(Glendale, AZ) Rattlers and Wranglers Act II at Desert Diamond Arena today. Arizona won the first contest. 51-40 in Prescott Valley.
Overall, the Snakes were 7-3 over their in state counterparts. Neither team has won more than three in a row and Arizona has not lost two in a row to Northern Arizona.
Coach Kevin Guy’s squad averages 48.9 points a game, while the Wranglers score at a 47.1 clip.
The IFL Western Divison has the Bay Area Panthers on top with a 9-2 record. Today’s game will determine second or third place heading down the stretch. Northern Arizona (7-3) and Las Vegas (7-3) have a half game lead over the Rattlers (7-4).
First Quarter
Snakes got the ball first as NAZ deferred to the second half. Four plays and a touchdown, but was called back on a false start challenge from Wrangler Coach Les Moss. From there, things went south as Arizona turned the ball over on downs.
Wranglers didn’t flinch as they threw a 30 scoring pass to John Maldonado for the game’s first score. The extra point failed and Northern Arizona took a 6-0 lead.
The Rattlers came back on a fly route that the Wrangler safety came up out of position, it was an easy catch to Cory Reed Jr to put the home team up 7-6.
This game may be judged on long passes as Northern Arizona after being stuffed on the kickoff return at their own four yard line, overloaded the right side and sent both relievers long as Arsiah McCorker hauled in a 46 yard pass on their first play from scrimmage. NAZ back up 13-6 before the crowd got settled in.
Both quarterbacks seemed to be on their game as the passes continued to find their receivers.
Reed Jr. got his second touchdown on a 17 yard reception on the second play of the drive as each team seemed to want a track meet not wasting any time. Snaked regained the lead 14-13 with 2:33 left in the opening quarter.
A lot of offense on big pass plays summed up the first quarter and the run game was virtually non existent. Total yardage for both teams was 182 yards and 160 yards came via the pass as the Rattlers maintained a one point lead.
Second Quarter
On the opening play of the second quarter, the Snakes held Northern Arizona on a fourth and less than a yard and a turnover on downs at the Wrangler 12 yard line. Big momentum change as the game to this point had been all offense
On the second play, Shannon Brooks took an option pitch and banged into the wall in the end zone to put Arizona up 21-13.
Rattlers defense continued to play well as Dillion Winfrey picked off a Josh Jones in the end zone for their second consecutive stop.
Because run plays were few and far between, when Arizona would run, they were successful. Snead got the Snakes to the NAZ seven yard line and from there it was easy and Brooks found himself wide open on a dump off pass.
Two big stops on defense and an offense that was firing on all cylinders saw the Rattlers lead balloon to 28-13 with the quarter half gone at 7:28 left till halftime.
Fortunately for the Wranglers, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Arizona game them the ball in the red zone at the twelve.
A short pass on the far sidelines found its way into the end zone to tighten the score 28-20. Northern Arizona didn’t want to fall behind any further before heading to the locker room.
Arizona had other ideas as Reed Jr. hauled in a 24 yard pass for his third touchdown of the half and back to a two possession game 35-20 at the 3:50 mark.
The Rattlers’ kickoff coverage was swarming in the first half as Northern Arzona had poor starting field position.
A scamper up the near sidelines by Jones for 18 yards took the Snakes defense by surprise and the guys from Prescott Valley were in business at the Arizona 12 yard line.
On a third and goal from the Arizona 5 yard line, Omari Alexander torpedoed himself to stop a jet sweep and force a forth down with four seconds left.
A defensive holding call on the Snakes secondary gave NAZ an untimed down with no time on the clock. A fade route to the back corner was incomplete and the Arzona defense once again held.
At the half, the Rattlers were up 35-20.
The halftime stats were closer than the score. Arizona led in total yards 169-146. Northern Arizona was only 1-4 on third and fourth down attempts as the Rattlers defense was the big difference in the first half.
Third Quarter
Wrangler Coach Moss adjusted his offense to counter the swarming Rattler defense on their first possession of the second half. Using the gap left by the blitzing linebacker over the middle, NAZ scored with ease and used the drop kick for a two point conversion to bring them back within a touchdown 35-28.
Unfazed, the Snakes using sideline routes mixed with the run marched down the field and scored off a look off dump pass to Brooks to answer the Wranglers’ score, 42-28 with 5:51 left in the quarter.
After a kick out of bounds, the Northern Arizona got the ball at the 20 yard line. First play from scrimmage saw Maldonado wrestle the pass from Winfrey for a quick score. Coach Kevin Guy challenged the call and won as the officials deemed the pass incomplete.
Three plays later, Northern Arizona got their touchdown and crept back to a one possession game 42-35 as the third quarter drew to a close.
The stats tightened up as Northern Arizona actually had more total yards 211-195, but their woes continued on third and fourth downs only converting 3-7.
Fourth Quarter
Arizona just needed to hold serve in the final quarter to win seven out of their last eight games.
A look off screen pass to Brooks and the score got the Snakes going in the final quarter and back to a fourteen point lead 49-35.
Northern Arizona caught a break after the Rattlers were whistled for an unsportsmanlike penalty and started their drive in the Arzona red zone.
A jump ball pass at the back of the end zone looked to put NAZ in good position, but another missed extra point left them eight points down 49-41 and 6:15 left in the game.
Now a sense of desperation for the Wranglers, they attempted an on-side kick which was scooped up by Arizona.
One play, a quick strike pass to Nih-Jer Jackson for the score and the Rattlers got their breathing room back, 56-41.
NAZ in their hurry up offense scored on a McCorker 6 yard run and still within striking distance now 56-49 and 1:49 left and all three timeouts left.
Forcing the Wranglers to use their timeouts, Arzona kept the ball on the ground after recovering another on-side kick. That’s all it took as the Snakes came away with a 56-49 victory and a date with the second place Knight Hawks in Vegas next week.
Tonight’s attendance was 8,803.
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