Sunday, Jun. 21, 2009

Shock rolls over Fever

HERALD STAFF

SPOKANE -- Colin Drafts bailed out the Tri-Cities Fever in the second half Saturday night.

No, he did not lead the Fever to an upset of the top-ranked Spokane Shock. But he did save Tri-Cities from what was shaping up to be its worst loss in franchise history.

Drafts, who reported to practice Tuesday, threw three second-half touchdowns to bring a ray of hope to the Fever after a 69-22 arenafootball2 loss to the Shock at Spokane Arena.

Drafts completed 14 of 24 passes for 134 yards in the final two quarters, a performance likely to make him the Fever's fifth different starting quarterback this season when the team returns home next Saturday to play Stockton (4-8).

The Fever (1-11) has lost five in a row overall and seven in a row to the rival Shock (11-0).

Tri-Cities scored on four second-half possessions with Drafts behind center, but the outcome was decided well before he stepped on the field to start the third quarter.

Spokane blitzed the Fever in the first half, racing out to a 42-0 halftime lead.

In a season filled with offensive struggles, Saturday night was the first time the Fever were shut out in the first half all season.

It was just the second time in franchise history the Fever failed to score in the first half -- the other came in the Fever's first game in the af2 in a 48-40 loss to Mahoning Valley on March 31, 2007.

The Shock scored on its first seven possessions and was stopped just once all game, that coming in the third quarter.