3rd time around for Shock, CV
Four points separated the Central Valley Coyotes and the Spokane Shock in their two regular-season contests.
Today the Western Division rivals will square off for a third time, and this time it’s a winner-take-all scenario.
The Shock and Coyotes kick off their second round arenafootball2 playoff matchup at 7 tonight at the Arena. The winner moves on to the National Conference championship game and the loser goes home.
“They are a really, really good football team and we expect their best effort of the season (tonight),” said Shock coach Adam Shackleford, who earned his first af2 playoff victory as a head coach when Spokane beat the Austin Wranglers last Saturday.
“I really can’t emphasize enough how much I respect (Central Valley coach) Fred Biletnikoff (Jr.) and what he’s done for that team in the second half of this season,” Shackleford said. “He’s a fiery coach and a guy who really lets his emotions go on the field, and his team plays and takes that kind of adrenaline and really puts it all into the way they play.”
Last time the top-seeded Shock and Coyotes met, Spokane (16-1) came away with a two-point victory and locked up its third straight division title.
The game was on June 28 in Spokane when CV dressed veteran quarterback Clay Groefsema, who they had recently re-signed.
Shock quarterback Nick Davila turned in a career performance, setting franchise records and season highs in pass attempts (50), pass completions (34), and passing yards (367). He completed six touchdown passes and rushed for two more.
Still, it came down to the final drive.
CV receiver Jason Barnes caught a Groefsema TD pass with only 16 seconds left in the game and the two hooked up again on the two-point conversion pass play.
The Coyotes kicked off and Shock receiver Andy Olson carried the ball to the Shock’s 8-yard line. A personal foul call on Central Valley moved the ball up to Spokane’s 18-yard line.
One play later, Olson hauled in a 13-yard pass to put the Shock within field-goal range. With 5 seconds left, Shock kicker Brian Jackson nailed
a 34-yard game-winning field goal as time expired.
The Shock offense struggled last week in the first half of the game and was carried by their defense to ultimately come away with a 42-14 victory over Austin. Shackleford believes his team will respond this week after a solid week of practice.
“We’ve had our best week of practice offensively I think that we’ve had all year,” Shackleford said. “We may have had our worst week of practice on that end last week and we certainly played like it in the first half last week. We can’t afford to do that but effort has never been a problem with this football team though.
“I feel good going into this game.”
Extra points
Shock fullback Katon Bethay, who sat out last week because of a knee injury, will play today. Harrison Nikolao will move back to nose guard. … Receivers Raul Vijil and Andy Olson will “not come off the field,” Shackleford said Friday. The third receiver he will dress will either be Etu Molden, who sat out last week without an injury, Patrick Bugg or Kelvin Dickens. That decision will be made today.