Rattlers Defense Strikes Hard and Wranglers fall to 1-8.

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(Glendale, AZ)  After a loss up in Vegas to the Knights, the third place Western Conference Rattlers return to Desert Diamond Arena to face their conference rivals, the Northern Arizona Wranglers (NAZ).  The Wranglers have only managed to rustle up one win this season, but played tough against the Snakes in their last matchup April 19^thin Prescott Valley, Az.  On military appreciation night at the Snakepit, the Rattlers honored active duty and military veterans in tonight’s game with their camo-inspired uniforms. The attendance of 9019 included over 1000 veteran and active duty military member tickets sponsored by Rattler Nation.

1^st quarter

The Rattlers started on offense after NAZ won the toss and deferred to the second half.  Drew Powell led his offense down the field and the drive culminated in Ron Brown Jr. taking the ball in for six from the 2-yard line.  Matt Cook added the extra point and the deuce on the ensuing kickoff for a 9-0 Rattlers lead. On the Wranglers first offensive possession, quarterback Anthony Garrett connected with Kobe Smith for 22 yards down to the Rattlers’ 14-yard line.  The Snake’s defense locked down and after a net gain of 4 yards, on 4^th down Nestor Manuel Higuera sailed a 26-yard field goal through the uprights to make the score 9-3.

Two plays into Arizona’s next drive, from his own 12-yard line, Powell scrambled, threw back across his body and the width of the field to find a wide open Arland Bruce IV for a 37-yard gain down to the Northern Arizona 1-yard line. The next play, Kymani Clarke punched it in for a touchdown.  Cook’s point after made the score 16-3.  The kickoff went out of bounds and the Wranglers began from their own 20-yard line.  Two big passes by Garrett placed the ball on the 4-yard line where he scrambled into the endzone as time ran out on the first quarter and Higuera added the point after, cutting the lead to 16-10.

2^nd qtr

Arland Bruce IV returned the ensuing kickoff to the Rattlers’ 20-yard line, but a penalty backed them up to the 15.  Powell found Trey Odoms-Dukes 2 plays later and he was taken down at the Wranglers’ 11-yard line. On 3^rd down from the 4-yard line, Kalen Hicks sacked Powell back at the 12-yard line.  Coach Kevin Guy used both his challenges on the play unsuccessfully and Cook’s 28-yard field goal sailed through the uprights, extending the Snakes’ lead to 19-10.

Cook’s kickoff went out of bounds again and the Wranglers’ drive began at their own 20-yard line.  Four plays later, Garrett found Marlon Cook Jr in the very back of the endzone.  Both Cook and the defender went over the wall but Cook hung on to the ball for the touchdown.  Higuera’s point after attempt failed and the score was 19-16. The Rattlers’ next drive began on their own 5-yard line. On 4^th down from his own 20-yard line, Odom-Dukes caught Powell’s pass on NAZ’s 1-yard line and danced into the endzone for another touchdown.  Matthew Cook added the point after extending the lead once again to 26-16.

The Wrangler’s recovered the on side kick in Rattler’s territory. NAZ’s first play was a backwards pass that was chased back to their own 11-yard line.  On 3^rd down and 30, Davontae Merriweather was called for pass interference, giving the Wranglers’ an automatic first down. After the 1-minute warning, Marlon Cook, Jr. caught Garrett’s pass in the endzone from the 19-yard line. Higuera added the point after and hit a deuce on the kickoff, making the score 26-25 with :43 seconds left in the half.

On the next drive, Powell had a favorite target, Arland Bruce IV.  From their own 9-yard line on 3^rd down, Bruce was brought down on the NAZ 15-yard line.  On the next pass, Bruce got down to the NAZ 3-yard line. With :15 seconds left on the clock at the next snap, Bruce completed the drive by catching Powell’s pass for another touchdown.  Matthew Cook added the point after AND hit another deuce, giving the Rattlers a 35-25 lead with :12 seconds left.  On 2^nd and 6 after a false start penalty with :07 seconds remaining, Garrett’s pass was intercepted by Carson Taylor and returned to the Wrangler’s 13-yard line.  With time running out, Matthew Cook attempted a 28-yard field goal, but missed it wide right.

Halftime

Despite a stepped up 2^nd quarter defensive effort by the Wranglers who had 4 tackles for loss in the 2nd quarter alone, the Rattlers were able to overcome and take the lead into the half.  Their own defensive efforts frustrated Wranglers’ drives as well.  Matthew Cook’s deuces gave the Snakes a 2 score lead at half.

3^rd qtr

Cook’s kickoff to NAZ to begin the second half went out of bounds and, by rule, the ball was placed at the 20-yard line. The Wranglers drove down to the Rattlers’ 10 yard line and Garrett’s pass under pressure was intercepted in the endzone by Yahsyn McKee, Sr., and run back to the NAZ 24-yard line.  A late hit personal foul by NAZ’s Stacey Wilkins tacked on 10 penalty yards down to the 14-yard line. Two plays later, from the 12-yard line, Clarke ran into the endzone and Cook added the point after extending the Rattlers lead to 42-25.

The Wranglers drove down the Rattler’s 4-yard line aided by a pass interference call against the Rattlers’ Mckee, Sr.  On 1^st down from the 4, EJ Ndoma-Ogar was called for holding and unsportsmanlike conduct, backing the Wranglers up to their own 21-yard line. Rattlers’ defense pushed them back to 3^rd down from their own 19.  On 4^th down, from the Rattlers’ 15, Garrett found Ka-Ron Ashley on the sideline at the 3-yard line where he was immediately decleated by the Rattlers’ McKee, Sr. and the ball was turned over on downs.  Starting from their own 3-yard line, the Rattlers drove down to the Wranglers’ 1-yard line on 3^rd down.  An unsportsmanlike penalty against offensive lineman Jake Parks backed the Rattlers up to their own 16.  On 4^thdown from the 7-yard line, Powell hooked up with Odoms-Duke for another touchdown.  Matt Cook’s successful point after kick as time expired in the 3^rd quarter extended the lead to 24 points, 49-25.

4^th qtr

Another kickoff out of bounds gave NAZ good field position at their own 20-yard line. Back to back penalties against the Rattlers for an illegal defense and pass interference moved the line of scrimmage to the Rattlers’ 13-yard line after 3^rd down at midfield.  A huge hit on Ashley by Carl Decius resulting in an incomplete pass and a pass break up by John Pius on 2^nd and 3^rd downs respectively led to 4^th down from the 13-yard line.  Ashley’s remarkable catch over the defense in the corner of the endzone was nullified by offsetting penalties on the play.  Yahsyn McKee Sr. broke up the ensuing pass on 4^th down and again the ball was turned over on downs to the Rattlers.

Max Meylor entered the game at quarterback for the Rattlers.  Despite issues on the exchange between the center and Meylor on two snaps, the Rattlers were aided by a roughing the passer call against the Wranglers and on 4^th down from the 7-yard line, Meylor’s pass to Bruce resulted in another touchdown for Bruce and another point after kick by Cook gave the Rattlers a 56-25 lead with under 4 minutes left in the game.

Demarcus Bryant came in at quarterback for the Wranglers and his pass to Marlon Cook, Jr. from his own 22-yard line resulted in a final touchdown for the team from Northern Arizona, cutting the lead to 56-32. The onside kick attempt was recovered by the Rattlers on the Wranglers’ 5-yard line. After the 1 minute warning, Meylor’s pass was intercepted in the endzone by Kieran Page and returned to midfield. As time ran out, Yahsyn McKee Sr. intercepted Bryant’s pass in the endzone and the final was Rattlers 56, Wranglers 32.

Recap

An excellent defensive effort by the Rattlers going in to their bye week should give them a lift for their next game on Sunday, June 14^th against Fishers Freight.  The Wranglers fall to 1-8 and face the conference leading Vegas Knight Hawks next week at home on June 7^th.

Article by Joanna Riggle – 602 Sports Talk