Shock ready to defend title

It will be difficult to improve on a championship season of a year ago, but there’s optimism in the Spokane Shock camp.

At Tuesday’s practice, new head coach Adam Shackleford said the team is beginning to come together though he is not ready to announce a starting lineup.

The Shock topped the expansion Tri-Cities Fever 52-39 in a scrimmage last Sunday. The team opens the season on Saturday in the Spokane Arena against the Stockton Lightning. Game time is 5 p.m.

“We had some fumbles and made some mental mistakes (in the scrimmage), things you don’t put up with as a coach,” Shackleford said. “But we’ve got that stuff fixed. Some of the mental stuff you’re just going to have at first, whether you like it or not … the good news is we still have two weeks before we play.”

Receiver Antwone Savage, who scored 21 touchdowns in Spokane’s inaugural season, is excited about the team’s potential.

“I love the offense we’re running, there are so many things we can do with it,” Savage said. “I didn’t realize in af2 that an offense could be so widespread. We’ve got some talent at receiver again and our (offensive) line is looking great.”

Savage also was impressed with one of the newcomers on defense – lineman Kelvin Morris.

“I was looking at him like he was a receiver, because he’s like 6-foot-2 and he’s got an athletic build, but they told me he was a defensive end and I was like ‘whoa,’ ” Savage said with a laugh.

“I watched him for a couple plays in a scrimmage and he’s kind of like a Javon Kearse defensive end, and we need that this year – so I think that’s going to be a great help to us, too. And with Rob (Keefe) in the backfield, I know Rob will handle things.”