AFL Western

On Wednesday, December 12, three-time world champion San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League called to inform Nate Lewis—who had just piled on more AAA records to his growing legend during the Catalina Kickoff Classic—that he would be worked out for a week by the coaches and staff on January 13 as the team searches for a new cornerstone.

At the December 8 game, 6'5", 235-pound SoCal Coyote quarterback Nate Lewis threw for three first-quarter touchdowns, added another in the second and finished the first half 17 for 21 (.810 percent) for 331 yards and an astronomical QB rating of 127.0. Two other drops would have put him over 400 yards, but hey, who's counting?

The final result was a 56-8 annihilation of a stocked Division I-talent team that called itself the "Elite," but on this night, Lewis taught them the meaning of the word. He was also benched for the first time as a Coyote, when head coach J. David Miller mercifully sat him down at half time.

It was hard to believe this was the same quarterback who considered quitting football just a year ago and had once asked Coach Miller if he had "a legitimate chance to go to the next level if I give this game everything I have."

Miller, a veteran of Arena Football wars, assured him yes.

"If you don't believe in yourself," Miller told him, "the vote's unanimous. Trust yourself, trust your teammates, trust the system. When we're finished, you're going to get your shot. All you can ask for in life is a legitimate shot."

And that shot came.

Will Lewis Make the SaberCats?

That was the $64,000 question that immediately rumbled through Coyote nation.

The optimists predicted Lewis's arm, maturity and mastery of the offense would impress the veteran San Jose coaching staff. Behind Lewis, the Coyotes rolled up 5,212 yards in total offense last season, and Lewis was named National Player of the Year.

The SaberCats have asked starting quarterback and future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Garcia to groom the next cornerstone of the franchise that the team selects, whomever he might be.

Lewis's teammates were ecstatic, especially All-American wide receiver Rashad Roberts, who was asked by the SaberCats to accompany Lewis. Backup Coyote quarterback Travis Russell—himself only a few years removed from being one of the nation's most highly recruited college quarterback—suddenly had the look of a high school senior who might get to drive the family car, for real, for the first time.

But make no mistake: Good, bad or indifferent, all eyes were on Lewis, who scouts compared to a young Kurt Warner in size, strength and ability. Coaches around the nation called to congratulate Lewis and the Coyotes, regardless of the outcome.

"This is a great day for football and why every kid should never give up on his dream," said one coach in a text. "Whether he makes it or not isn't the issue. He earned the right to be there."

"We hope Nate makes the Sabercats," texted an Arizona opponent. "Let the Arena League figure out how to stop him, because we damn sure couldn't."

It was a heady day for the 26-year-old Lewis, a minor-league football emigrant who now made the scouts who overlooked him years ago embarrassed, set new AAA records for attempts and completions every time he took a snap and in his last six quarters of work was averaging a touchdown about every 5 attempts.

How did the best AAA quarterback celebrate? He mowed grass and directed employees at his landscaping business.

"I'm speechless," he said when he heard the news by phone and got the email from San Jose. "I've trained my whole life for this. But can I call you back? I've got to finish this job for a client, and I gave them my word that it would be done today."

Favoritism on Miller's Part?

On Saturday, Lewis had 177 yards and three touchdowns—in the first quarter. His final stats were surreal, namely because he didn't appear to be sweating in the 48-degree ocean air. There's no way to quantify Lewis's commanding pocket presence, his ability to release the ball just before the rush arrived or the amazing array of passes he threw with chilling accuracy.

Somehow Lewis became a player so lightly regarded out of Fairmont State that pro scouts ignored his MVP status from the College of the Desert and state-championship prowess from Cathedral City High School. But after being resurrected by Miller, Mouse Davis and the entire Run 'n' Shoot family, he is playing like a natural-born thriller.

"He's in a zone," says Miller. "I've never been around any quarterback that is this hot, and that includes 'Sugar' Shane Stafford when he lit up the Tampa Bay Storm (AFL)."

Miller has been criticized publicly for his promotion of Lewis, and the coach doesn't flinch under scrutiny. It has come from former players and opponents alike, who protested the Coyotes' "classless" wide-open aerial assault and Miller's "favoritism" of his signal-caller.

Miller had this to say:

Oklahoma ran the wishbone for 12 years and won multiple national titles, but when they got Marcus Dupree, Barry Switzer went to the I-formation. When Don Shula drafted Dan Marino, the Dolphins went four-wide and Marino became the face of the franchise. We are the Run 'n' Shoot. We aren't changing our offense because we have the best quarterback in football and we're winning 50-0 and you can't stop us.

That's your job. And yes, I show him favoritism. He works so hard it would be shameful not to. What are we doing wrong? Take Nate away from us last season, and we're a great defensive team that can't score points on offense. His arm and proclivity in the passing game, even the threat of it, makes everything work, including our running game.

Such proclamations might serve as a red flag for even the mildest of cynics, but once you meet Lewis and hear his story, it's awfully tough to question Miller's faith. He is as grounded and solid as a redwood, and it's certainly no accident that he has emerged as the anti-Ryan Leaf, a quiet leader who exudes maturity, was handed nothing and is grateful to even earn a shot to make an AFL roster.

Sheer hope guided Lewis along his unlikely path to AAA football prominence, from his time as a  two-year starter and MVP at College of the Desert to earning a full scholarship at Division II Fairmont State, before a broken collarbone put him on the bench. 

Yet he clung to his dream of playing football, even when it seemed he didn't have a prayer—but the doors just didn't seem to open. He toiled in the minor leagues, including a season in which he played safety just to get on the field, and in one game as a backup quarterback completed only four of 12 passes for 41 yards. Other minor league 'coaches' (many of whom had never coached)  thought his size might actually make him a good defensive end.

Lewis admits there were times when he lost his grip on his confidence. He built up his own business and was on the verge of putting the game behind him for good. Until his wife encouraged him to give his first love one more shot.

Enter Miller, Mouse, June Jones and about a combined 100 years of Run 'n' Shoot experience.Lewis said about them:

I don't know where these guys came from, but thank God they did. They all told me they believed in me, and that restored my belief in myself. They never asked me to do things I couldn't do. They took what I could do, built around it, and exploited every single skill and asset I brought to the table.

What he brought to the table was plenty. "Which is uncanny leadership, a cannon arm, intelligence, and what all the great ones have," says Miller. "An unbelievable, unexplainable desire to win, and the ability to put the dagger in you, in ways you didn't think were possible."

Lewis' Potential

Many highly drafted or scouted quarterbacks typically don't shine quickly, but Lewis's minor-league seasoning might allow him to burst onto the scene like an old pro.

"His accuracy is frightening, and he shows poise, toughness and an aptitude for reading defenses in a hurry," says Nick LaPointe, who coached last year at a nearby college and joined other coaches and scouts on the sidelines to witness Lewis and the Coyotes first-hand. "You have to see it to believe it. The Coyotes wide-open style has helped Nate perfect the art of making quick, decisive throws."

"A lot of young quarterbacks struggle to adjust to the speed of the game," says Mouse Davis. "That's something you can't glean from watching them practice. This kid slows the game down a little bit, and part of that's because of running our deal. It's not uncommon for us to throw the ball 300 times in a single practice, and we will keep throwing until we get it right."

Nate's speed is unexceptional, but his arm strength is impressive, and the touch on his passes is as soft as fleece. He can make all the throws, as he proved with his touchdown passes against the Elite: a hard, 15-yard arrow to slot Mondo Delgado after freezing the safeties with a pump fake; a willowy, 46-yard fade to Josh Asuncion in the back right corner of the end zone; a crisp 18-yard curl to Rashad Roberts that the receiver caught in stride and turned into a 53-yard score; an airtight, 67-yard strike to a well-covered Roberts along the left sideline.

The defense threw a variety of blitzes at Lewis, but he never flinched—which wasn't surprising to his teammates.

"We make a a conscious effort to pressure and confuse Nate every practice, but none of it fazes him," says assistant head coach Wayne Anderson Jr.

The more you watch Lewis interact with his family—and reaffirm his faith—the less stunning his phenomenal ascent seems. He appears to be sincere, unabashed and unspoiled.

"Nate's the most grounded person you'll ever meet," says Coyotes S-back David "The Diesel" Cathcart. Even though Lewis is off the charts right now, "there's no way he'll let this go to his head, regardless. He's Nate Lewis, week in, week out."

Preparation

When Coach Miller got off the phone with San Jose, he called his former pastor in Florida who has become a rabid Coyotes fan and broke the news.

 "Lord, we ask sharpness and clarity for Nate Lewis," the minister prayed. "He is still a Coyote, and he still has games to win in the desert before he goes. Let him stay humble and focused, yet be bold and perform beyond the realm of the skills you've blessed him with."

Then Miller scrambled to replace Lewis's NFL practice footballs with Arena game balls for Saturday's 7 a.m. practice at Freedom Park, where the quarterback's time as a Coyote might be dwindling.

"Go in there, work your ass off, make all of your throws, listen more than you talk, lead with your actions, and the other guys will accept you," Miller advised Lewis. "There are only two kinds of quarterbacks in the world: One gets better when he gets his shot, and one gets worse."

"Coach, I'm blessed to have this opportunity, even if it's for a single day," Lewis replied. "But this is only the beginning. We have to climb the mountain. I know I can play at this level."

Already, Miller was preaching to the choir.

Read more about the team on facebook at facebook.com/thesocalcoyotes

Arizona Rattlers QB Nick Davila threw for 266 yards and nine touchdowns, while WR Maurice Purify caught nine passes for 143 yards and seven TD's to lead the Arizona Rattlers over the Philadelphia Soul 72-54 to win Arena Bowl XXV in New Orleans on Friday night.

This is the first time since 1997 that the Foster Trophy is going back to Arizona.

Philadelphia was playing catch-up all game long, as Soul quarterback Dan Raudabaugh threw an interception on the first possession of the game. 

The Rattlers jumped out to a 27-13 lead at the end of the half behind Arkeith Brown's two second-quarter interceptions. 

The Soul only turned the ball over once more after the first half, but couldn't find a way to stop Arizona's offense. Philadelphia's offense was the story of the game, as they had only scored under 60 points in three of their 22 games.

Raudabaugh completed 26 of his 42 passes, throwing for 285 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions in the loss. WR Larry Brackins caught four of Raudabaugh's seven TD's, but the Soul could not get any stops.

In the third quarter, Arizona extended its lead out to 34-13 on a 38-yard Davila to Purify touchdown. The Rattlers would lead 54-34 at the end of the third quarter.

It went back and forth in the fourth quarter, but Philadelphia kept attempting onside kicks, which gave Arizona a short field.

The buzzer would sound, and the Rattlers would claim their franchise's third AFL Championship. The Soul, after having a disappointing 6-12 season is 2011, will have to settle for the silver medal. 

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The Spokane Shock secured a playoff berth with a wild Hail Mary pass as time expired in a 63-61 win over the San Jose SaberCats.

Shock head coach Rob Keefe may need an updated schedule, as he said this week that “it’s the second week of the playoffs.”  In his defense, his team needed a win last week to stay alive to defend their 2010 Arena Bowl Championship. 

A win vs. the SaberCats would all but seal up the fourth playoff spot for Spokane, while a loss would put them in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

The Shock (9-8) used an opportunistic defense and a virtually perfect offensive showing last Saturday to separate themselves from the Utah Blaze in the game and standings. 

Following that win I asked Keefe about their preparation for the rematch with San Jose and he spoke about the poor treatment his team had received there in week one.  The Shock were taunted and engaged by the SaberCat players and fans alike, including a barrage of late contact and having beer poured on them.  

“Let’s not forget that San Jose beat us by about 40 points in the first week of the season.  I’m not forgetting that,” Keefe said.  “I’m not forgetting how we were treated down there.  We have some redemption coming up.”

Redemption is precisely what was in store for Spokane.  The SaberCats scored a TD with 3.9 seconds remaining in the game to give them a four-point lead.  But Shock QB Kyle Rowley connected with newly-acquired Randy Hymes for their fourth TD of the game, sealing the 63-61 victory.

“There’s no love lost between the clubs.  They were pretty brazen and pretty in our face and flamboyant when they beat us 76-48.  Something we didn’t forget about,” Keefe said. 

“Not only did we beat them but we sent them home.  They’re not in the playoffs.  They should be very proud of themselves because they had a great season.  They had a lot of injuries but I’m happy that we’re the ones that put them out.”

The game did not start off well for Spokane as San Jose won the coin toss.  After deferring their selection to the second half, SaberCat Juan Gamboa sent the opening kick off of the goal post.  It bounced back to the Spokane five-yard line and was recovered by SaberCat WR Victor James.  A TD pass from Mark Grieb to James Roe gave San Jose an early 7-0 lead.

Spokane responded with a solid drive, blending nice passes and a few defensive penalties.  After a first-down reception at the SaberCat eight-yard line, the SaberCats picked up where they left off in San Jose.

Quinton Andrews took the Shock receiver over the wall after the whistle, edging Spokane closer to the goal line.  On the following play Shock QB Erik Meyer scrambled and ran to the goal line.  A hard hit brought him down at the one-inch line and knocked him out of the game with a shoulder injury. 

Following the play Eddie Moten threw a punch to the face of a Adron Tennell.  He was ejected from the game and play was fairly clean from that point on.

Kyle Rowley scored on the shortest TD run possible, making it a 7-6 game after a missed PAT.

San Jose responded with a quick drive, capped off by a TD run by James.  On their next possession Spokane had the ball fourth-and-two at their own 15.  Rowley went deep to an open Brandon Thompkins.  The ball was catchable, but a little short.  Thompkins bobbled it and the closing defender batted it away.

San Jose scored on another James run, giving the SaberCats a 21-6 lead as the first quarter ran down.

Spokane rallied on their next possession, moving the length of the field.  The drive was capped by Hymes’ first TD reception for Spokane, closing the gap to 21-13.

San Jose had a decision to make on their next drive.  They drove the length of the field and had fourth-and-one from inside the Shock five.  They opted to tap James for yet another run; coming off the left end he took an inside handoff and was met by the Shock defenders at the line of scrimmage. 

Spokane took over on their own two-yard line and Rowley went to work.  Hi hit Adron Tennell for 12 and nine-yard gains.  After a five-yard penalty Rowley hit Hymes for a 19-yard gain.  A nine-yard sack put Spokane in second-and-long again, but not for long.  Thompkins took his running start and made a quick move to the outside.  Andrews had tight coverage on the play for San Jose, but Rowley was right on target with his pass.  A well-timed leap brought down the TD pass for Spokane.

San Jose and Spokane exchanged TDs before San Jose had time for one last drive.  Roe made a nice over-the-shoulder catch in the corner of the end zone as time expired, giving the SaberCats a 35-27 lead and the opening kickoff in the second half.

The SaberCats picked up where they left off, taking their first possession of the second half to the Shock end zone on a 26-yard TD pass.  The PAT was blocked, though, and the lead was 41-27.

Spokane had a free play early in the next drive, as Rowley’s hard count again had San Jose offsides.  He had Thompkins open deep and this time hit him in stride.  However, the ball was still bobbled in the end zone for an incomplete pass.  Rowley eventually hit Tennell on a two-yard TD pass and they cut the lead to 41-34.

The SaberCats drove the field but their drive stalled in Shock territory.  They opted to try to extend their lead to two possessions with a FG attempt, but it was again blocked by the Shock defensive front. 

Rowley connected with Thompkins for a TD on the first play of the fourth quarter.  The SaberCats got a paw on the PAT, leaving Spokane trailing 41-40.

After San Jose responded with a TD, Chris Pino provided one of the biggest sparks of the game.  The 320-pound lineman took off downfield and was wide open.  Rowley hit him in all of his stride’s glory and Pino continued to rumble down to the five-yard line.  Rowley connected with Hymes for a TD pass on the next play and a 48-47 deficit.

The SaberCats again moved the ball with precision on their next drive.  Grieb found openings in the Shock secondary and threw another TD pass.  The PAT was good, despite a five-yard procedure penalty pushing the SaberCats back.

The Shock needed a quick score to close the gap, and the SaberCats obliged.  Gamboa kicked the ball to the side of the back net, giving Spokane the ball at the 20.  A nifty move by Tennell led to a 20-yard gain and Thompkins picked up eight on the following play.  Hymes was held on the following play and caught a TD pass from Rowley after the next snap. 

Trailing by two with 1:00 remaining, the Shock went for a two-point conversion.  Rowley faked an inside handoff and then pitched the ball to Thompkins coming around from the left end.  He ducked inside one defender and outraced Dwight McLean to the goal line, leaving the score tied at 55.      

This would not be the final two-point play of the game.  The ensuing kickoff was taken by Marco Thomas and he attempted to run down the left sideline.  He was stopped by a Shock defender and he turned inside where he was tackled in the end zone.  However, Thomas crossed the goal line before retreating.  The result was a safety and the Shock felt as though they were in control of the game.

The nature of Arena Ball dictates that leaving early is a bad idea, but some fans attempted to beat the rush of the 9,680 in attendance. 

Big mistake.

Another bounce went in favor of San Jose as they recovered their onside kick following the safety.  Grieb began driving the field and burning clock, throwing the go-ahead TD on the seventh play of the drive with just 3.9 seconds remaining.  They were not successful on the two-point conversion that would have made the lead six points.

The stands emptied even further as there was a break before the ensuing kickoff, an occurrence that was noticed by the players.  After the game Hymes commented “I feel bad that so many of the fans missed such an exciting finish.”

Spokane notified the officials that they intended to down the ensuing kickoff, which would lead to a one-second runoff.  Gamboa squibbed the ball downfield and Alex Teems made a clean recovery, leaving time for one final play.  Rowley made a high, deep pass down the middle of the field.  It was intended for Hymes but he was being pulled away from the play. 

“I told (Tennell) to trail the play the whole way,” Rowley said.  

He leapt for the ball, bringing it back from over the wall.  Rowley and many in attendance thought he had caught the ball, but it slipped out of his hands and right into the chest of Hymes who had closed from the side. 

Finally a bounce went the right way for Spokane.

Spokane has a game at Jacksonville next week before starting the playoffs in Arizona. 

“We could not be more thrilled right now that we’re in the playoffs after starting the season at 1-4,” Keefe said.

There has been a collapse of power in the NC West. With the Arizona Rattlers six game lead over the pack the battle will now be for the open playoff spot that will go to the number two team from the west.

With the rest of the NC West currently having identical records of 5-7 the race is wide open going into the last six weeks of the regular season.

At the beginning of the 2011 season the NC West appeared to be the powerhouse of the AFL with a tight race between the Utah Blaze, the San Jose Sabercats, and the Arizona Rattlers.

Now looking toward the end of the season only the Rattlers have a winning record. The Blaze lost their last three games and the Sabercats are suffering from a five game losing streak.  Only the Spokane Shock won a game in the last three weeks.

This is when an opponent is most dangerous. All of the other NC West teams have losing records and will put up a final flurry to fight their way into the postseason.  Just looking at these team’s websites you will find their rosters are swirling as they add and subtract players for the last stretch.

The Rattlers still have the Sabercats and the Shock on their schedule and will need to be cautious in protecting their home play-off field advantage. The Shock are one of the two teams that have dealt the Rattlers a defeat and a single loss could rearranged the Rattlers post season hopes.

The Arizona Rattlers easily defeated the Cleveland Gladiators in a victory that put the Rattlers at 9-2 on the season and four games out of reach from both the Utah Blaze and the San Jose Sabercats.

Out of the contest emerged an unlikely leader in Jason Geathers.

He has been a dependable wide receiver for the team throughout the season but has not been able to escape the shadows cast by Rod Windsor’s 1,186 yards and Trandon Harvey’s 1,038. Up until Saturday Geathers only had 470 yards and 10 touchdowns to his name.

Against the AC East’s best from Cleveland, Geathers tallied 111 yards, beating Harvey by 20 yards and Windsor by 23 yards. Geathers led the night for the Rattlers in touchdowns as well by pulling down four.

This year Geathers is on track for his second football championship. According to his bio on azrattlers.com his first championship was earned as a receiver/tailback on the 2001 University of Miami Hurricanes NCAA Championship team.

After a few seasons touring the NFL and CFL, Geathers has made his name in both the AFL and AFL2. Geathers is in his fifth year as an arena veteran. Geathers is a two-edged sword and though he has mainly been seen on offense and special teams this season; he can also threaten opponents on defense as well.

With the Rattlers posturing for the postseason and possibly a championship, Geathers is the man that can trip up the best defenses that can cover Windsor and Harvey.

They'll likely forget the third receiver on the field; that's when Geathers can shine.

The Tampa Bay Strom visited Spokane last August to play the Shock, but that game had just a touch more on the line. The Arena Bowl XXIII combatants are a bit humbled during the 2011 season.

The Storm brought a 3-6 record to the Veterans’ Memorial Arena looking for just a small amount of revenge, as the 4-5 Shock couldn’t afford a home loss if they are going to make a second-half surge into the playoffs.

On paper the Shock were a lock to win this game…at least until they lost both of their roster QBs last week. Bill Stull made his first start last week but was injured early in the game. Kyle Rowley started the first eight games of the season, but was benched in an effort to spur the offense. He came in and played very well, but left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. Both players were placed on injured reserve this week, leaving the Shock without a QB.

Casey Hansen spent time in Spokane during the 2009 season, so he was a logical inquiry for Spokane. But he has been out of football for a year. I spoke to Hansen after the game and asked about the circumstance that brought him back to Spokane. 

“I was actually hanging out with some friends,” Hansen said, when the Shock called him earlier in the week. "I recognized the area code but not the number, so I let the call go to voicemail. Tthe call came in late so I slept on it overnight and just started second-guessing myself. Not a lot of people get a second chance so I had to hop on that and see what I can do for them.”

Earlier this week he said it “feels good” to be back in Spokane. “I will be a little rusty, but it’s normal. I haven’t played in awhile. We have a great team, great receivers and a great offensive line. I know they’re going to stay behind me and pick me up.”

The rust wasn’t evident in the first half. There were a few issues with center exchanges, but that was due in part to an aggressive defensive line that didn’t exactly respect snap counts. Tim McGill was trying to jump the snap all night; sometimes he was flagged for several offside penalties, but he also got away with several early jumps.

The Storm offense took the field after Terrance Sanders had the opening kickoff stripped from his hands after being corralled at the Shock 5-yard line. The Shock defense stopped the Dallas Vigilantes five times last week, but the special teams unit made it difficult for the Shock defense to start the game. After penalty calls on the first two plays from scrimmage, Amarii Jackson scored on a six-yard reception from Brian Zbyniewski. 

Feeding into the theme of feast or famine, the Shock special teams unit made quick penance for the error. Ruschard Dodd-Masters took the ensuing kick back 55 yards for a TD. The PAT was blocked, which was a recurring theme for the Shock…part of the famine of the night.

Rowan’s kickoff hit the cross bar and bounced just out of the end zone. The Storm covered the ball inside the one, continuing the feast or famine from the Shock special teams. Following a quick first-down pass to former Shock receiver Huey Whittaker, the Storm offense fizzled.  Whittaker dropped what would have been a first down conversion on fourth and five.

The Shock used a long completion to Greg Orton and two Storm penalties to set up a two-yard TD pass to Raul Vijil, marking the first AFL TD pass from Hansen (he had 13 AF2 TD passes for the Shock).

The Storm’s next offensive possession stalled, settling for a 17-yard FG to cut the lead to three. On the Shock’s ensuing possession, Orton made a solid move to get underneath a perfect arched ball from Hansen. The missed PAT failed, but the Shock were looking comfortable with Hansen under center and had a 19-10 lead.

That was about the last time the Shock looked like the defending Arena Football Champions. The Storm used a quick-strike offense and two Shock turnovers (a fumble and a failed fourth and one conversion attempt) to score the next 21 points, leading to a 31-19 lead.

Spokane looked to get one last scoring opportunity at the end of the half. The final possession was marred by penalties that moved the ball up and down the field, and Spokane eventually settled for a 45-yard FG from Taylor Rowan. The Storm went into half with a 31-22 lead and would receive the second half kick.

The third quarter was, quite simply, as sloppy a quarter of football that I’ve witnessed in an arena football game. The Storm ran some different zone looks at Hansen, and he struggled in the Red Zone. The time change looked as though it might be taking its toll on the Storm (the second half started after midnight eastern time), as their offense was quite sluggish.

The first two possessions led to the ball being turned over on down. The Storm’s second opportunity featured two sacks and an eventual “field goal attempt” that Kyle Chilton kicked out of bounds to protect from a return attempt.

After the Shock turned the ball over on downs, the Storm had another fourth-down attempt from deep in their own territory, the led to another “field goal attempt” that was kicked out of bounds.  This marked the end of a scoreless third quarter.

The fourth quarter started off just as oddly. The Shock possession ended with a fumble being generated without the ball being actually being snapped.

In spite of the two line judges missing the offside penalty, the Shock got the ball back in a hurry when Sanders chased down an overthrown pass in the end zone. The Shock drove the field and cut the lead (the Rownan extra point attempt was blocked again).

This was as close as the Shock would get. Huey Whittaker put on a receiving clinic versus his old team, and the Storm LB Cliff Dukes made plays all over the field in the winning effort.

The mood on the Shock bench following the 51-42 loss was somber as expected. Coach Rob Keefe blamed the loss on “poor execution” and stated that “every game is a must-win.”

They have eight days until they play a road game versus the Kansas City Command. I asked Raul Vijil, who caught his 150th TD as a member of the Spokane Shock tonight, about how much time he and the coaches would be spending with Hansen leading up to next Saturday's game. "We're gonna get some rest tonight and wake up early tomorrow morning. That's how the coaches are," Vijil said. "They'll stay up all night if they need to."  

Spokane dominated the Command in Spokane on April 1, 61-34. They are in dire need of a win to maintain their playoff hopes. The matchup against the Command should give them a chance to notch a win and get their new QB meshing with the offense.

The Storm face the 5-4 Georgia Force next Saturday. Another win will allow the Storm to start thinking about making a late run at a playoff spot. Four teams from each conference qualify for the payoffs; the Storm are 1.5 games out after the victory.

Ever since returning to the AFL, the San Jose Sabercats have been lurking in the undergrowth waiting to rekindle a heated rivalry against long time enemies the Arizona Rattlers. Finally, after eight weeks of hearing about each other they had their chance to decide the leadership of the NC West.

Within five minutes of the opening kickoff both teams scored a touchdown, but a failed point after attempt left the Rattlers with a single-point lead. But the yellow flag dominated the first quarter against the Rattlers as the Sabercats forced their way up the field.

Finally, the Rattlers were able to stall the Cats drive. The Rattlers offense could not capitalize on the stop as Rod Windsor dropped a pass in the end zone and Nick Davila fumbled on the 10-yard line resulting in a Sabercats touchdown.

The second quarter of play saw the bad intentions by the Arizona Rattlers. The Rattlers defense pummeled the Sabercats and made them pay in time for their single touchdown for the quarter. 

During the quarter, the Rattlers realized they owned the Cats offensive line and had contact on quarterback Mark Grieb until halftime when the scoreboard read 28-21.

The Rattlers defense came out of the locker room swinging. The Sabercats started with possession of the ball, but the Rattlers busted the offensive line and sacked Mark Grieb. The sack was followed on the next play by an interception by Vince Hill.

Following the interception, the Rattlers offense could only score a field goal because of multiple penalties against Arizona.

In the eight minutes that it took for points to get on the board, tempers were beginning to boil over and the game began took on a street-fight vibe. Discipline would be the main factor in whoever left the arena with the victory.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Sabercats trailed the Rattlers by four points as frustration and bad blood began to reach a critical level.  In the fourth quarter, the Rattlers continued to dictate the pace of the game.

After the Sabercats scored a touchdown in three plays, the Rattlers scored in one. Mark Grieb would let loose on a big play and score after four plays and Nick Davila followed with a three-play drive.

With a minute and a half on the clock, the Rattlers defense struck again as Marquis Floyd pulled down an interception in the end zone.  After another penalized drive, the Rattlers were held to a field goal attempt again.

But kicker Fabrizio Scaccia missed the attempt and it was recovered by team mate Kevin McCullough in the end zone to put the game two touchdowns out of the Sabercats reach.

After the Sabercats got possession with 20 seconds on the clock Kevin McCullough intercepted the ball and for the second time in a few minutes he was in the end zone and put the Sabercats two games back in the division.

The Arizona Rattlers were looking to push the Spokane Shock out of their rearview mirror in the West Division of the Arena Football League.  The Shock had other ideas in the Spokane Veteran Memorial Coliseum, also known as “Deaf Valley.” 

A win over the 6-0 Rattlers would put the 2-4 Shock back into the playoff race and keep them from guaranteeing their worst record in franchise history. 

These two teams are not overly fond of each other, and it showed early and often.  Arizona is home to two former Spokane Shock stars, QB Nick Davilla and LB Kevin McCullough, adding to the division rivalry.  Play was consistently stopped by penalties, even though much of the extra-curricular contact was overlooked.

Spokane entered the contest with a track record of winning big or losing close, and the end of this game looked like both could happen. 

The rattlers were driving with a little over two minutes remaining, trailing 63-49.  Following a 15-yard gain on 3rd-and-12, Davilla had his team inside the Shock 5-yard line.  Ruschard Dodd-Masters made two solid plays on 2nd- and 3rd-and-goal and the Shock crowd got really loud for the first time of the night on fourth down.  It worked, as Davilla threw the ball through the end zone. 

However, a questionable defensive holding penalty gave the Rattlers a new set of downs and Odie Armstrong pushed his way into the end zone on first down.

Down by seven, the Rattlers tried a tricky onside kick to the short-manned side of the field.  It worked perfectly…for the Shock.  Raul Vijil scooped up the ball and walked into the end zone, extending their lead back to 14.

An inexperience Arena Football fan might think that was the final nail in the Rattlers’ coffin.  The Rattlers drove the field on the ensuing possession, scoring with 49 seconds remaining.  They uncovered the onside kick, setting up a chance to pull even or take the lead with a two-point conversion. 

Arizona quickly reached the Shock 14-yard line and opted for two running plays to burn some clock.  This left them with 3rd-and-4 from the Shock eight.  Davilla’s third-down pass fell incomplete in the end zone.  On fourth down, Davilla was hit while trying to throw and the ball.  The ball hit the turf and trickled up to the line of scrimmage and the Shock thought the game was over.

However, despite the ball being knocked down in the backfield, the officials called pass interference on this Shock, giving the Rattlers a fresh set of downs.  After the game, I asked Shock head coach Rob Keefe about the call. 

“I’m not going to argue with the refs," he said.  "They see what they see.  I wish it wasn’t a call.”

Arizona scored a TD with 12 seconds remaining and attempted a two-point conversion to take the lead.  The Shock applied pressure on Davilla on the two-point try, hitting him as he released the ball. 

The ball fell to the turf, leading to another onside kick. 

The Rattlers recovered the ball at their own 17-yard line with 8.5 seconds remaining.  Davilla’s first-down pass downfield went through the hands of Jason Geathers.  With four seconds remaining, the Rattlers opted for a field-goal attempt to win the game. 

The snap from McCullough was a little high and Shock DL Khreem Smith bulled his way through the line to block the kick.

The win was the Shock’s fourth in four games vs. the Rattlers.

When I asked Coach Keefe about holding off the Rattlers at the end of the game, he replied, “We’ll take it.  We knew they were going to go for two.  We knew it was going to come down to another onside kick.  Great onside kick…the guy’s a great kicker. 

"It ended the way it did, but I’m glad.  Because to be honest it was about four different endings in one game that our guys are going to learn from.  Great way to go back to the chart board and figure out what we did wrong and what we did right.”

Shock QB Kyle Rowley was the Offensive Player of the Game, going 21-for-31 for 219 yards, eight TDs, one INT and he rushed for one score.  Greg Orton and Raul Vijil had big games for the Shock, the latter being named game MVP with four TDs.

The Rattlers were led by Davilla’s 29-for-43 effort for 318 yards.  Rod Windsor, the Nifty Playmaker of the Game, had 167 yards on 16 receptions.  Windsor almost didn’t make the game, as he is property of the Cleveland Browns.  With the NFL Lockout temporarily lifted, Windsor missed several days of practice, and if not for the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals granting a stay of an earlier ruling, Windsor would not have been in uniform on Saturday night.

The game started with almost as much excitement as it had at the end.  The Shock won the coin toss and elected to defer.  Taylor Rowan’s kick was returned by Virgil Fray to the Rattler 5-yard line. 

On second down, Davilla mishandled the snap.  The ball popped up and over the center and John Williams recovered the loose ball.  Spokane used three running plays and a defensive penalty to take a 7-0 lead on a one-yard QB sneak by Rowley.

Davilla brought the Rattlers back, sustaining a drive to the Shock two.  However, he fumbled another snap, but Spokane couldn’t quite hold onto the ball.  Davilla recovered and threw an 8-yard TD pass to Geathers two plays later. 

Spokane squandered an opportunity on the next possession.  Terrance Sanders took the kickoff and cut to the right.  He broke two tackles before being brought down at the Shock 17-yard line.  Rowley hit Vigil for a 19-yard gain and then tried to hit Orton in the corner of the end zone. 

He was hit while throwing and didn’t get enough into the pass, allowing Arizona’s Gray to leap and intercept the pass.

The first quarter ended in a 7-7 tie.  The Rattlers were ball hogs, though, holding a time of possession advantage of 11:02 to 3:58.  When they added a TD 2:18 into the second quarter, the Rattlers had extended the spread to almost 10 minutes.

The two sides exchanged TD drives, with Arizona scoring with 55 seconds remaining.

Following an unsuccessful onside kick, Rowley hit Vijil for a short TD pass, leaving the score tied after Rowan’s PAT.

The Shock couldn’t recover a well-executed onside kick from Rowan.  It was a high-bouncing kick down the middle, touching at least four Shock players before dribbling into the hands of a Rattler that was sprawled out on the carpet.  The Rattlers scored a quick TD and then kicked the ball deep to the Shock.

Sanders returned the ensuing kickoff back to the Rattler 5-yard line, but a block in the back call pulled the Shock back to their own two. 

That suited Rowley just fine, though.  He drove the Shock down the field, throwing a perfect arc to the back of the end zone, and Vijil ran under the ball, making a great catch with 5.4 seconds left on the clock.  After two TDs total in the first quarter, each team scored two in the final minute of the half for a 28-28 tie.

Sanders wanted to make it a bit easier to score to start the second half.  He again cut to the right after the kick, but this time used his speed to race past the Rattler defense.  He met two tacklers on the opposing 5-yard line and was brought down at the two.  Following two more penalties (delay of game on the offense and defensive pass interference), Davilla found a streaking Orton coming from out of the backfield for a quick-strike TD.

After the Rattlers worked down the field and scored, the Shock again succumbed in the time of possession battle.  Rowley took over at his 15 following another solid return by Sanders.  Kauleinamoku turned on a deep out, and Rowley’s perfectly timed pass dropped right in his hands as he came out of his turn at the goal line.  Rowan stayed perfect on the night and the Shock led, 42-35.

The teams exchanged quick TD drives.  Rowley kicked off to Arizona, who took over at their own 2-yard line after they were unable to advance the ball out of the end zone.

Spokane forced a fumble on Arizona’s first play, recovered by Antwan Marsh.  This left Spokane with the ball and a 49-42 lead after three quarters of play.

Rowley hit Vijil on the first play of the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 14 points following Rowan’s eighth PAT on the night.  With a final score of 70-69, Rowan picked the right night to not miss a PAT.

The two sides exchanged TD drives leading up the exciting finish.

Coach Keefe commented on the overall game, saying, “That’s arena football at its greatest.” 

I asked him how this win might impact their attitude and confidence over the rest of the season. 

“It’s such an emotional high…let’s use this,” Keefe replied.

“There are probably about seven teams right now (on the upcoming schedule), I think the best team is Dallas at 5-2 right now, but everybody else is that .500 or below mark, and then we finish up.  Arizona, Utah, San Jose, Jacksonville all in a row.  We’re going to be 10-4 before you know it and then all of this negative criticism goes away.”  

In the rapid, unpredictable tempo of the Arena Football League, an undefeated team can only maintain their status for so long.

With bad blood still running from the 2010 season, the Arizona Rattlers traveled to Spokane, Washington to battle with the division-rival Shock. It was the third week in a row the Rattlers had to battle a back-and-forth game.

In 2010 the Rattlers could not prevail against the Shock in their two regular-season meetings or in their playoff encounter. This led to a rivalry that was played out in a slugfest on the field tonight.

The Rattlers traveled to Spokane with Rod Windsor, who must have been cleared to play by the Cleveland Browns while the lockout troubles still have to be determined. He didn’t miss a step while hauling catches and touchdowns, bringing the needed points to maintain pace with the blitzkrieg led by Shock quarterback Kyle Rowley.

With Rowley passing at his pleasure, the only thing the Rattlers defense could do was get multiple pass interference calls in the end zone, as they were easily beaten in the race by the Spokane receiving corps.

With 1:30 left in the third quarter, an-ill fated Oddie Armstrong fumble recovered by the Shock defense at the Rattlers 5-yard line left the Shock to control the pace of the game going into the fourth quarter.

The Shock began the fourth quarter with a seven-point lead and possession of the ball. It only took a few seconds for the Shock to grab a 14-point lead.

After a long fourth quarter for the Rattlers plagued with flags and mistakes, it came down to just over 2:30 on the clock and the Shock with a lead of seven points. The Rattlers attempted an onside kick, but lost it to Raul Vijil, who took the ball well before it could make it 10 yards and he marched into the end zone to lead the Rattlers by 14 points with two minutes left in the game.

Arizona has overcome some big deficits this season, and when they reached the one-minute warning down by two touchdowns, it was still in the Rattlers' reach to execute a come-from-behind victory.

They began their attempt with Rod Windsor pulling down a touchdown with 52 seconds on the clock. The Rattlers followed by recovering their first onside kick of the season. Nick Davila and his receivers were able to drive the ball to the Shock 10-yard line.

In a 4th-and-4 situation, the Rattlers were about to lose the game on downs but were revived by a flag against Spokane.  A short touchdown run by Oddie Armstrong brought the Rattlers within one point.

Head coach Kevin Guy wanted the win and called for a two-point conversion, but Nick Davila could not connect with Trandon Harvey, leaving 11.9 seconds on the clock.

With 8.5 seconds left, the Rattlers recovered a second onside kick. After a failed reception, the Rattlers called for their field-goal team with 4.5 seconds left. Fabrizio Scaccia, on loan from the 49ers, who had been hot all night, had his kick blocked because of a high snap.

The game and the Rattlers' perfect season ended after they brought the game to within one point. The Rattlers now have four straight losses against the Shock in the last two seasons.

With the Shock traveling to Phoenix on July 2, there will definitely be fireworks that weekend, as the chip on the Rattlers’ shoulder just got heavier.

Phoenix Arizona, the Utah Blaze led by Tommy Grady stymied the Arizona Rattlers defense all night. But one key defensive play locked down the Blaze drive in overtime.

This was the first of three straight games that the Rattlers will face a Divisional opponent.>

The division has already been preparing for the blistering passing game of Quarterback Nick Davila and his wingmen Rod Windsor and Trandon Harvey. The divisional opponents will now have to get to the drawing board to scheme for a new threat Head Coach Kevin Guy unleashed tonight.

In a classic Arena style football game the there was no clear leader in the game and every few minutes someone marched into the End Zone. Both high-powered offenses left defenders in their wake as they scored a combined total of 128 points and brought the game into overtime.

Head Coach Kevin Guy didn’t just leave the game solely in the hands of his gunslinger Nick Davila.

Tonight the full fury of the Rattlers ground assault was revealed as fullback Oddie Armstrong crashed through Blaze defenders for three touchdowns. The run plays were performed to perfection as Armstrong had clear lanes around the corners of the pocket.

The Rattlers were unable to keep their eight-point lead in regulation as the Blaze played to the clock and forced the game into overtime.

Linebacker Kevin McCullough made a miracle interception in the Red Zone and ended the Blaze possession. The interception was followed by a 38-yard pass to a wide open Rod Windsor for the winning touchdown and 6-0 record.