Penalties, luck not on Hawks side in latest loss

Published 9:00 pm Sunday, June 24, 2007

EVERETT – Woulda, coulda, shoulda.

But, didn’t.

The Everett Hawks’ most recent disappointment – Saturday night’s 64-60 home loss to the Arkansas Twisters – was just the latest chapter in a second-consecutive arenafootball2 season gone awry.

Against Arkansas (8-3) the Hawks again showed they can play with, but not yet beat, the best teams in the league.

Everett, in last place in the West Division at 3-8, seemingly had the momentum turned sharply in its favor after LaMonte Jones’ electrifying 38-yard interception return for a touchdown gave it a 41-35 lead with 5:30 to play in the third quarter.

Needing a defensive stop on Arkansas’ ensuing possession to keep the momentum, Everett instead committed three ill-timed penalties – the Hawks drew just eight in the game – to keep alive the Twisters’ go-ahead scoring drive.

Oddly, the injury suffered by Arkansas kicker David Carlton while tackling Raymond Little on a kickoff late in the first half may have contributed more to the Hawks’ eventual demise than anything.

Both Carlton and Little were injured on the play. But while Carlton was escorted to the Arkansas locker room for treatment, Little was taken from the field on a gurney (for more on Little’s injury, see the note below).

Carlton returned for the second half, but on several occasions looked as if he could barely stand.

After missing a PAT kick with the score tied at 48-48, the gutsy Carlton was unable to stand to place the ball on the tee to kickoff. Instead, Carlton dropped to his hands and knees to accomplish the task.

As a result of Carlton’s obvious impairment, after each of its final two touchdowns Arkansas opted to try 2-point conversions – the second time while already holding a 62-54 lead with 45 seconds remaining – and was successful on both occasions.

“They just ran the same plays to (Jon) Schoonover that we couldn’t stop during the entire game,” Walker lamented.

Everett – which has apparently finally found a quality kicker in rookie Eric Azorr, who was 6-for-7 on PAT attempts – was compelled to keep up and failed on both of its 2-point tries.

It’s reasonable to assume had Carlton not been hurt the Twisters would have likely just kicked following their final two scores. Everett’s Azorr would have done likewise, and the score might have been 62-62 at the end of regulation.

Good news on Little: Walker said Sunday defensive back Raymond Little, who was injured returning a kickoff late in the second quarter against Arkansas and taken off of the field on a gurney with his head and neck immobilized as a precaution, was treated for a sprained neck and released from Providence Colby Campus Saturday night.

“(Little) is wearing a neck brace,” Walker said. “I don’t expect to have him this week, but it looks like he’s going to be OK … It scared him (when the injury occurred).”

Walker said the Everett team doctor will re-evaluate Little’s condition again today.

” (Little) walked out of the hospital,” Walker added. “I went to see him today … he was carrying the trash out of his apartment and was in good spirits.”

Jackson sets sack record: Arkansas had one play from its own 5-yard line just before the first half ended, but Everett defensive end Johnny Jackson sacked Twisters quarterback Davon Vinson as time expired. Jackson now has 7.5 sacks for the season and has eclipsed the previous team record of seven, set in 2006 by Clay Harrell, who now plays for Nashville of the AFL.

Stockton up next: It doesn’t get any easier for Everett, which must win its last five games and hope for a lot of help in order to qualify for the playoffs. The first stop is Saturday at surging Stockton (5-6). The Lightning, which is coming off of a 82-24 demolition of Bakersfield last Saturday, have won three of their past four games.