Saturday, Jun. 28, 2008

Fever looks to right ship in Boise

By Ben Reynolds, Herald staff writer

There is no denying that the Tri-Cities Fever has had an up-and-down season.

The Fever lost its first four games, only to win four of its next five.

Now, Tri-Cities (4-8) has fallen back again, losing its last three and watching its playoff hopes get fainter each week.

But having that ray of hope still shining, albeit very dim, brings some never-dying optimism from coach Cedric Walker.

"The guys know that there's still a chance," Walker said.

And that has kept the players motivated.

The Fever will likely have to win its last four games and have a few other things go its way to make it to the arenafootball2 league playoffs for a second straight year.

The first task is winning at Boise (6-6) tonight.

The two teams have split their first two meetings, each team winning at home in convincing fashion.

The first two meetings between the West Division rivals have been a great indicator of how inconsistent the Fever has played this season.

In their first meeting April 19 in Boise, the Burn took advantage of four turnovers and rolled to a 74-28 win at Qwest Arena. It was the worst loss in franchise history for the Fever and the first of two 40-point plus losses on the season.

Tri-Cities quarterbacks John Pierce and Jason Campbell, who is no longer with the team, combined to complete 16 of 38 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns. They also had two interceptions. The team also played without receiver J.R. Thomas.

"It's history," Walker said. "It's behind us, but at the same time you have to learn from it."

The Fever got redemption six weeks later at Toyota Center in Kennewick with a 57-46 win. Tri-Cities led 49-18 early in the third quarter and held off a late push by the Burn.

Tali Ena, in just his second af2 start at quarterback, was 22-of-32 passing for 247 yards and six touchdowns.

Thomas, one of the top af2 receivers of all time, returned to catch two TD passes and the Fever defense forced four turnovers.

So which team will show up tonight?

The one that got blown out by 46 points or the one that led by 31 and looked dominant in a win at home?

"The second one," said the Fever's all-purpose player LaMonte Jones. "We have to."

-- Fever nose guard Chuck Jones will miss his second straight game with an ankle injury.

-- Ena is expected to make his fifth start at quarterback tonight. Ena, who has a 2-2 record as a starter, came off the bench last week behind Pierce in the Fever's 51-28 home loss to Arkansas.

-- Fever defensive end Johnny Jackson is a half sack away from a new career high. The former University of Arizona standout in his second af2 season, has 8.5 sacks on the season, matching his total in Everett from a year ago.

-- The Spokane Shock (11-1), which lost its first game of the season last week, can clinch the West Division title with a win over Central Valley (7-5) tonight.