Post by DiamondThief on May 12, 2017 21:43:25 GMT -8
5/12/17 --
SPOKANE, WA - Darrell Monroe ran for three touchdowns and the Arizona Rattlers' defense blanked the Spokane Empire en route to a 49-35 win over the Screaming Eagles tonight.
The Rattlers and the Empire are now tied atop the Intense Conference with 7-4 records. Due to tiebreakers, the Rattlers own the advantage in the standings. Each team has five games left to play.
It was a battle of former Arena Football league foes. Spokane entered the IFL for the 2016 season. Arizona is in its inaugural season in the IFL.
Arizona struck first on Monroe's four-yard run nearly six minutes into the opening quarter. The Empire answered when Charles Dowdell found Samuel Charles for 15 yards, and Brendon Garcia hit a 19 yard field goal to put the Empire up 10-7, which would be the score heading into the second quarter.
The Rattlers scored on a pair of field goals from Sawyer Petre in the second quarter before the Empire's Charles Dowdell completed a five-yard pass to Bryan Pray. The Rattlers took the lead for good with 48 seconds left in the first half when Cody Sokol found Anthony Amos for a 20-yard score.
The teams traded scored in the third quarter, with Monroe scoring on a 13-yard run. Devon Brown's 12-yard pass from Dowdell cut the lead to four points at 27-23 left in the third. The Rattlers responded with another 13-yard run from Monroe before the Empire finished out the quarter by pulling within five points on a 17 yard pass from Dowdell to Pray.
Amos scored on a 24-yard pass from Sokol. Trevor Kennedy's 1-yard pass from Charles Dowdell brought the Empire to within five points at 41-35 in the fourth quarter, but the Rattlers solidified the win on Williams' four-yard pass from Sokol.
Charles of the Empire and Rattlers DB Arkeith Brown both played for their respective cities' teams in the last time the franchises met (in AFL action), a win for the Spokane Shock when the teams faced off.
The Rattlers outgained the Rattlers 189 to 160. They also overcame 12 penalties amounting 135 yards. The Rattlers sacked Dowdell six times, but the Empire defense was unable to get to Sokol.
The Empire tried two-point conversions following all three of their second- and third-quarter scores, but failed to convert on any of them. The long-snapper on those plays, linebacker Pasquale Vacchio was on the sidelines with ice on his shoulder. Without Vacchio to snap for the kicks, head coach Adam Shackleford may have elected to chance the two-point conversions.
Sokol was efficient, completing 12 of 15 of his passes for 74 yards and three touchdowns. Monroe was the deciding factor in this one with 15 rushes for 87 yards and three scores. Anthony Amos led the Rattlers in receptions with three catches for 50 yards and a pair of scores. Fred Williams also caught a pass for a touchdown. Brown tallied seven tackles to lead the defense.
Dowdell completed 18 of his 29 passes for 145 yards and five touchdowns, and ran for 32 yards on eight carries. Kennedy showed signs of last year's form, amassing 34 yards on six rushes. He also had a touchdown catch. Bryan Pray grabbed a game-high eight passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Devon Brown hauled in 3 balls for 36 yards, and Samuel Charles had two catches for 27 yards and a score. Tyree Robinson led the Empire defense with 8.5 total tackles. Antoine Tharpe and Andrew Jackson each had six total tackles for the Empire.
The Rattlers (7-4) host the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles (3-8) on May 20 at 6 p.m. The Empire (7-4) will visit the Colorado Crush (2-9) on May 18 for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff. All times are pacific time. Both of those games, as well as all of the leagues games this season are available for streaming on the IFL's Youtube channel.
- ANM
(Graphic courtesy SCtoC)
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