Shock go about business

The Spokane Shock haven’t ordered new, larger helmets this week.

The arenafootball2 expansion team’s rapid ascension to No. 1 in the coaches’ poll could lead to a case of swollen heads and egos, but coaches and players seem intent on avoiding those pitfalls.

How? Essentially by paying little attention to the rankings.

“The best thing about this group of guys is they don’t get into that,” defensive back Rob Keefe said. “It feels good, but it’s not a college poll that has any bearing on anything. There’s only one winner and we’re only halfway into the season.”

The second half starts when Central Valley visits the Shock at 7 tonight at the Arena. The Coyotes (5-3) knocked off Bakersfield last week, but fell 68-54 to Spokane (7-1) two weeks ago in Fresno.

Spokane is well versed on the recent missteps of top-ranked teams. The last three No. 1s had one-week stays at the top.

“The poll is for the public and the media,” Spokane coach Chris Siegfried said. “Most coaches try to vote as well as they can, but the bottom line is I vote for a lot of teams that I don’t really see too much.

“I think we’re a pretty good team, but I don’t necessarily feel we’re No. 1, at least not yet. If it was week 14 or 15, there’d be a lot more meaning.”

A victory over the Coyotes would mean a great deal to the Shock, who are on a three-game winning streak. Central Valley and Bakersfield (5-3) are Spokane’s primary challengers in the National Conference West Division. If the Shock win the division, they can be no worse than a No. 2 playoff seed in the National Conference.

“We played maybe our best game offensively (at Central Valley), but the defense didn’t play as well as they have,” Siegfried said. “We’ve played some good football at times, but we still haven’t played four quarters.”

Central Valley quarterback Scott Rislov ranks second in completion percentage, third in touchdowns and passer rating and seventh in passing yardage. He tossed seven touchdown passes against Spokane, but Chris Stallworth’s interception with 1 minute left sealed Spokane’s win. Rislov has been intercepted just five times this season.

“They’re very good on offense,” Siegfried said. “They’ve been banged up, but they just beat Bakersfield and in our division I felt Bakersfield was the team to beat in the first half. For Central Valley to beat them, that puts us on notice.”

Notes

Spokane will have a new kicker tonight. Former University of Louisville punter Wade Tydlacka steps in for Jon Koker, who is battling a foot injury. Tydlacka kicked for af2 Green Bay earlier this season. “It looks like for one game only, but it depends on Koker and how he responds to the injury,” Siegfried said. … The Arena parking lot will be the site of Fan Fest for the second straight week. The pregame festivities, with live music and other activities, begin at 3:45, two hours before the doors open. … Lineman T.J. Sitake, who was signed three weeks ago, has been placed on recallable reassignment.