9th Man Cheers The Spokane Shock To Victory
Shawn and Lori Mosqueda
Saturday April 1, 2006
Spokane fans (who I am officially naming the "9th Man") were taken for a wild ride tonight in the Spokane Shock’s inaugural game vs. the Stockton Lightning. It was a close game from beginning to end, with a 41-40 victory for the Shock.
Tonight’s game was electrifying as promised. The Shock were welcomed to town with the highest season ticket purchases in the af2 and an arena filled to near capacity with 9,386 raving fans!
When we asked Shock DS Rob Keefe for his take on fan attendance Rob said, "It was a good atmosphere tonight. I did not expect this. I have been around for a while and this is not typical. Usually you have between 1,500-2,000 fans. I am really glad to be here and a part of the Spokane Shock!"
In the last two minutes of the game, the roar of the crowd was so loud, I found myself praying that the architects had designed the Spokane Arena for just such a situation. The fans deserve a pat on the back for a job well done. Their noise managed to rattle the cages of the Stockton Lightning, making it tough to hear audibles. While at the same time, it kicked the adrenaline up a notch for their beloved Shock.
Uncharacteristic of arena football games, defense on both sides played a major roll in this game. The score was tied three times throughout the game. However, ultimately it came down to a missed field goal by Stockton and fantastic time management by the Shock, which led to the 41- 40 victory.
When asked how he felt about the game, head coach Chris Siegfried said, "I am elated. I think with the talent Stockton has, I pick Stockton to be one of the best teams in the conference. I'm hoping that is true, because if other teams are tougher than Stockton, then we are going to have a lot of barn-burners this year."
Lori's Take
You are so right about the noise of the fans, Shawn! Their excitement made it extremely difficult not to show my emotion during the game. Remember the rule about not cheering for the team you are covering while in the press box? Well, I found myself caught up in the excitement of the fans and screaming for the Shock the first drive of the game. Don’t worry, I did recover and was able to contain my excitement…for most of the game anyway.
The opening drive for the Shock started out promising with a return of nearly 15 yards by OS Antwone Savage, not to mention some great catches from WR Kevin Beard and WR Charles Frederick. The drive ended in a fumble by FB/LB Chauncey Ako, which was recovered by Stockton's WR James Newson. That fumble turned into the first score of the game with Stockton QB Josh Blankenship throwing a touchdown pass to WR Kenyatte Morgan. The extra point attempt by Stockton kicker Geoff Groshelle went wide left.
The Shock answered with OS Antwone Savage receiving a 13 yard pass from QB Alex Neist. The extra point attempt by kicker Jon Koker was good, allowing the Shock to secure their first lead of the game. Savage also received a 43 yard pass for a touchdown from Neist later in the game. Savage was appropriately named the Offensive Player of the Game.
Both teams took turns scoring, resulting in a tie three times during the game. Shock’s DS Rob Keefe’s interception and 19 yard run for a touchdown put the Shock back on top for good. Keefe continued to help seal the victory as he recovered a Stockton fumble later in the game. Keefe rightfully earned the Defensive Player of the Game award.
In the end, Shock won 41-40. This win ties Shock head coach Chris Siegfried with Stockton’s head coach Richard Davis for the most overall wins among all af2 coaches.
What a way to launch your inaugural season, Shock! The fans are sure to be back to watch you annihilate the Everett Hawks on April 15.
Shawn and Lori with their children Kaiden and Moriah live in beautiful Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. Suffering from football withdrawals, the two diehard Seahawk fans found out that a new team was coming to town, the "Spokane Shock". Shawn and Lori are excited to cover the team as new sportswriters and new fans of Arena Football (you just can't beat year round football). GO SHOCK!!!
Shawn is in the process of completing and publishing an ebook entitled "The Complete HTPC Guide: Everyone's Guide To Building A Home Theater PC". Shawn has a structured wiring company where he helps homeowners create automated homes through the use of home electronics and computers.
Lori is an aspiring children's writer. After years of being an accomplished QA Analyst for a cutting edge software manufacturer, she now enjoys spending her time with her family and writing.
Shawn is in the process of completing and publishing an ebook entitled "The Complete HTPC Guide: Everyone's Guide To Building A Home Theater PC". Shawn has a structured wiring company where he helps homeowners create automated homes through the use of home electronics and computers.
Lori is an aspiring children's writer. After years of being an accomplished QA Analyst for a cutting edge software manufacturer, she now enjoys spending her time with her family and writing.