Same story for Shock

After claiming their second consecutive division title, the Spokane Shock came home a little battered and bruised.

“It wouldn’t seem the same if we didn’t have some adversity,” Shock coach Adam Shackleford said Tuesday.

With their 55-19 win Saturday over the Amarillo Dusters, the Shock claimed the Western Division crown and secured themselves the second seed in the American Conference and a home-field advantage for at least one game in the playoffs.

The first-round game will be Aug. 4 at the Arena. If the Shock win, they will host their second-round contest as well, on Aug. 11.

“It felt good, because I know how hard this team has prepared and we’ve dealt with so much this year as a team, with injuries and guys coming in and out. I just think the guys really earned it,” Shackleford said of keeping the division title in Spokane.

In their game against the Dusters, starting quarterback Andrico Hines and star receiver Antwone Savage both left the game early with injuries. Both will sit out this week when the Shock travel to Everett for their final game of the regular season.

Hines suffered a lower back injury and is resting this week mostly as a precautionary measure, Shackleford said.

“If he was healthy he probably would play, at least a half,” Shackleford said. “But he’s not going to be healthy in time.

“He’d be healthy enough to play if this was a playoff game, but we’re not going to push the issue.”

Savage injured a toe on his left foot, which the team originally thought was broken. He will also sit out to prevent further injury and give his foot time for the swelling to go down.

“The doctor says he will be running by next Monday,” Shackleford said.

Receiver Raul Vijil, who re-injured his ankle two weeks ago against the Tri-Cities Fever, will be a Thursday or Friday decision. Receiver/lineman Anthony Brown will start at receiver this weekend and newly signed lineman Odell Willis will fill Brown’s spot on defense.

“The main thing we want to do is get the win this weekend and head into playoffs with some momentum,” Shock defensive lineman Kelvin Morris said.

Show stoppers

They say the best offense is a good defense. In the Shock’s case, the defense provides the offense every now and then.

Morris added to his franchise-high number of touchdowns scored by a defender when he scored his sixth of the season last weekend at Amarillo.

“I just see it as doing my job, really,” said Morris, who spent his collegiate career at Clemson. “I’m just helping my team out and that’s what I’m here to do.”

Defensive back Nygel Rogers also recorded a team-best three interceptions in a single game in last week’s victory, bringing his season total to eight – one shy of Rob Keefe’s team-leading nine picks.

Most weeks that would warrant a defensive player of the week award, but Manchester’s Deon Gibbens racked up four picks and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Chris Royal intercepted three passes last week.

The crowd factor

Tickets still remain for the Shock’s Aug. 4 playoff opener.

As of Tuesday evening, just less than 5,000 tickets were sold between season-ticket holders that put their seats on early reserve and single-game seats that went on sale Tuesday morning to the general public.

Shackleford said having the home-field advantage will be considerably important for the team.

“It the biggest factor for us, I think, having that ninth man.

“I know teams don’t want to come here and play, and I’d like to think it’s all because they look at our film and see we’re a good football team, but I know a lot of it, too, is that they know they have to deal with crowd noise. We do have an advantage here … our crowd does a great job.”

Tickets can be purchased through TicketsWest ( www.ticketswest.com, 325-SEAT or the Arena box office).