Shock handed road loss

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Brett Dietz tossed eight touchdown passes and ran for two more scores as the Louisville Fire beat Spokane 79-69 in arenafootball2 action Saturday night, handing the Shock their first road loss of the season.

Dietz completed 25 of 34 pass attempts and finished with 259 yards and no interceptions. His 2-yard touchdown run and a 15-yard completion to Lance Taylor staked the Fire (5-5) to an early 13-0 lead and they never relinquished it.

Charles Frederick had another banner day for the Shock (8-2). He caught 14 passes for 192 yards and five TDs and rushed five times for 14 yards and a pair of scores.

Frederick, who has been named the af2’s U.S. Army Ironman of the week the past two weeks, also made three solo tackles and recovered an onside kick late in the game that was overturned by an offsides penalty.

Spokane quarterback Alex Neist matched Dietz with eight TD passes. Neist completed 26 of 34 passes for 324 yards. He had one pass intercepted.

The Shock’s Antwone Savage finished with four catches for 61 yards and two scores. Spokane’s other scoring play was a Neist-to-Chris Stallworth hookup from 7 yards out.

The Fire receivers – led by Rob Mager and Lance Taylor – had their way with the Shock secondary.

Mager, the af2’s leading receiver, caught six passes for 86 yards and four TDs, while Taylor snagged 10 passes for 106 yards and three TDs.

The Shock have a bye next week.

Spokane returns to action June 24 when it hosts the Albany Conquest at the Arena.