Everett looks to finish strong with two games to go

Published 12:25 am Friday, July 20, 2007

EVERETT – Perhaps the season has not been all it could have been, but with his team playing good football of late, Everett Hawks coach Cedric Walker isn’t grousing.

“I can’t complain,” said Walker as the Hawks prepared for Saturday’s arenafootball2 home game against the Tri-Cities Fever. “The guys are going out and having fun now … we just need to go out and finish strong these last two weeks.”

Everett (5-9) will miss the af2 playoffs for the second consecutive year, but against Tri-Cities (8-6) the Hawks have a chance to notch what would be their third straight victory, heading into the season finale against Spokane at home July 28.

An Everett triumph would keep Tri-Cities from clinching a playoff spot for at least another week. Walker denied that, or the fact the Fever is coached by former Everett coach Tony Wells and has a host of former Hawks on the roster, was an added incentive.

“I don’t get caught up in that kind of hoopla,” Walker said. “I only concern myself with my team and we’re just going to go out there and play ball.”

The Hawks are coming off their only road win of the season, a 49-46 victory at Bakersfield last Saturday. Everett trailed most of the way, but quarterback Jason Campbell led the Hawks back.

Campbell ran for a first down on a fourth-and-two play late in the game, to keep alive what turned out to be the winning drive.

“(Campbell) juked the Jack (linebacker), shook a DB and got the first down,” Walker said. “He’s got some of those 1976 old-style moves.”

Walker said the solid offensive line play of Kai Zeigler, Asora Tuia’ana and Ricky Gaspar, along with the pass-blocking of fullback Vai Notoa has been a key in Campbell’s emergence as one of af2’s premier quarterbacks.

“They’re a big reason our offense is clicking,” Walker said. “They’re keeping J.C. on his feet.”

Everett’s defense has continued to improve in recent weeks. The Hawks’ line of Orlando Medlock, Chuck Jones and Johnny Jackson – a solid trio all season – has been bolstered by the emergence of Tali Atoe.

“(Atoe) has put together a couple of great weeks,” Walker said. “That’s been good to see.”

Bakersfield fires coach: Bakersfield coach Gary Compton was dismissed following his team’s loss to Everett. After a 4-2 start, the Blitz have dropped seven of eight games.

“That’s tough, (Compton) is a good friend of mine,” said Everett coach Cedric Walker who was an assistant under Compton last season when Bakersfield qualified for the playoffs.

The off-field problems of lineman Maurice Troutman and receiver Rennard Reynolds apparently figured in Compton’s firing. Both players remain jailed in Boise, facing felony charges after a hotel incident that occurred after the Blitz lost to the Burn on July 7.

“I think that was the final straw,” Walker said.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton falls at Manchester: A week after narrowly averting defeat at Fort Wayne, top-ranked W-B/Scranton (13-1) was finally knocked from the unbeaten ranks when it suffered a 49-46 loss at surging Manchester (8-6) last Saturday.