Shock zero in on another big goal
Win would assure home edge
There’s been an unwritten checklist imprinted in their minds since the arenafootball2 season began in March.
Topping the list – win a Western Division title. The Spokane Shock did that for the third time in as many years three weeks ago when they beat Central Valley at the Arena.
Goals were added along the way for the Shock. They wanted to become the fourth team in league history to go undefeated on the road, which they accomplished by winning last Saturday’s game at Stockton, and finish strongly to earn the opportunity to host an ArenaCup championship game.
With a win this weekend at home against the Quad City Steamwheelers (7-7), the top-ranked Shock will assure themselves home-field advantage throughout the af2 playoffs. Assuming they win their first- and second-round games, the Shock (13-1) would host the National Conference championship game on Aug. 16 and the af2 title game on Aug. 25.
“There are some implications here that make this a big game,” Shock coach Adam Shackleford said. “It would be nice to host, there’s no doubt about that. We love playing in front of our home crowd.”
The implications are specific to this game because should Spokane pick up its second loss of the season this weekend, there is a chance the Shock, the only one-loss team in the league, and the Wilkes/Barre-Scranton Pioneers (12-2) out of the American Conference could be tied at the end of the regular season (assuming the Pioneers win their two remaining games).
If that happens, then records against common opponents would be the determining factor. Since Quad City is the only common opponent between the Shock and Pioneers, who went 1-1 against the Steamwheelers this season, the Shock would lose the right to host the title game.
“We haven’t talked about (the implications of this game) with the players, because their job is to go out and win the game no matter what is on the line,” Shackleford said. “We have a long road before we get (to the ArenaCup), but if we have the luxury of playing in the ArenaCup then hosting it here would be a big deal.”
Sauk returns to Spokane
A familiar face returned to the practice field this week.
Assistant coach Matt Sauk, who left the team in May to play quarterback for the AFL’s Arizona Rattlers, is back with the Shock coaching staff after Arizona’s season ended with a 48-41 loss to Grand Rapids in the wild-card round of the AFL playoffs.
“It was a tough decision for me – to go back and play or to coach these guys,” Sauk said. “I was with these guys for a while and it was hard to be away from these guys.”
Adding to his tough decision was the fact that when he got the call from the Rattlers, his wife and kids were due to visit in Spokane just days later. When he opted for Arizona, it was another month before he got to see his family.
“I had gone like three months without seeing them, so there are certain tradeoffs,” Sauk said.
While Sauk was in Arizona, Shackleford had joked that he didn’t want Sauk back in Spokane too soon. That would mean his playoff run had come to an end. But Shackleford is definitely glad to have his colleague back in town.
“He brings intensity as a coach and these guys buy into what he’s saying, because they’ve watched him play and he’s had success – he really takes it serious,” Shackleford said. “Neither one of my coaches (Sauk or assistant Alex Sirianni) makes a lot of money, but they come out here and work hard.”
Extra points
Single-game playoff tickets go on sale to the general public at noon Friday through TicketsWest. The Shock will host their first-round playoff game (opponent TBA) on Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. at the Arena and, it they win, their second-round game on Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. … Leading receiver Raul Vijil, who didn’t make the trip to Stockton over the weekend to rest a sore back, practiced Wednesday and may play this weekend. … The Shock were ranked No. 1 in the coaches’ poll for the third straight week with 25 of 29 first-place votes. … The Seattle Seahawks Blue Tour – which includes linebacker Will Herring, offensive lineman Kyle Williams, the Blue Thunder drumline, Sea Gals, mascot Blitz, Seahawks staff and alumni – will be in Spokane for the game this weekend. For more information, call the Shock office at 242-7462.