(Des Monies, IA) Special teams, special plays, and special players capped the night for the Arizona Rattlers as they ended their three-game losing streak, beating the Iowa Barnstormers 49-47.
First Half
The Rattlers showcased their defensive chops in the first half, allowing the Barnstormers 14 points. Arizona took the lead immediately and never looked back, as they opted to receive, after winning the coin toss on a 38-yard touchdown pass by Garrett Kettle to Jamal Miles. The Rattlers prepared for Dalton Sneed to suit up in tonight’s affair, but head coach Kevin Guy opted for Kettle, replacing Lorenzon Brown Jr. from the last game. The Barnstormers fired back quickly with a 23-yard yard strike to Teon William. Following that, the Rattlers wouldn’t allow Iowa to score again until the final seconds of the second quarter. In his first start of the season, Kettle looked poised and sharp in the pocket, flashing his arm strength on the final drive of the first quarter.
In the second quarter and on the goal line, the offensive line created a gaping hole as Shannon Brooks rushed it in the end zone for his first touchdown of the game. Unlike in their previous possession, the Barnstormers couldn’t respond and missed a 51-yard field wide left. With the Rattlers on the goal line, Kettle handed it off to Brooks the former University of Minnesota phenom, pounding it in for his second touchdown of the game. Kettle faked to Miles on a fake play and ran into the end zone for his first rushing touchdown of the season. The Rattlers would head into the locker room with a 15-point lead.
Second Half
After failing to score for the majority of the first half, the Barnstormers came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, scoring on the first drive of the second half and converting a two-point conversion, cutting the lead to eight. The Rattlers responded with a screen pass to Shannon Brooks who continued his impressive performance at the Wells Fargo Arena. After stopping Iowa, an unforgiving pass interference call cost the Rattlers a touchdown, as Robert Washington rushed into the endzone on fourth and one. After being down 15, Iowa was in a single-possession game. On a fourth and two call, Head Coach Guy decided to gamble on a fourth down play, with Jamal Milesscoring his first touchdown.
Kyle King fired a 30-yard strike to Darren Wilson for the touchdown. The Barnstormers after being down 15 and dead in the water tied it up on the backs of King, rushing it into the endzone, failing on the 2-point conversion, and cutting the deficit to two. Brooks, with a nasty stiff-armed, ran it into the end on a 46-yard touchdown, Making it a nine-point lead for the Rattlers, after letting the Barnstormers creep back into the game. After allowing the barnstormers to cut the deficit to two, the Rattlers converted a third down, effectively ending the game.
Onto the Next
The Rattlers look to improve their 2-3 record, as they host the 0-3 Jacksonville Sharks at Desert Diamond Arena on Sunday, April 28th at 3:05 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of the Arizona Rattlers – Alexa Coronado
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