-down conversions.

“Now we’ve gotta go down to Texas and show we can finish,” Young said. “At halftime it seemed like it was almost over, so we’ve gotta keep pushing it, not let up.”