KC beats Shock with last-second field goal

KANSAS CITY – A furious comeback by the Spokane Shock fell short Saturday when Brian Umstead kicked a 23-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Kansas City Command to a 45-42 victory in Arena Football League action. It was the only points scored by the Command in the fourth quarter. The Shock trailed 42-27 after three quarters before rallying to even the score. Fill-in quarterback Casey Hansen hooked up with receiver Greg Orton for a 2-yard touchdown with 13:43 remaining in the game to cut the Command lead to 42-34. Spokane used a 10-play, 34-yard drive to knot the score at 42-42 with 4:51 left to play. The scoring drive concluded when Emery Sammons caught a 3-yard pass from Hansen for a touchdown. A two-point conversion pass from Hansen to Raul Vijil pulled the Shock even. Kansas City took over on its own 6-yard line with 4:02 remaining. The Command advanced the ball 37 yards in seven plays to set up Umstead’s game-winning boot. With the loss, the defending-champion Shock fall to 4-7 on the season. Hansen struggled to connect with his receivers in the early going. Spokane’s only score in the first quarter came on Alex Teems’ 19-yard fumble return and gave the Shock a 7-0 lead. The Command (4-7) bounced back with 16 unanswered points before the Shock scored their first offensive touchdown of the game – and it was a lucky one. Hansen misfired to his intended receiver but the ball bounced off the back wall of the end zone and Sammons snagged it for a 6-yard score to cut the deficit to 16-14. Command QB J.J. Raterink hit Robert Gill for a 13-yard score and Umstead added a field goal for a 29-14 Kansas City lead at the half.