Post by alecs on Jun 18, 2023 16:45:48 GMT -8
Rattlers 57, Gladiators 34
6/18/23 --
RIO RANCHO, NM - The Arizona Rattlers entered Sunday's contest against the Duke City Gladiators one half game back of the Western Conference lead, with an opportunity to draw level again at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Thanks to another solid performance from Drew Powell and an inspired defensive bounce-back, the Rattlers accomplished that task and extended their win streak to five games, toppling the Gladiators 57-34.
The Gladiators opened the game with the ball, but Arizona's defense forced a swift four-and-out on that possession. Arizona took over at the Duke City 23-yard line and needed just four plays to score, with Jager Gardner taking a five-yard rush in for the game's opening score. Shane McInerney's extra point missed wide left to keep the score 6-0. Arizona would once again force the Gladiators to go four-and-out and took possession at their own 21-yard line. Drew Powell would find Isiah Scott on a 16-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 13-0. Duke City would be forced into another fourth down situation, but this time Charles McCullum was able to extend the play, roll left, and find Xavier Amey for a 35-yard touchdown pass to close out the first quarter. A successful PAT from Ernesto Lacayo cut the Rattler lead to 13-7 at the end of one.
The third Rattlers drive of the game would end up as their third touchdown, with Drew Powell providing the score on a three-yard rush. On the Gladiators' next possession, Duke City was forced into a long field goal attempt from Lacayo, which missed wide right. Arizona would take over on their own five-yard line, and ran another scoring drive to extend their lead thanks to Gardner's second rushing score of the game. Duke City finally found some success moving the ball downfield on their next possession, and found the endzone on a two-yard rush from backup quarterback Demry Croft. The teams would actually trade back-to-back interceptions with one another inside the one-minute warning, with Powell tossing an interception to Gregory Dent, and then McCullum getting picked by Jarmaine Doubs. Arizona's bid to snatch another touchdown before the end of the half was thwarted by Duke City's defense, with Powell tackled just short of the goal line as time expired. Despite that miss, Arizona still led 27-14 at the break.
Lacayo started the second half with a Duke City deuce on the kickoff, which spotted Arizona on their own five-yard line. On a busted coverage on third down, Powell found a wide open Isaiah Huston on a lob pass, and the catch-and-run went for a 40-yard score. The Gladiators got great starting field position at Arizona's 12-yard line, but McCullum fumbled a second down snap, which newly-signed linebacker Connor Taylor recovered for Arizona. Powell would then provide his second rushing touchdown from 12 yards out to expand the lead to 41-16. Croft would provide the response for Duke City, rumbling his way to a three-yard rushing touchdown for his second score of the contest. The Gladiators would then make a key stop on a fourth down to reclaim the ball, down by 19 points. Again, though, the Gladiator offense was halted after four plays. That sequence ended the third quarter, with Arizona holding a 41-22 lead and possession of the ball.
Arizona would once again get stopped before the goal line on fourth down by Duke City, giving them another chance to cut into the lead. But on third down, Croft was sacked in the endzone for a safety, with Taylor again providing the big play for Arizona's defense. Powell would then get Jamal Miles onto the score sheet with a four-yard catch, which bumped Arizona's lead up to 50-22. Another long field goal attempt by Lacayo was no good, but missed short, and Miles ran it back all the way for a 58-yard return touchdown for the Rattlers. With the game at the one-minute warning, Croft found Tyron Laughinghouse for a 19-yard touchdown pass on fourth down. A failed two-point attempt kept the score 57-28. Miles would fumble the ensuing kickoff, which Duke City recovered for another touchdown. The wacky play proved to be too little, too late, and Arizona eventually got the ball and knelt the rest of the clock away, securing the road win by a final score of 57-34.
Drew Powell finished the victorious evening 15-of-24 passing for 195 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, while adding 40 yards on 11 carries for two more touchdowns. Jager Gardner took ten carries for 66 yards and two touchdowns, and added 10 yards on his lone reception. Isaiah Huston caught 6-of-9 targets for 109 yards and a touchdown. Jamal Miles caught 3-of-4 targets for 23 yards and a touchdown, and scored another touchdown on a 58-yard missed field goal return. Connor Taylor recorded three sacks, a safety, and a fumble recovery to lead the Rattlers defense.
Charles McCullum exited the game during the third quarter with an apparent injury and did not return. Prior to his departure, he completed just five of his 14 pass attempts for 63 yards, with a touchdown and interception apiece, and also lost a fumble. Tim Whitfield was held to 13 scoreless yards on six rushing attempts. Xavier Amey hauled in two of his six targets for 63 yards and a touchdown, and also scored a special teams touchdown on a fumbled kick return in the fourth quarter. Tyron Laughinghouse also caught a touchdown, catching three of seven targets for 31 yards.
This concludes the season series between these two foes, with Arizona winning both games, having triumphed earlier in the season with a Week 5 win in Phoenix (48-37). The Rattlers remain undefeated in the all-time series, bumping their historical record against Duke City to a perfect 11-0.
Arizona's win draws them level with Bay Area at 8-4, tied for first in the Western Conference. The Panthers do hold the tiebreaker on superior conference record (BAY 7-3, ARI 6-3), and both teams each have two remaining conference games scheduled. Duke City drops to 4-8 with the loss, tied with Vegas for last in the conference, and two games behind Northern Arizona (6-6) for the fourth and final playoff spot with just three games left to play.
The Gladiators will host the Vegas Knight Hawks on Saturday June 24 with kickoff scheduled for 5:05 p.m. The Rattlers will be at home to host the San Diego Strike Force on Saturday June 24 for a 6:05 p.m. kickoff. All times listed are pacific daylight time. Click for our complete 2023 IFL Schedule.
6/18/23 --
RIO RANCHO, NM - The Arizona Rattlers entered Sunday's contest against the Duke City Gladiators one half game back of the Western Conference lead, with an opportunity to draw level again at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Thanks to another solid performance from Drew Powell and an inspired defensive bounce-back, the Rattlers accomplished that task and extended their win streak to five games, toppling the Gladiators 57-34.
The Gladiators opened the game with the ball, but Arizona's defense forced a swift four-and-out on that possession. Arizona took over at the Duke City 23-yard line and needed just four plays to score, with Jager Gardner taking a five-yard rush in for the game's opening score. Shane McInerney's extra point missed wide left to keep the score 6-0. Arizona would once again force the Gladiators to go four-and-out and took possession at their own 21-yard line. Drew Powell would find Isiah Scott on a 16-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 13-0. Duke City would be forced into another fourth down situation, but this time Charles McCullum was able to extend the play, roll left, and find Xavier Amey for a 35-yard touchdown pass to close out the first quarter. A successful PAT from Ernesto Lacayo cut the Rattler lead to 13-7 at the end of one.
The third Rattlers drive of the game would end up as their third touchdown, with Drew Powell providing the score on a three-yard rush. On the Gladiators' next possession, Duke City was forced into a long field goal attempt from Lacayo, which missed wide right. Arizona would take over on their own five-yard line, and ran another scoring drive to extend their lead thanks to Gardner's second rushing score of the game. Duke City finally found some success moving the ball downfield on their next possession, and found the endzone on a two-yard rush from backup quarterback Demry Croft. The teams would actually trade back-to-back interceptions with one another inside the one-minute warning, with Powell tossing an interception to Gregory Dent, and then McCullum getting picked by Jarmaine Doubs. Arizona's bid to snatch another touchdown before the end of the half was thwarted by Duke City's defense, with Powell tackled just short of the goal line as time expired. Despite that miss, Arizona still led 27-14 at the break.
Lacayo started the second half with a Duke City deuce on the kickoff, which spotted Arizona on their own five-yard line. On a busted coverage on third down, Powell found a wide open Isaiah Huston on a lob pass, and the catch-and-run went for a 40-yard score. The Gladiators got great starting field position at Arizona's 12-yard line, but McCullum fumbled a second down snap, which newly-signed linebacker Connor Taylor recovered for Arizona. Powell would then provide his second rushing touchdown from 12 yards out to expand the lead to 41-16. Croft would provide the response for Duke City, rumbling his way to a three-yard rushing touchdown for his second score of the contest. The Gladiators would then make a key stop on a fourth down to reclaim the ball, down by 19 points. Again, though, the Gladiator offense was halted after four plays. That sequence ended the third quarter, with Arizona holding a 41-22 lead and possession of the ball.
Arizona would once again get stopped before the goal line on fourth down by Duke City, giving them another chance to cut into the lead. But on third down, Croft was sacked in the endzone for a safety, with Taylor again providing the big play for Arizona's defense. Powell would then get Jamal Miles onto the score sheet with a four-yard catch, which bumped Arizona's lead up to 50-22. Another long field goal attempt by Lacayo was no good, but missed short, and Miles ran it back all the way for a 58-yard return touchdown for the Rattlers. With the game at the one-minute warning, Croft found Tyron Laughinghouse for a 19-yard touchdown pass on fourth down. A failed two-point attempt kept the score 57-28. Miles would fumble the ensuing kickoff, which Duke City recovered for another touchdown. The wacky play proved to be too little, too late, and Arizona eventually got the ball and knelt the rest of the clock away, securing the road win by a final score of 57-34.
Drew Powell finished the victorious evening 15-of-24 passing for 195 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, while adding 40 yards on 11 carries for two more touchdowns. Jager Gardner took ten carries for 66 yards and two touchdowns, and added 10 yards on his lone reception. Isaiah Huston caught 6-of-9 targets for 109 yards and a touchdown. Jamal Miles caught 3-of-4 targets for 23 yards and a touchdown, and scored another touchdown on a 58-yard missed field goal return. Connor Taylor recorded three sacks, a safety, and a fumble recovery to lead the Rattlers defense.
Charles McCullum exited the game during the third quarter with an apparent injury and did not return. Prior to his departure, he completed just five of his 14 pass attempts for 63 yards, with a touchdown and interception apiece, and also lost a fumble. Tim Whitfield was held to 13 scoreless yards on six rushing attempts. Xavier Amey hauled in two of his six targets for 63 yards and a touchdown, and also scored a special teams touchdown on a fumbled kick return in the fourth quarter. Tyron Laughinghouse also caught a touchdown, catching three of seven targets for 31 yards.
This concludes the season series between these two foes, with Arizona winning both games, having triumphed earlier in the season with a Week 5 win in Phoenix (48-37). The Rattlers remain undefeated in the all-time series, bumping their historical record against Duke City to a perfect 11-0.
Arizona's win draws them level with Bay Area at 8-4, tied for first in the Western Conference. The Panthers do hold the tiebreaker on superior conference record (BAY 7-3, ARI 6-3), and both teams each have two remaining conference games scheduled. Duke City drops to 4-8 with the loss, tied with Vegas for last in the conference, and two games behind Northern Arizona (6-6) for the fourth and final playoff spot with just three games left to play.
The Gladiators will host the Vegas Knight Hawks on Saturday June 24 with kickoff scheduled for 5:05 p.m. The Rattlers will be at home to host the San Diego Strike Force on Saturday June 24 for a 6:05 p.m. kickoff. All times listed are pacific daylight time. Click for our complete 2023 IFL Schedule.
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.
- AS
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