Sanders sparks Shock win over Tampa Bay
SPOKANE - Terrance Sanders' 17-yard interception return put Spokane ahead for the first time in the game, and the Shock went on to beat the Tampa Bay Storm in Arena Football League play Monday night before 9,479 at Spokane Arena.
Sanders' pick-six put the Shock (10-7) up 48-45 early in the fourth quarter, and was the second of three straight touchdowns by Spokane. Erik Meyer followed with a 7-yard TD run, and the Shock never looked back.
Earlier, Sanders returned a kickoff 57 yards for a touchdown to pull Spokane within 38-34 midway through the third quarter.
Meyer passed for five touchdowns and rushed for one more. His only interception of the game came late in the first half, and set up Juan Bongarra's 28-yard field goal with 3 seconds left that gave Tampa Bay a 31-20 halftime lead.
Tampa Bay scored with 44 seconds left to pull within three points on a Randy Hippeard touchdown pass, but the Shock recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
Storm receiver Joe Hills extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown reception to 34, the longest active streak in the AFL.
With the loss, the Storm (8-9) fell out of the American Conference playoff picture. In order to move back into the No. 4 seed and clinch a second consecutive playoff berth, the Storm need a win and a Philadelphia Soul loss in Week 20. Spokane has already clinched the No. 3 seed in the National Conference and will meet the San Jose Sabercats in the AFL quarterfinals.
Spokane wraps up the regular season Saturday at Portland.
Tampa Bay 14 17 14 7 - 52
Spokane 7 13 21 14 - 55
First quarter
TB - Randy Hippeard 1 run (Juan Bongarra kick), 8:14
Spo - Adron Tennell 6 pass from Erik Meyer (Taylor Rowan), 3:01
TB - Amarri Jackson 3 pass from Hippeard (Bongarra kick), :48
Second quarter
Spo - Mike Washington 11 pass from Meyer (Rowan kick), 11:31
TB - Byron Isom 3 run (Bongarra kick), 8:47
Spo - Nick Trusdell 8 pass from Meyer (kick failed), 3:42
TB - Hippeard 1 run (Bongarra kick), :37
TB - FG 28 Bongarra, :03
Third quarter
Spo - Washington 23 pass from Meyer (Rowan kick), 12:31
TB - Antoine Toliver 16 pass from Hippeard (Bongarra kick), 7:40
Spo - Terrance Sanders 57 kickoff return (Rowan kick), 6:43
TB - Joe Hills 39 pass from Hippeard (Bongarra kick), 3:14
Spo - Trusdell 40 pass from Meyer (Rowan kick), 1:21
Spo - Sanders 17 interception return (Rowan kick), 14:41
Spo - Meyer 7 run (Rowan kick), 8:36
TB - Hills 16 pass from Hippeard (Bongarra kick), :44
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING - TB, Hippeard 6-14, Isom 2-7. Spo, Meyer 4-15, Nixon 1-4.
PASSING - TB, Hippeard 20-41-1-256. Spo, Meyer 21-26-1-210.
RECEIVING - TB, Hills 7-124, Toliver 7-77, Jackson 5-46, Lindsey 1-9. Spo, Washington 6-66, Carter 5-45, Tennell 5-38, Trusdell 4-56, Flowers 1-5.