Spokane captures ArenaCup title with record-setting rout

By Steve Silver

Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009 | 1 a.m.

Arena football is known for its fast-paced, high-scoring games and the Spokane Shock proved why Saturday night.

Trailing by one point entering the second half, the Shock scored six unanswered touchdowns en route to a record-setting blowout 74-27 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers in the AF2's ArenaCup 10 in front of 5,846 fans at the Orleans Arena.

Spokane's 74-point outing set an all-time high in ArenaCup history, while its 47-point margin of victory also broke a league record.

"This is very huge," said Spokane quarterback Nick Davila, who completed 24-of-33 passes for 272 yards and six touchdowns without an interception. "This is my first championship of any kind. This group of guys deserves it."

Spokane, playing in front of essentially a home crowd sea of orange and white Shock fans, kept its fans cheering as it held the Pioneers scoreless for nearly 24 minutes in the second half en route to its second ArenaCup title in four seasons.

"We really felt like it was a home game for us," Spokane coach Adam Shackleford said. "We have the best fans in America in any sport."

Although the Shock jumped out to an early 14-0 lead, the Pioneers battled back to tie the game when Ryce Morgan blocked a Spokane field goal attempt and returned the loose ball 15 yards for a touchdown.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton then managed to mount a 21-20 halftime lead thanks to an Irvin Campbell touchdown run late in the second quarter.

That one-point lead quickly vanished, though, as Spokane racked up 41 unanswered points before Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored its only touchdown of the second half late in the fourth quarter. The Shock outscored the Pioneers a whopping 54-6 in the second half.

"It was a disaster," said Pioneers coach Rich Ingold. "This one here just got out of hand. We self-destructed."

The Shock dominated nearly every facet of the game in that lopsided second half as its defense proved impenetrable with seven forced turnovers and its offense scored at will.

Pioneers quarterback Ryan Vena struggled to just complete a single pass in the second half as he finished the game 21-of-41 for 219 yards with four interceptions and two touchdowns.

"For us to win, our quarterback needs to play good and he didn't play good," Ingold said. "Their quarterback played good. That's the bottom line in any football, but especially in arena football, because the ball is thrown all the time. Your quarterback needs to be sharp."

Vena's second interception of the contest catalyzed the Pioneers' downfall.

With just 1:25 remaining in the third quarter, Vena seemingly completed a goal-line pass to Irving Campbell. But Spokane defensive back Sergia Gilliam laid out Campbell with a vicious hit that allowed Stanley Franks to intercept the ball and return it 48 yards for the touchdown.

That touchdown put Spokane on top 40-21 heading into the final quarter, which all but sealed the victory.

"That was the start of the downfall," Ingold said.

Spokane ran away with the championship in the final quarter — a sweet ending to a near perfect 19-1 season.

Last year, the Shock fell in the ArenaCup championship in overtime 56-55 to the Tennessee Valley Vipers.

But the Shock left no doubt in this one, posting 34 points in the fourth quarter, including a 37-yard interception touchdown return with 49 seconds left to play.

"We were one play from this last year and it feels good to finally win this one," Shackleford said. "We didn't expect to score 54 points in the second half. That's a good football team we played tonight, and sometimes the wheels just come off."

Steve Silver can be reached at 948-7822 or [email protected].