Twisters stand in Shock’s way
On the bus ride home after an upset win against Tulsa last Saturday, Arkansas Twisters players and coaches instantly became huge Bakersfield fans.
If sixth-seeded Bakersfield could knock off Spokane, it meant the fifth-seeded Twisters would entertain the Blitz, a team it previously defeated by 18 points, in the National Conference championship game. The Twisters monitored the second half of the Shock-Blitz game with the help of a cell phone and some friends who tuned into the contest over the Internet.
About halfway between Tulsa and Little Rock, the Twisters were depressed to learn that Spokane’s Charles Frederick hauled in a game-winning touchdown pass with 2 seconds left.
“Everyone was disappointed, but what can you say?” Arkansas radio broadcaster Jake Hatley said. “They’re the best team in the league record-wise. As the old saying goes, to be the best you have to beat the best.”
The best of the National Conference clash at the Spokane Arena tonight at 7 with the winner earning a trip to the ArenaCup in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is no surprise that top-ranked Spokane (15-2) fills one half of the bracket. The Shock, winners of seven straight, have the best record in arenafootball2 and enjoy perhaps the biggest home-field advantage in the league, playing in front of noisy crowds of 10,000.
Arkansas (12-6), meanwhile, has caught fire at an opportune time. The Twisters have won four straight, including a pair of road victories over higher-seeded teams in the playoffs. Twisters quarterback Walter Church was at the helm when Peoria put up 42 second-half points and defeated Florida to win the 2002 ArenaCup. He has tossed 12 touchdown passes in two playoff games.
In the regular season, the Twisters ranked second in rush defense (14.6 yards per game) and pass efficiency defense (81.0), third in scoring defense (44.6 points) and fourth in total defense (238.8 yards).
Shades of Bakersfield, which pushed Spokane to the final play last week?
“They have a great pass rush, even though they lost one of their best guys (the suspended C.J. McLain),” Shock lineman Kurt Sigler said. “Coach (Chris Siegfried) has been focusing on not taking them for granted. It’s just like anything else. It just depends on who comes out to play.”
The Shock handled the Twisters 46-23 in Little Rock last month, but Siegfried called that one of Spokane’s most complete efforts of the season.
“We have a big, big obstacle in front of us,” Siegfried said. “I am somewhat worried about it because it is a team that we beat, but what I hope they realize is we played Arkansas on a day when they didn’t play well, just like when we didn’t play well against Bakersfield (in a 52-20 loss in early May).”
Arkansas coach John Gregory doesn’t have fond memories of the loss to Spokane.
“They just dominated us at every position,” he said. “They were all over us on both sides of the ball and on special teams. Their staff has done a great job. They were very good blocking on offense, they get a good pass rush, good coverage.
“On top of that, you have to deal with Charles Frederick.”
Frederick had 15 catches for 144 yards and five touchdowns against the Twisters.
“I told everybody that he’s the best receiver in arena football at either level (AFL or af2),” Gregory said.
Notes
Lineman Christian Harmeyer, who hasn’t played since midseason, has left the team, Siegfried said. Siegfried didn’t elaborate on Harmeyer’s departure, but said the Minnesota State-Mankato product had a 90 percent chance of playing in next week’s ArenaCup if Spokane wins tonight. The Shock would also be without lineman Jerome Stevens, who is getting married next Saturday. … No. 1-seeded Florida entertains No. 2 Green Bay for the American Conference title at 4:30 PDT. At least one home team has lost in the conference championship round each of the last six seasons. Both home teams lost in 2002 and 2004. … As of midafternoon Friday, there were only 300 tickets remaining.