SNOHOMISH – Time is running out for the Everett Hawks.
With its arenafootball2 season more than halfway completed, Everett (2-7) faces a daunting challenge: It needs to win at least six of its seven remaining games – as many victories as the Hawks have accumulated in their 1 1/2-year af2 history – in order to retain any hope of making the playoffs.
Everett hosts Boise (4-4) Saturday at the Everett Events Center. After a 4-1 start, the Burn has lost three consecutive games.
“This is a big game for us,” Everett coach Cedric Walker said. “We’ve still got an outside chance (of making the playoffs) … we need to keep Boise on the downslide.”
And a victory this week would help Everett wash away the foul aftertaste of last Saturday’s close loss to Spokane when the Hawks squandered a golden opportunity to squeeze to within two games of first place in the af2’s madcap West Division race. Instead, Everett fell dangerously close to being out of contention after its fourth-quarter meltdown against the Shock.
“It was a great game, but we just couldn’t hold on,” Walker said. The Hawks’ surrendered a 15-point, second-half lead and lost 52-47 to the Shock.
The Hawks handled the defending ArenaCup champions for nearly three quarters, building a 47-32 lead. But, Everett’s inability to score on its final four possessions allowed the Shock to rally with three unanswered touchdowns and send the Hawks tumbling deeper into the division basement. On their final four possessions, the Hawks had a field goal blocked, twice turned the ball over on downs and saw Jason Campbell’s pass into the Spokane end zone fall incomplete as time expired.
“Their defense stepped up and made plays,” Walker said. “I don’t know if our DB’s fell asleep or what, but they just couldn’t stop Antwone Savage.”
The veteran Spokane wide receiver was named af2 offensive player of the week after catching 14 passes for 179 yards. Two of his four touchdown catches came in the fourth quarter.
“Our offense has done its job,” Walker said. “We’ve just got to step up and make plays in the secondary, it’s as simple as that.”
The defensive line also did its job against Spokane with three sacks and decent pressure.
For what it’s worth, the Hawks certainly have given Shock fans their money’s worth in terms of excitement.
Dating back to last season, Everett now has played three games at Spokane, all in front of crowds of more than 10,000 fans. The Hawks have lost all three in the final seconds, including two on the final play of the game.
This season, Spokane (6-3) leads a tight pack in the west, but plays five of its remaining seven games on the road. Five teams stand at 4-5 or better with Everett lagging far behind.
In the American Conference, only Cincinnati (1-8) has a worse record than Everett. The top-eight teams make the playoffs. The teams in the conference are so tightly packed it’s possible that one or more 8-8 teams might sneak in.
Everett is facing long odds, but might benefit by the fact it plays five of its last seven games at home.
Record pace: With nine pass receptions for 145 yards and four touchdowns against Spokane, wide receiver Josh Richey continued his assault on Everett’s record book. He now has 80 receptions for 1,003 yards and 23 touchdowns. The 80 receptions ties the record set last season by Hassan Brockman. His yardage total surpasses the mark set by Milton Myers (873) in 2006. Richey already owns the team record for TD receptions with 23 and counting.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
