AJ Cruz was one of the loan bright spots for the Kiss (Photo by Duane Barker)
(Anaheim) – The LA KISS fell behind 28-0, committed five turnovers overall and never recovered as they were routed 70-21 by the Spokane Shock Sunday night before 10, 552 at the Honda Center. “I’m embarrassed as I sit here. I’m embarrassed for the team, the fans and the owners,” said KISS head coach Bob McMillen. “Our GM is on the phone already looking to make personell moves.”
KISS quarterback J.J. Raterink was intercepted three times, and the KISS also failed to field two kick offs that caromed off the goal posts that set up Spokane for easy touchdowns. The offense also continued to struggle, a common theme the last few weeks, scoring only three touchdowns and being held scoreless until there was 2:44 left in the first half. Add it all up and it equals a 70 bomb and and the humilitation that McMillen talked about after the game.
Shock quarterback Erik Meyer scored on a four-yard run to cap the first drive for Spokane. The Kiss turned it over on downs on their first series and the Shock took advantage on a nine-yard TD pass from Meyer to Adron Tennell for a two score lead in the first quarter.
Raterink was picked off the first time by Bryant Nnubuife on the next possession and the Shock cashed in as Meyer hit Tennell on an eight-yard touchdown strike for a 21-0 lead as the second quarter got underway.
The KISS failed to recover the ensuing kick off and the Shock recovered. Meyer plunged in from the one and just like that it was 28-0.
On the first four KISS possessions, they were stopped three times and intercepted the other.
The Shock was stopped on their next series and the KISS finally got on the board when Raterink found Samie Parker in the left corner of the end zone and he walked in from four yards out.
AJ Cruz provided a spark for the KISS which seemingly could have turned the game around. He caught a missed Shock field goal in his own end zone, broke a couple of tackles and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown to slice the lead to 28-14. H0wever Spokane immediately answered as Rashaad Carter, who replaced the injured Meyer, hit a streaking Brandon Thompkins for a 45-yard touchdown.
The KISS had another golden opportunity get away on the next possession when Parker got behind the Spokane secondary and was wide open. But he dropped Raterink’s toss and a sure touchdown was instead another costly miscue. Nobody was within ten yards of him. On the next play Terrance Sanders stepped in front of an errant Raterink pass for the pick and the Shock took over.
Spokane jumped on the opportunity as Carter connected with Tennell again for a 13-yard TD pass and the Shock lead was back to 28 at the break.
The KISS scored on the first possession of the third quarter on a Raterink to Donovan Morgan 15-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 42-21 but then the wheels came completely off.
The Shock scored on three consecutive touchdowns – all on Carter runs. The receiver turned quarterback scored on TD runs of 15, 15 and one yard. The one yard touchdown was set up when the KISS again fumbled away a kick off that took a bad hop deep in their own territory.
Before you could say “Shout it out Loud” Spokane had broken it wide open at 63-21 at the end of three.
Shock poured a little salt in the KISS wounds in the fourth when Raterink was intercepted in the end zone and it was returned all the way back to the one. It was Carter again (who else?) that scored on a one yard run as Spokane struck seventy.
“How do you think the mood is in the locker room?” said KISS linebacker Beau Bell when asked how the team was feeling. “We just got embarrassed on national TV. How would you feel?”
Raterink completed nine of 30 passes for 1o1 yards and two touchdowns for the KISS but he was hurt by the three picks. He was replaced in the fourth quarter by Tyler Hansen who completed three of seven. Morgan had five receptions for 56 yards and a score and Cruz had 157 total yards.
For the Shock, Carter accounted for six touchdowns – four rushing and two passing – and Tennell had six catches for 61 yards and three touchdowns.
The KISS dropped to 2-5 with the defeat and has lost four straight. Spokane improved to 5-2. The KISS will now hit the road for the next two weeks starting with Cleveland next Saturday night. The KISS fell to Cleveland 40-30 three weeks ago at the Honda Center.
Leave a Reply