Spokane puts hurt on Stockton
You have to figure either the Stockton Lightning are that bad or the Spokane Shock are that good.
None of the Shock players or coaches was willing to admit that, of course, and it probably lies somewhere in between.
Either way, the Shock left no confusion as to which team was better on Saturday night in their third straight arenafootball2 home-opening victory – a 70-12 stomping of Stockton (1-1) in front of a sold-out Arena crowd. The Shock improved to 2-0, and will play the next three games on the road, beginning next Sunday in Kennewick against the Tri-Cities Fever, who lost to Stockton in their season opener.
“I think we’re going to look at the tape and see we didn’t play a perfect game – I know that already,” second-year Shock coach Adam Shackleford said. “Our biggest struggle this week is keeping these guys grounded. We have a lot of rookies.”
One rookie making a quick name for himself is defensive back Sergio Gilliam, who followed up last week’s franchise record-tying, three-interception performance in the Shock’s season-opening victory at Green Bay with more three picks. His final – which came with 5 minutes and 43 seconds remaining in the game – was returned 23 yards for the last touchdown of the night.
“That’s two games in a row our defense has stepped up and been huge,” three-year veteran receiver Raul Vijil said. “Sergio is all over the place, making plays. We’ve got a lot of new players, a lot of young players and they’re learning the game real quick.”
Vijil, who was part of the 2006 expansion Shock squad that won the ArenaCup championship, finished with 99 yards on six catches. He scored four touchdowns, including a 42-yard catch in the second period and a 35-yard reception early in the third that gave the Shock a 49-0 lead. Three of his touchdowns came in the Shock’s 42-0 shutout of Stockton in the opening half.
“I’ll probably get a negative still in coach (Matthew) Sauk’s book,” Vijil joked. “I got some great blocks down field. I get out there and instinct kicks in and I just have fun.”
Rookie quarterback Jason Murrietta completed 7 of 19 passes for 106 yards, tossed four touchdowns and ran for another. Backup Nick Davila was put into the game late in the final quarter, connected on all three of his passes and hooked up with receiver Patrick Bugg for a 28-yard touchdown.
The Lightning were struck down early not only by Spokane’s smothering defense but by a handful of injuries, including starting quarterback Chad Elliott, who went down in Stockton’s opening drive after being sacked by Shock lineman Harrison Nikoloa. Elliott returned to the field early in the second quarter and finished the game 20 for 39, throwing four interceptions and a touchdown in the process.
“They had some injuries tonight. (Stockton) coach (Doug) Murray has a better team than they showed tonight,” Shackleford said. “They got a little rattled, their quarterback went out. It’ll be a different story – a different game – when we play them on the road, I assure you that.”
Receiver Andy Olson and linemen Kevin McCullough and Katon Bethay also scored touchdowns for Spokane. McCullough’s was a 22-yard interception return to round out the first-half scoring, the second straight week the rookie has done so.
Extra points
Shock defensive lineman Jason Jack left the field with a possible MCL sprain in the first quarter and didn’t return. Shackleford said Jack will be out for 1 to 3 weeks. … The Shock’s 42 first-half points were a franchise record in a half. The previous record was 41 points on May 20, 2006, against Central Valley. The 12 points allowed were a franchise low.