Shock get defensive in opener
ASHWAUBENON, Wis. – If the Spokane Shock defense plays like this all season, new quarterback Jason Murietta will have all the time he needs to adjust to the arenafootball2 game.
Rookie defensive back Sergio Gilliam had three interceptions and broke up another pass with a monster hit Sunday afternoon, keying a defense that forced six turnovers as the Shock opened the season with a 64-48 victory over the Green Bay Blizzard.
Raul Vijil returned a missed field goal 56 yards for a touchdown, and Roshawn Marshall and Kevin McCullough scored on defense, the latter on a 34-yard interception return that all but sealed the decision with a minute to play.
“When you can force turnovers and you limit your turnovers, you think you have a pretty good chance to win the game,” coach Adam Shackleford said. “We made a lot of mistakes, (but) to get a win against a tough team on the road, it means, hopefully, good things for us in the future.”
Murietta, a rookie from Northern Arizona, had his moments and threw for four touchdowns in the rematch of ArenaCup 2006, also a Spokane win. But it was the Shock defense that stole the show Sunday, at one point forcing turnovers on four consecutive Blizzard possessions.
“It starts with our defensive line,” said Gilliam, a Clemson product who was cut by the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings last spring. “They had a great rush, and then our linebackers did good. I’m just in a certain spot making my coverage, and every D-back is taught to make a play.”
Gilliam’s second interception led the Blizzard to bench starting quarterback Matt Bohnet. Facing a 21-point deficit, backup Shane Adler ran for one touchdown and threw for another to pull Green Bay within 50-42 with 8:33 to go. But the ensuing onside kick failed, Kelvin Dickens powered for a 1-yard touchdown three plays later, and the Blizzard didn’t score again until Adler ran in for a score with 3 seconds left.
By that time, the Shock were leading by 22 and a Resch Center crowd of 5,117 that didn’t see the Blizzard lose in nine home games last season had begun to thin out.
The Shock, 3-0 in season openers, had six takeaways to Green Bay’s three. Vijil and Dickens each had three touchdowns for the Shock, which turned a 23-21 deficit into a 37-23 halftime lead and never led by fewer than eight after the break.
Murietta finished 21 of 37 passing for 170 yards and threw three interceptions.
“His poise under pressure when things weren’t going well was impeccable,” Shackleford said. “He bounced back, threw some big touchdowns, got a big first down on a run. He’s going to be a good one for us.”