Post by Monika on Jul 30, 2022 20:05:09 GMT -8
Wranglers 52, Rattlers 51
7/30/22 --
PHOENIX, AZ - In a tale of two halves, the Northern Arizona Wranglers took advantage of a fourth quarter missed point after try and an interception to claim a 52-51 win over the Arizona Rattlers tonight at Footprint Center.
With the win, the Wranglers advance to the Dollar Loan Center IFL National Championship game next week at Henderson, Nevada. They will face off against the Quad City Steamwheelers on August 13 to determine the 13th champion of the IFL. The Steamwheelers earned their ticket to the championship last night in similar style, with a come-from-behind 48-41 win over the Frisco Fighters in the Eastern Conference Championship Game. The league has been in operation for 14 seasons, but the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Wranglers win the rubber match over the Rattlers this season after having split the season series, 1-1, with both teams winning at home during the regular season. The Wranglers won the first meeting on June 11, 37-34, at Prescott Valley, but dropped the second, 40-28, on July 2 at Phoenix. The Rattlers still lead the overall series, but that lead has tightened. That team has now won three of five games between the teams and suffered their first-ever loss to the Wranglers at Phoenix.
The Rattlers were the top seed in the Western Conference with a 13-3 record. They advanced to this game with a dominating 53-14 win over the Duke City Gladiators in the first round. The Wranglers were the second seed after finishing 12-4. They defeated the Tucson Sugar Skulls last week to get to this game.
Northern Arizona received the opening kickoff, but Kaleb Barker's pass to the right side was intercepted by Kyree Woods of the Rattlers. Arizona scored on Drew Powell's one-yard run up the middle. The Wranglers tied the game at 7-7 with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Barker to Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman. The Rattlers answered with a scoring strike from Powell to Braxton Haley. Once again, the Wranglers tied it when Barker found Jerrime Neal for a score. The game was knotted at 14-14 at the end of the first quarter.
The Rattlers went up by a touchdown Powell rushed for a two-yard score, but the Wranglers responded with a touchdown from Barker to Ulice Gillard. That's when the Rattlers took control in the second quarter. Powell hit Haley for a 21-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter. The Wranglers were forced to settle for a 33 yard field goal from Craig Peterson with 4:07 left in the first half. Powell's one-yard run at the one-minute warning put the Rattlers up by two scores. After recovering an onside kick, Ernesto Lacayo put the Rattlers up by a pair of touchdowns with a 18-yard field goal as time expired in the half. Arizona led 38-24 at the intermission.
The second half opened in much of the way of the first did. The Rattlers had the ball, but Powell was intercepted and the Wranglers had a chance to begin their comeback. Chiaokhiao-Bowman's nine-yard touchdown from Barker pulled the Wranglers into a single score at the 8:45 mark of the third quarter. The Rattlers came right back on a touchdown run from Powell. Barker found Chiaokhiao-Bowman for a two-yard touchdown to pull within a touchdown once again. The Rattlers headed into the fourth quarter with a 45-38 lead.
Glen Gibbons, Jr.'s 13-yard run tied the game for the first time since the opening quarter with 4:11 left in the fourth. Powell found Braxton Haley in the left side of the end zone to retake the lead for the Rattlers. Lacayo's point-after attempt went wide right, but there was a Rattlers' penalty on the play. Lacayo was injured when a Wranglers player was blocked into him by a Rattlers lineman. Without their kicker, the Rattlers had a shot at two-point conversion attempt Powell was sacked before anything could have gotten going and Arizona led by just six after the score.
The Wranglers drove down the field quickly and took their first lead of the game on Gibbons' 12-yard run with 45 seconds left, and Peterson nailed the point after. With plenty of time on the clock, the Rattlers drove into Wranglers' territory. Powell threw to the right side of the end zone, but it was intercepted by Trae Meadows with three seconds left. Rattlers head coach Kevin Guy argued the call because he felt that it appeared there was some contact in the crowded end zone from Bill Atkins, but Guy was out of timeouts to be able to challenge, and potential pass interference calls are unable to be reviewed per IFL rules.
Barker threw five touchdown passes to three different receivers; three of them to Chiaokhiao-Bowman. Jerrime Neal and Ulice Gillard each caught a touchdown, and Glen Gibbons, Jr. rushed for a score.
Arizona's scoring came from two players. Powell threw for three touchdowns and rushed for five. All three of Powell's scores were caught by Haley. Wood's interception at the beginning of the game gave him five in the postseason. He recorded four in the Rattlers' first-round win over the Gladiators.
Click for our SCtoC Indoor Football League schedule.
7/30/22 --
PHOENIX, AZ - In a tale of two halves, the Northern Arizona Wranglers took advantage of a fourth quarter missed point after try and an interception to claim a 52-51 win over the Arizona Rattlers tonight at Footprint Center.
With the win, the Wranglers advance to the Dollar Loan Center IFL National Championship game next week at Henderson, Nevada. They will face off against the Quad City Steamwheelers on August 13 to determine the 13th champion of the IFL. The Steamwheelers earned their ticket to the championship last night in similar style, with a come-from-behind 48-41 win over the Frisco Fighters in the Eastern Conference Championship Game. The league has been in operation for 14 seasons, but the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Wranglers win the rubber match over the Rattlers this season after having split the season series, 1-1, with both teams winning at home during the regular season. The Wranglers won the first meeting on June 11, 37-34, at Prescott Valley, but dropped the second, 40-28, on July 2 at Phoenix. The Rattlers still lead the overall series, but that lead has tightened. That team has now won three of five games between the teams and suffered their first-ever loss to the Wranglers at Phoenix.
The Rattlers were the top seed in the Western Conference with a 13-3 record. They advanced to this game with a dominating 53-14 win over the Duke City Gladiators in the first round. The Wranglers were the second seed after finishing 12-4. They defeated the Tucson Sugar Skulls last week to get to this game.
Northern Arizona received the opening kickoff, but Kaleb Barker's pass to the right side was intercepted by Kyree Woods of the Rattlers. Arizona scored on Drew Powell's one-yard run up the middle. The Wranglers tied the game at 7-7 with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Barker to Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman. The Rattlers answered with a scoring strike from Powell to Braxton Haley. Once again, the Wranglers tied it when Barker found Jerrime Neal for a score. The game was knotted at 14-14 at the end of the first quarter.
The Rattlers went up by a touchdown Powell rushed for a two-yard score, but the Wranglers responded with a touchdown from Barker to Ulice Gillard. That's when the Rattlers took control in the second quarter. Powell hit Haley for a 21-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter. The Wranglers were forced to settle for a 33 yard field goal from Craig Peterson with 4:07 left in the first half. Powell's one-yard run at the one-minute warning put the Rattlers up by two scores. After recovering an onside kick, Ernesto Lacayo put the Rattlers up by a pair of touchdowns with a 18-yard field goal as time expired in the half. Arizona led 38-24 at the intermission.
The second half opened in much of the way of the first did. The Rattlers had the ball, but Powell was intercepted and the Wranglers had a chance to begin their comeback. Chiaokhiao-Bowman's nine-yard touchdown from Barker pulled the Wranglers into a single score at the 8:45 mark of the third quarter. The Rattlers came right back on a touchdown run from Powell. Barker found Chiaokhiao-Bowman for a two-yard touchdown to pull within a touchdown once again. The Rattlers headed into the fourth quarter with a 45-38 lead.
Glen Gibbons, Jr.'s 13-yard run tied the game for the first time since the opening quarter with 4:11 left in the fourth. Powell found Braxton Haley in the left side of the end zone to retake the lead for the Rattlers. Lacayo's point-after attempt went wide right, but there was a Rattlers' penalty on the play. Lacayo was injured when a Wranglers player was blocked into him by a Rattlers lineman. Without their kicker, the Rattlers had a shot at two-point conversion attempt Powell was sacked before anything could have gotten going and Arizona led by just six after the score.
The Wranglers drove down the field quickly and took their first lead of the game on Gibbons' 12-yard run with 45 seconds left, and Peterson nailed the point after. With plenty of time on the clock, the Rattlers drove into Wranglers' territory. Powell threw to the right side of the end zone, but it was intercepted by Trae Meadows with three seconds left. Rattlers head coach Kevin Guy argued the call because he felt that it appeared there was some contact in the crowded end zone from Bill Atkins, but Guy was out of timeouts to be able to challenge, and potential pass interference calls are unable to be reviewed per IFL rules.
Barker threw five touchdown passes to three different receivers; three of them to Chiaokhiao-Bowman. Jerrime Neal and Ulice Gillard each caught a touchdown, and Glen Gibbons, Jr. rushed for a score.
Arizona's scoring came from two players. Powell threw for three touchdowns and rushed for five. All three of Powell's scores were caught by Haley. Wood's interception at the beginning of the game gave him five in the postseason. He recorded four in the Rattlers' first-round win over the Gladiators.
Click for our SCtoC Indoor Football League schedule.
The 2022 Dollar Loan Center IFL Championship game will be held on August 13 at Henderson, Nevada. stay tuned for this space for more information. IFL's Official YouTube Channel. SCtoC will present previews of each of those contexts. Those previews will be posted on the main IFL board of the this forum.
- ANM
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