Shock stop Arizona late in battle of top AFL teams

SPOKANE - After the two teams traded touchdowns for most of the game, the Spokane Shock came up with defensive stops on two series late in the game to inch away from the Arizona Rattlers 66-49 in Arena Football League play Friday night before a sellout crowd of 10,358 at the Spokane Arena.

Former Shock quarterback Nick Davila completed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Ron Windsor with 8 minutes, 50 seconds left as Arizona (3-1), ranked No. 1 in this week's league power poll, tied Spokane (4-0) at 49.

The Shock, ranked No. 2, responded with a 24-yard TD pass from Erik Meyer to Adron Tennell to go up 56-49 with 6:49 left.

Spokane, in its home opener after three road wins, then forced Arizona to turn the ball over on downs on the Rattlers' 5-yard line, and that led to Kenny Spencer's 18-yard field goal with 1:17 left.

On the next drive, Davila was intercepted by Beau Bell deep in Shock territory with 31 seconds left to clinch the game for Spokane.

Meyer passed for 351 yards and eight touchdowns, giving him 32 TD passes for the season. He has not been intercepted this season. Adron Tennell caught four touchdown passes for the Shock, three in the fourth quarter.

Davila threw for 341 yards and five scores, and was picked once.

Neither team led by more than a touchdown until the closing minutes. Arizona, the defending Arenabowl champions, tied the game at 28 at halftime on Davila's 49-yard scoring pass to Kerry Reed.

There were no defensive stops until 3:45 left in the fourth quarter when Spokane held the Rattlers to the four-and-out.

Spokane travels to San Jose next Friday.

Arizona 14 14 7 14 - 49

Spokane 14 14 14 24 - 66

Ariz - Ron Windsor 14 pass from Nick Davila (Garre Lindholm kick)

Spo - Duane Brooks 35 pass from Erik Meyer (Kenny Spencer kick)

Ariz - Windsor 35 pass from Davila (Lindholm kick)

Spo - Meyer 4 run (Spencer kick)

Ariz - Michael Huey 0 fumble recovery (Lindholm kick)

Spo - Kamar Jorden 28 pass from Meyer (Spencer kick)

Spo - Jorden 18 pass from Meyer (Spencer kick)

Ariz - Kerry Reed 49 pass from Davila (Lindholm kick)

Spo - Adron Tennell 4 pass from Meyer (Spencer kick)

Ariz - Odi Armstrong 1 run (Lindholm kick)

Spo - Jorden 7 pass from Meyer (Spencer kick)

Ariz - Jared Perry 6 pass from Davila (Lindholm kick)

Spo - Tennell 45 pass from Meyer (Spencer kick)

Ariz - Windsor 17 pass from Davila (Lindholm kick)

Spo - Tennell 24 pass from Meyer (Spencer kick)

Spo - FG Spencer 18

Spo - Tennell 23 pass from Meyer (Spencer kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - Ariz, Davila 1-17, Armstrong 3-7, Reed 1-4. Spo, Meyer 4-11, Tennell 4-8, Falakiseni 1-2, Moore 1-(minus 3).

PASSING - Ariz, Davila 18-33-1-341. Spo, Meyer 27-43-0-351.

RECEIVING - Ariz, Windsor 7-135, Reed 6-117, Perry 5-89. Spo, Tennell 10-138, Brooks 9-118, Jorden 8-95.