(Sioux Falls, SD) Following their dominant season-opening win, the six-time world champion Arizona Rattlers will visit the Sioux Falls Storm on Saturday, May 22, setting up a matchup between the two winningest head coaches in arena/indoor football history.
On the heels of a 51-20 victory over the Northern Arizona Wranglers in Week 1, Rattlers Head Coach Kevin Guy earned his 212th career win in indoor/arena football, breaking a tie for second place on the game’s all-time wins list. Guy had previously been tied with longtime Arena Football League head coach TIm Marcum at 211 wins entering the 2021 Indoor Football League season.
Sioux Falls Head Coach Kurtiss Riggs, who has spent the entirety of his coaching career in the IFL, is first all-time with 240 wins in arena/indoor football. Head-to-head, Guy leads the all-time series vs. Riggs, 5-3. The Rattlers topped the Storm in the 2017 United Bowl, while the Storm avenged that game with a win over Arizona in the 2019 United Bowl, leveling out the United Bowl Series, 1-1.
Rushing Rampage
In last weekend’s matchup against the Wranglers, rookie running back Nick LaSane stole the show in his first IFL game with three touchdowns on the ground. LaSane was consistent throughout the game as the premiere back for the Rattlers, racking up 44 rush yards in the second half alone.
Quarterback Drew Powell began his first full season with the Rattlers with an impressive outing against their new in-state rival. Running for two touchdowns and throwing for another, Powell helped the Rattlers build a 44-7 in the first half. He was replaced in the second half by rookie Ben Holmes.
Turnover Time
The Rattlers’ defense posted an impressive performance to start the season, highlighted by the play of defensive lineman Chris McAllister. McAllister was present all over the field, totaling a safety and an interception in the first half alone. He and Nik D’Avanzo each earned sacks in the season-opening win, as well as a blocked PAT on the final touchdown by D’Avanzo.
The secondary accounted for Arizona’s third takeaway, as Dillion Winfrey snagged the Rattlers’ second interception in the fourth quarter to seal the game. The Rattlers’ defense held the Wranglers to the second lowest scoring total in the IFL through the league’s first four weeks of play.
Championship Rematch
Arizona’s Week 2 opponent, the Sioux Falls Storm, faced the Iowa Barnstormers in their season opener on Saturday night and came away with a 56-36 loss. Quarterback Lorenzo Brown threw for 113 yards and a touchdown, while most of the Storm’s scoring came on the ground. Led by Nick Chavious, who rushed for 66 yards, the rushing attack scored five touchdowns for the Storm. Sioux Falls’ defense allowed 254 yards passing and six touchdowns through the air, while limiting the Barnstormers to only 65 yards rushing.
Following his historic 212th career win, Rattlers coach Kevin Guy will look to earn his sixth win against Kurtiss Riggs and the Storm, as their head-to-head rivalry rages on. The game will take place on Saturday, May 22 at 5:10 p.m. MT at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls with the game set to be nationally televised on Stadium and available to stream at watchstadium.com.
Press Release courtesy of the Arizona Rattlers – Steve Cusumano
