Post by DiamondThief on Mar 18, 2018 17:09:06 GMT -8
FINAL - Rattlers 37, Blizzard 31
3/18/18 --
PHOENIX, AZ - Shadrach Thornton rushed for 88 yards and 3 touchdowns, and the Arizona Rattlers held on for a 37-31 win over the visiting Green Bay Blizzard in week 4.
With the win, Arizona improves to 2-1, while Green Bay drops to 0-4. It was the first of three meetings between the teams this season.
With the win, Arizona improves to 2-1, while Green Bay drops to 0-4. It was the first of three meetings between the teams this season.
Arizona scored first on a 1-yard run from quarterback Jeff Ziemba in the middle of the first quarter to go up 7-0, which would last through the end of the quarter.
The Rattlers extended their lead to 13-0 on Shadrach Thornton's 6-yard run at the 14:50 mark of the second quarter. Jasen Oden's 2-yard run put the Blizzards on the board. Thornton's 12-yard run put the Rattlers up 20-7. Jordan Endries' 18-yard field goal with 33 seconds left in the half accounted for the Rattlers' 20-10 lead at intermission.
Ziemba found Anthony Amos in the left corner of the end zone to open the third quarter scoring, but the Blizzard struck back on a 24-yard pass from Christian Lemay to Chris Malott. Arizona led heading into the final quarter, 27-17.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Brandon Boudreaux forced a fumble on Ziemba which was recovered by Sean Daniels, who ran it in from 2 yards and the Blizzard trailed by only three points at 27-24. The Rattlers answered immediately. Jamal Miles' 46-yard kickoff return, and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following the Blizzard's previous touchdown, they had the ball with a first and goal on the Green Bay six yard line. It took only one play for Thornton to score his third touchdown of the game. The Blizzard came right back, scoring on an 11-yard strike from Lemay to Malott and the Rattlers' lead was at 34-31 with just under 10 minutes left in the game. The Rattlers aded a 22-yard field goal from Petre. with 5:29 left. Lemay fumbled on the Blizzard's next possession and, on the Rattlers' next drive Boudreaux blocked Petre's 32-yard field goal attempt. The Blizzard had the ball with just under two minutes to go. Lemay's late throw to Jones was late and intercepted by Allen Chapman.
Following the game, Rattlers head coach Kevin Guy said he is pleased with his team's defensive effort, but was critical off his offense, as well as the type of running game the Blizzard run and the impact it can have on a defense.
"I think defensively we're where we need to be." Guy said. "Offensively, we've just got a long ways to go We're not very good right now, we're turning the ball over. I thought we were playing pretty good at the beginning of the game and, you know, this offense that Green Bay runs, it just puts you to sleep, and you can't let them put you to sleep in this offense. It's just boring. It's boring football and it just lulls you to sleep."
The Blizzard committed five turnovers to the Rattlers two. The Rattlers had an edge in total offense, 231 yards to 160, including a 110 to 53 advantage in the passing game. The teams combined for just 63 penalty yards in the game. The Blizzard converted 67 percent of their fourth down attempts (8 of 12), while the Rattlers converted 30 percent of their own (3 of 10). Each team was perfect on fourth down.
Ziemba completed 9 of his 16 pass attempts for 13 yards and a touchdown, while rushing 9 times for 20 yards and another score. Thornton averaged 4.6 yards per carry en route to his 88 yards and 3 touchdowns. Anthony Amos hauled in 3 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. Dezmon Epps added 3 receptions for 30 yards. Joshua Gordon's 9.5 tackles led the way for the Rattlers' defense. Chapman recorded two interceptions and Arkieth Brown had one. Joshua Martin tallied 1.5 sacks, and Ryan Langford added a sack to his 9 total tackles.
Lemay went 6 of 13 for the Blizzard, for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns along with 3 interceptions. He also rushed for 19 yards in the game off 4 carries. Oden rushed 19 times for 55 yards and a score. Chris Malott caught 4 balls for 47 yards and 2 scores. Josh Francis paced the Blizzard defense with 6.5 total tackles and a sack. Manny Asprilla and Sean Daniels each recovered fumbles.
The Rattlers extended their lead to 13-0 on Shadrach Thornton's 6-yard run at the 14:50 mark of the second quarter. Jasen Oden's 2-yard run put the Blizzards on the board. Thornton's 12-yard run put the Rattlers up 20-7. Jordan Endries' 18-yard field goal with 33 seconds left in the half accounted for the Rattlers' 20-10 lead at intermission.
Ziemba found Anthony Amos in the left corner of the end zone to open the third quarter scoring, but the Blizzard struck back on a 24-yard pass from Christian Lemay to Chris Malott. Arizona led heading into the final quarter, 27-17.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Brandon Boudreaux forced a fumble on Ziemba which was recovered by Sean Daniels, who ran it in from 2 yards and the Blizzard trailed by only three points at 27-24. The Rattlers answered immediately. Jamal Miles' 46-yard kickoff return, and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following the Blizzard's previous touchdown, they had the ball with a first and goal on the Green Bay six yard line. It took only one play for Thornton to score his third touchdown of the game. The Blizzard came right back, scoring on an 11-yard strike from Lemay to Malott and the Rattlers' lead was at 34-31 with just under 10 minutes left in the game. The Rattlers aded a 22-yard field goal from Petre. with 5:29 left. Lemay fumbled on the Blizzard's next possession and, on the Rattlers' next drive Boudreaux blocked Petre's 32-yard field goal attempt. The Blizzard had the ball with just under two minutes to go. Lemay's late throw to Jones was late and intercepted by Allen Chapman.
Following the game, Rattlers head coach Kevin Guy said he is pleased with his team's defensive effort, but was critical off his offense, as well as the type of running game the Blizzard run and the impact it can have on a defense.
"I think defensively we're where we need to be." Guy said. "Offensively, we've just got a long ways to go We're not very good right now, we're turning the ball over. I thought we were playing pretty good at the beginning of the game and, you know, this offense that Green Bay runs, it just puts you to sleep, and you can't let them put you to sleep in this offense. It's just boring. It's boring football and it just lulls you to sleep."
The Blizzard committed five turnovers to the Rattlers two. The Rattlers had an edge in total offense, 231 yards to 160, including a 110 to 53 advantage in the passing game. The teams combined for just 63 penalty yards in the game. The Blizzard converted 67 percent of their fourth down attempts (8 of 12), while the Rattlers converted 30 percent of their own (3 of 10). Each team was perfect on fourth down.
Ziemba completed 9 of his 16 pass attempts for 13 yards and a touchdown, while rushing 9 times for 20 yards and another score. Thornton averaged 4.6 yards per carry en route to his 88 yards and 3 touchdowns. Anthony Amos hauled in 3 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. Dezmon Epps added 3 receptions for 30 yards. Joshua Gordon's 9.5 tackles led the way for the Rattlers' defense. Chapman recorded two interceptions and Arkieth Brown had one. Joshua Martin tallied 1.5 sacks, and Ryan Langford added a sack to his 9 total tackles.
Lemay went 6 of 13 for the Blizzard, for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns along with 3 interceptions. He also rushed for 19 yards in the game off 4 carries. Oden rushed 19 times for 55 yards and a score. Chris Malott caught 4 balls for 47 yards and 2 scores. Josh Francis paced the Blizzard defense with 6.5 total tackles and a sack. Manny Asprilla and Sean Daniels each recovered fumbles.
The Rattlers will be at home next week as they take on the Nebraska Danger on March 24 with kickoff slated for 6:05 p.m. pacific (8:05 p.m. central). The Blizzard will host the Sioux Falls Storm on March 24. Kickoff for that one is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. pacific (7:05 p.m. central).
Both games, as well as all IFL games this season, will be streamed live on the IFL's Official YouTube Channel. SCtoC will present previews of those, and all, games this season. Those previews will be posted on the board of the home team in each game.
- ANM
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