SNOHOMISH – Rookie quarterback Jason Campbell thinks he knows the best tonic for the arenafootball2 Everett Hawks, who are ailing after Monday’s heart-breaking 55-54 loss to the Stockton Lightning in an arena football game.
“We have a quick turnaround, which is a good thing after a loss,” Campbell said of the Hawks, who practice today and leave Thursday for Friday’s contest at Quad Cities (3-3).
“Now we have a chance to go win a game,” said Campbell, whose eight touchdown passes against the Lightning were not enough to overcome the kicking leg of Stockton’s Alex Walls. The Lightning kicker shattered the Hawks’ bid to jump back into the West Division race when he booted a game-winning 39-yard field goal as time expired.
Much like the Central Valley game on May 6, things started well for Everett (1-5) against Stockton.
Everett forced three Stockton turnovers, including defensive back Aaron Dunklin’s fourth interception of the year, in the opening quarter and enjoyed a 15-0 lead on Phil Goodman’s 19-yard touchdown reception on the first play of the second quarter.
But a Campbell interception, a Goodman fumble and an inconsistent kicking game allowed Stockton to creep back into the game and eventually take a 10-point lead in the second half.
The letdown was similar to the Central Valley game, when Everett built a 26-0 lead early in the second quarter and held off a Coyotes’ rally for a 43-41 win.
“We’ve got to learn how to play four quarters; me especially,” Campbell said. “We came out and looked great at times, but then at times looked like we’ve never played.
“We’ve got to learn how to put it together and that falls on me as the leader of the offense,” Campbell continued. “Our defense stepped up in the second half, but (Stockton) just made more plays than us.”
Live by the kick, die by the kick: Everett defeated Central Valley 43-41 on May 6 when the Coyotes missed a 37-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
In that game Everett kicker Adam Williams drilled what proved to be the winning field goal, a 19-yard effort with 48 seconds remaining.
Williams, a rookie from the University of San Diego, had a rough time against Stockton, making just 3 of 7 PAT attempts and leaving several kickoffs short of the net. Williams’ short kicks allowed the Lightning’s Kenyatte Morgan to romp for a franchise record 237 yards on nine returns.
After Marvin Brown’s 7-yard TD reception with 8.6 seconds remaining, Williams missed the conversion kick that would have given Everett a three-point lead.
“We win as a team and lose as a team,” said wide receiver Josh Richey who had 11 receptions for 123 yards and four touchdowns, all personal season-high’s against Stockton.
“Adam is a gamer who likes to hit,” Richey said of Williams, who in addition to kicking and punting played receiver and defensive back in college. “We’re gonna get him some more work around the net … we’ve got his back.”
On two of the missed PAT attempts – including the critical final conversion try – the center snap by Asora Tuia’ana rolled on the turf to holder Phil Goodman who scrambled to get the ball set for Williams.
“There were some bad snaps,” quarterback Jason Campbell noted. “The life of a kicker is highs and lows, it just comes with the job.”
Star-Spangled Lewis: Everett rookie wide receiver/return man Randell Lewis was scheduled to sing the national anthem Monday night and didn’t miss a beat when his microphone failed.
Lewis delighted the crowd by tossing the mic aside and belting out a spirited rendition of the anthem.
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