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Spokane Shock

IFL’s top teams clash when Spokane takes on defending champ Sioux Falls

Spokane's Trevor Kennedy (18) runs the ball in for a touchdown against Wichita Falls during an indoor football game on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016, at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. (Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)

The Intense Conference standings aren’t intensely close. Spokane (8-1) is the only team with a winning record and the first-year Indoor Football League franchise is comfortably in front of Nebraska (5-6).

The United Conference standings aren’t very united. Sioux Falls is 9-1, three games clear of Cedar Rapids (8-4) in the loss column.

The IFL’s two best teams collide Saturday in South Dakota with the winner assuming pole position for hosting rights throughout the playoffs, including the United Bowl. Sioux Falls has won five straight United Bowls on its home field.

“Those (playoff scenarios) are things maybe some coaches don’t talk about but we do here,” said Empire coach Adam Shackleford, who lost in the 2011 and 2012 title games to Sioux Falls when he coached Tri-Cities. “We know how big this game is.”

The teams are practically mirror images statistically. Sioux Falls averages an IFL-best 59.9 points, followed by the Empire at 59.4. Spokane (46.9) has a slight edge in scoring defense over the Storm (47.5). The teams rank 1-2 in pass efficiency, yards per play and rushing offense.

Spokane has won six straight, including a 75-28 blowout over Billings last Saturday. The Empire’s only win over a team currently sporting a winning record was a 66-65 victory over Wichita Falls (5-4) in February.

Sioux Falls has survived several close calls, including a 66-58 decision over Wichita Falls last week. The Storm’s lone loss was to Cedar Rapids, but they’ve beaten the Titans twice.

“It is the measuring stick,” Shackleford said. “Until they get beat in that championship game, which I believe they’ll be in it, then they’re the best team in this league.”

Storm quarterback Lorenzo Brown leads the team in rushing with 377 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s tossed 38 TD passes and carries a 107.8 passer rating. Brown, operating behind a veteran offensive front, is in his first season as the starter. He was the longtime back-up to Chris Dixon, who led the Storm to four championships.

Linebacker Tyler Knight, a two-time IFL defensive player of the year, anchors the defense.

“We have to be able to run the football,” Shackleford said. “There are no secrets in this thing. We need to block for Trevor (Kennedy) and Charles (Dowdell) needs to make the right decisions at quarterback.”