Gilliam breaks record in Shock win
Spokane goes unbeaten on the road
STOCKTON, Calif. – In the process of the Spokane Shock completing a perfect road campaign this season, Sergio Gilliam finished what he started.
Gilliam, the Shock rookie defensive back who picked off three passes in Spokane’s arenafootball2 season opener this year, picked up his league-leading 16th interception on Saturday night to break the af2 single-season record as the Shock defeated the Stockton Lightning 65-47.
Gilliam broke the 6-year-old record set by former Tennessee Valley defensive back Kelly Snell, who is currently the defensive coordinator for former Shock coach Chris Siegfried and the Arkansas Twisters.
The top-ranked Shock (13-1), who won their third Western Division championship in as many years this season, also became the fourth team in league history to go undefeated on the road during the regular season, joining the 2000 Quad City Steamwheelers, the 2001 Tennessee Valley Vipers and last season’s Rio Grande Valley Dorados.
“It wasn’t very pretty tonight at times, but we battled,” Shock coach Adam Shackleford told radio announcer Paul Sorensen in a postgame interview. “To win eight games on the road, that’s a tough accomplishment and it will be as big of a deal as anything we’ll do this season.”
Shock quarterback Nick Davila completed 23 of 41 passes for 269 yards. He threw five touchdowns and one interception.
Spokane receiver Andy Olson caught a game-high 11 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Etu Molden, Patrick Bugg and Katon Bethay each caught one TD pass for the Shock.
Molden, the 2005 AFL Ironman of the Year, made his first appearance in a Spokane uniform and finished with nine catches and 106 yards. In addition to his TD reception on the first play of the fourth quarter, he scored on a 35-yard kickoff return early in the fourth quarter.
Defensive back Roshawn Marshall picked off Stockton quarterback Andy Collins twice, bringing his season total to six interceptions.
“Only 10 more to catch Sergio,” Marshall joked. “We just wanted to come out and put it together on defense, and we did that.”
The Shock return home for their last two games of the regular season – next week against the Quad City Steamwheelers and the following week against the Boise Burn.
Spokane will also host its opening-round playoff game on Aug. 2 against an opponent to be determined. “It feels good going back home on high note,” Marshall told Sorensen.
Extra points
The Shock finished 3-0 against the Lightning this season and have won all seven meetings in franchise history. …
Former Shock standout Rob Keefe and the Philadelphia Soul will face the San Jose SaberCats in ArenaBowl XXII in New Orleans on Sunday, July 27, after beating former Shock DB Alex Teems and the Cleveland Gladiators 70-35 on Saturday in the AFL National Conference championship. The SaberCats are defending ArenaBowl champions. The Soul will make their first appearance in the league title game. Keefe played for Spokane in for two seasons, including the 2006 ArenaCup championship team.