by Brad Wall
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Spokane Shock couldn't keep pace with the Utah Blaze's high octane offense and touchdown throwing machine Tommy Grady Friday night suffering an 84-63 loss.
The Shock got off to a rough start as an illegal block and false start penalty moved the ball back to the one-yard line. Kyle Rowley was sacked in the endzone by Joe Mortenson for a safety and an early 2-0 lead for Utah.
Chris Bocage returned the ensuing kickoff 38 yards to the Spokane 15, and a facemask on the Shock moved the ball to the seven. Two plays later Grady hit Bocage for a seven yard touchdown to make the score 9-0.
After a 23-yard return by Terran Sanders, Spokane was on the board as Rowley and Brandon Thompkins connected on a 33-yard touchdown pass.
Grady responded to that quick strike with a five for six drive completing the fifth one for a long touchdown pass of his own to Aaron Lesue.
Sanders gave the Shock good field position again with a return to the 20 for Spokane. After a string of penalties and incompletions, the Shock gambled on 4th and 20 and came up big with another long touchdown from Rowley to Thompkins, this one a 40-yarder.
The Blaze scored two unanswered touchdowns following that, the first on a 16-yard pass to Lesue. Rowley was intercepted by Sha'ref Rashad on the next drive, which Utah followed up with a 4th and one 10-yard rush by Ben Stallings.
Thompkins got his third touchdown catch of the game to put the Shock within eight making the score 29-21. However, Utah exploded for three unanswered touchdowns, two to close out the second and one to open up the second half giving the Blaze a 50-21 lead.
Thompkins continued his impressive night with two consecutive touchdowns, the first a six-yard pass and the second a seven-yard pass following an interception by Josh Ferguson. Thompkins' fifth touchdown on the night brought the Shock back within 15.
The teams exchanged touchdowns back and forth for the next eight drives bringing the score up to 77-63. Thompkins caught touchdowns on two of those possessions (5 and 29) bringing his total up to seven for the game. The Shock also failed numerous onside kick attempts in that stretch.
The Blaze scored a late touchdown which was Grady's 11th touchdown pass of the game, making the score 84-63.
Grady picked apart the Shock defense for 258 yards and 11 touchdowns to tie the AFL single game record. Five of those 11 touchdowns were thrown to Lesue, who also had a stellar game with 11 receptions for 136 yards.
Despite the loss, Thompkins had an incredible night for Spokane with ten grabs for 168 yards and seven touchdowns.
Rowley also made a valiant effort with 352 yards and nine touchdowns, but his three interceptions proved costly for the Shock.
The Shock will return to Spokane to face New Orleans on May 11 at 8:00 p.m.
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