(Green Bay, WI) The six-time world champion Arizona Rattlers came out victorious in a tough battle against the Green Bay Blizzard with a 41-34 win. The Rattlers end their season-opening road trip with a record of 2-1 as the team returns to Phoenix for it’s home opener against their in-state rivals, the Tucson Sugar Skulls.
Dominance on the Ground
For the third game this season, the Arizona Rattlers dominated their opponent in the ground game. Five of the six touchdowns the Rattlers scored came from the ground. Quarterback Drew Powell scored three rushing touchdowns, with a passing touchdown to lead the Rattlers to the win. Powell racked up over 200 total yards with 109 rushing yards and 131 yards through the air.
Wide Receiver Jamal Miles made plays all over the field with a receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown. Miles made six catches for 36 yards to lead the Rattlers in receiving. This is the second game this season where Miles both caught a touchdown and ran for one in the same game (both games resulting in a Rattler win).
Strong From the Start
The Rattlers’ defense pitched a first half shutout to start its third game of the season, taking a 27-0 lead into halftime. Defensive back Tyrell Pearson picked up an interception on the first defensive possession of the game. He finished the game with two pass breakups and four total tackles. Defensive lineman Nik D’Avanzo added the only Rattler sack of the game, along with four tackles.
Defensive Lineman Larry Tharpe Jr. dominated in the trenches, ending with nine total tackles and three tackles-for-loss. Six of his nine total tackles were unassisted, as Tharpe Jr. led the Rattlers in total tackles, solo tackles, tackles-for-loss, and assisted tackles.
Surviving the Blizzard
After scoring four of their six total touchdowns in the first half and entering the third quarter with a 27-0 lead, the Rattlers were outscored 34-14 in the second half.
In the third quarter, Green Bay finally got started on offense, scoring 21 points to make it a 41-21 game heading into the fourth. Once Green Bay scored it’s final touchdown with just under one minute to play, it attempted an onside kick. Rattlers wide receiver Jarrod Harrington made an excellent recovery on the play, ultimately melting the Blizzard by a final score of 41-34.
Battle of I-10
Moving on to 2-1, the Rattlers return home to host the Tucson Sugar Skulls in their home opener on Saturday, June 12 at 5:10 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on Stadium and WatchStadium.com. The Tucson Sugar Skulls are 1-1 on the season with a game against the Iowa Barnstormers to come on Saturday. In 2019, the Rattlers went 2-0 against Sugar Skulls, with their last game against each other ending in a one-point Rattlers win at home.
Press Release courtesy of the Arizona Rattlers – Steve Cusumano
