Week 4 Preview - Wranglers at Gunslingers

[Nevadanut]

Northern Arizona Wranglers at San Antonio Gunslingers



What: The Wranglers head to south Texas to lasso the Gunslingers.
When: Saturday, April 6 at 4:05 p.m. PDT/Arizona (6:05 p.m. CDT).
Where: Freeman Coliseum; San Antonio, Texas.
Video Stream Options: IFL Youtube Channel. Caffeine TV IFL.
2024 Head to Head: June 23 - Gunslingers at Wranglers.
Overall Head to Head: This is the first-ever meeting between these teams.
SCtoC Logo: Created by David

The Wranglers are 1-1 overall and 0-0 on the road. They are coming off a 54-48 home win over the Tucson Sugar Skulls on March 30. The Gunslingers are 0-1 overall and 0-0 at home. They are coming off a 69-61 road loss to the San Diego Strike Force on April 1.

Northern Arizona Wranglers


Wranglers wide receiver Ariah "RZ" McCorker. (Photo by Blushing Cactus Photography)

2024 ROSTER
# - name (pos)
0 - Wallace Cowins (DE)
1 - Kevin Hyde (DB)
2 - Justin Manyweather (WR)
3 - Joshua Adewumi (LB)
4 - Gurvan Hall Jr. (DB)
5 - Kobay White (WR)
6 - Travion Banks (DB)
7 - Arsiah McCorker (WR)
8 - Malik Sonnier (DB)
9 - Gene Coleman II (WR)
10 - Dajor Davenport (DE)
11 - John Maldonado (WR)
12 - Joshua Jones (QB)
14 - Tosin Oyekanmi (WR)
15 - Dillon Sterling-Cole (QB)
21 - Shanon Reid (LB)
22 - Lummie Young IV (DB)
24 - Axel Perez (K)
25 - David Elder (WR)
26 - Shamar Moreland (DB)
42 - Ellison Jordan (DL)
50 - DJ Stuckey (OL)
54 - Tramond Lofton (DE)
55 - Somadina Okezie-Okeke (OL)
66 - Delvin Salter (OL)
74 - Chris Simon (OL)
77 - Jean Marcellus (OL)
99 - William Martin (DL)

Coaching Staff
Les Moss - Head Coach
Rod Windsor - Offensive Coordinator & Assistant Head Coach
Dave Moran - Defensive Coach & Special Teams Coordinator
Jordan Mosely - Offensive Line Coach
Mikell Mair - Director of Player & Video Operations/Assistant Defensive Coach/Equipment Manager

BREAKDOWN
Northern Arizona got back on the winning track last week with a tight win over in-state rival last week. The Wranglers looked improved from their season-opening loss to the Arizona Rattlers. This is the first trip on the road and it comes against a high-powered Gunslingers offense. It won't be an easy task, but head coach Les Moss will be fine tuning his defense in preparation for this match up. Josh Jones has been a nice surprise at quarterback for the Wranglers. He comes in completing 62 percent of his passes for 124 yards per game with five touchdowns through the air and two more on the ground. The big surprise is of the season is the play of receiver and kick returned Arsiah “RZ” McCorker. He has scored in multiple ways; three receiving touchdowns, one rushing touchdown and a pair of kickoff return touchdowns which came in week 1. He averages 12.2 yards per catch and 55 receiving yards per game. John Maldonado adds eight catches for 75 yards and two scores. Travion Banks' 12.5 tackles lead the team. Shanon Reid and Malik Sonnier come into this game with 12 and 10 tackles, respectively, and the latter adds an interception to his resume. Axel Perez boasts a 46.4-yard kickoff average.

Roster information is compiled by SCtoC staff, based on all available and verifiable information. The IFL does not list its official transactions for the 2024 season. The above rosters are subject to change and is presented here merely as a basic guide for following the game. Statistical leaders list only active players as of the compilation of this preview.

San Antonio Gunslingers


Gunslingers running back Keyshawn Harper. (Photo by David Frerker)

2024 ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - RJ Roundtree (DB)
2 - Sam Castronova (QB)
4 - Quintavius Workman (WR)
5 - Kali Rashaad (WR/DB)
6 - Malcolm Washington (DB)
7 - Giovonne Sanders (LB/DB)
8 - NyQuan Murray (WR)
10 - Keyshawn Harper (RB)
14 - Austin Upshaw (WR)
15 - DJ Myers (WR)
18 - TC Stevens (K)
31 - Tristen Vance (LB)
40 - Austin Collier (DL)
44 - Zachary Brown (LB)
55 - Miquail Harvey (OL)
58 - Kwan Stallworth (OL)
65 - Isaiah Hardy (OL)
72 - Cornelius Lewis (OL)
78 - LaColby Tucker (OL)
97 - Shomari Wallace (DL)
99 - Akeem Smith (DL)

Coaching Staff
Tom Menas - Head Coach
James Fuller - Assistant Head Coach & Offensive Coordinator
Lee Johnson - Offensive Line Coach
Chris McKinney - Co-Defensive Coordinator
Jeramie Richardson - Defensive Line Coach

BREAKDOWN
The good news is that San Antonio scored the second-highest point total in the IFL this season in their opener last week. The bad news is that the opponent scored eight more. points Despite the loss, the Gunslingers put the league on notice that they intend to make a lot of noise. In this, their home IFL opener, we should see head coach Tom Menas's group open it up and pick up their first win of the season. Former Jacksonville Shark Sam Castronova was as good as advertised. The 2023 NAL MVP with the Sharks completed 70 percent of his throws for four touchdowns and no picks. He also rushed for 64 yards and four scores. Keyshawn Harper scored once on the ground and twice through the air. Kali Rashaad tallied 62 yards and a touchdown off four catches, while Austin Upshaw added five catches for 35 yards. Castronova has some weapons and seems to have no problem getting them the ball. Defensively Tristen Vance led the way with eight tackles. Giovonni Sanders added a tackle for loss and RJ Roundtree broke up one pass. TC Stevens averages 42.7 on his kickoffs.

Roster information is compiled by SCtoC staff, based on all available and verifiable information. The IFL does not list its official transactions for the 2024 season. The above rosters are subject to change and is presented here merely as a basic guide for following the game. Statistical leaders list only active players as of the compilation of this preview.

Today's Game Venue



This Week's Schedule

Sat., April 6 - Northern Arizona Wranglers at San Antonio Gunslingers, 4:05 p.m.
Sat., April 6 - Bay Area Panthers at Jacksonville Sharks, 4:05 p.m.
Sat., April 6 - Green Bay Blizzard at Quad City Steamwheelers, 5:05 p.m.
Sat., April 6 - Iowa Barnstormers at Tulsa Oilers, 5:05 p.m.
Sat., April 6 - Tucson Sugar Skulls at Duke City Gladiators, 5:05 p.m.
Bye - Arizona Rattlers, Frisco Fighters, Massachusetts Pirates, San Diego Strike Force, Sioux Falls Storm, Vegas Knight Hawks

All times are pacific daylight time.

Standings Heading Into This Week



Helpful Links

IFL
Indoor Football League 2024 Schedule
Indoor Football League 2024 Franchise Index
Indoor Football League 2024 Players of the Week 
Indoor Football league Rules
SCtoC IFL 2023 Golden Helmet Awards
Indoor Football league 2023 Hall of Fame Class
SCtoC 2023 National Championship Recap

INDIVIDUAL TEAM SCHEDULES
Arizona Rattlers
Bay Area Panthers
Duke City Gladiators
Frisco Fighters
Green Bay Blizzard
Iowa Barnstormers
Jacksonville Sharks
Massachusetts Pirates
Northern Arizona Wranglers
Quad City Steamwheelers
San Antonio Gunslingers
San Diego Strike Force
Sioux Falls Storm
Tucson Sugar Skulls
Tulsa Oilers
Vegas Knight Hawks

INDIVIDUAL TEAM VITAL STATISTICS
Arizona Rattlers
Bay Area Panthers
Duke City Gladiators
Frisco Fighters
Green Bay Blizzard
Iowa Barnstormers
Jacksonville Sharks
Massachusetts Pirates
Northern Arizona Wranglers
Quad City Steamwheelers
San Antonio Gunslingers
San Diego Strike Force
Sioux Falls Storm
Tucson Sugar Skulls
Tulsa Oilers
Vegas Knight Hawks

IFL Team Venues

Arizona Rattlers - Desert Diamond Arena; Glendale, Arizona
Bay Area Panthers - SAP Center at San Jose; San Jose, California
Duke City Gladiators - Rio Rancho Events Center; Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Frisco Fighters - Comerica Center; Frisco, Texas
Green Bay Blizzard - Resch Center; Green Bay, Wisconsin
Iowa Barnstormers - Wells Fargo Center; Des Moines, Iowa
Jacksonville Sharks - VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena; Jacksonville, Florida
Massachusetts Pirates - Tsonga Center; Lowell, Massachusetts
Northern Arizona Wranglers - Findlay Toyota Center; Prescott Valley, Arizona
Quad City Steamwheelers - Vibrant Arena at The MARK; Moline, Illinois
San Antonio Gunslingers - Freeman Coliseum; San Antonio, Texas
San Diego Strike Force - Pechanga Arena; San Diego, California
Sioux Falls Storm - Denny Sanford Premier Center; Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Tucson Sugar Skulls - Tucson Convention Center; Tucson, Arizona
Tulsa Oilers - BOK Center; Tulsa, Oklahoma
Vegas Knight Hawks - Lee's Family Forum; Henderson, Nevada


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[soundofthegunz]

Who can I credit (by name in the broadcast) for research? I've got Alex by name already.

NORTHERN ARIZONA GOT INTO THE WIN COLUMN AT HOME LAST WEEK BY A SCORE OF 54-48 OVER IN-STATE RIVAL TUSCON LAST WEEK. NOW THEY MAKE THE FIRST ROAD TRIP OF THE SEASON TO FACE THE SAN ANTONIO GUNSLINGERS, WHO LOOK TO REBOUND FROM A LAST SECONDS LOSS IN SAN DIEGO 69-61.

IT WON'T BE AN EASY TASK FOR EITHER TEAM. THE WRANGLERS HEAD COACH LES MOSS HAS FOUND A QUARTERBACK IN JOSH JONES. JONES COMES INTO TONIGHTS GAME WITH A SIXTY-TWO PERCENT COMPLETION RATE AVERAGING 124 YARDS PER GAME WITH FIVE TOUCHDOWNS THROUGH THE AIR AND TWO MORE ON THE GROUND. COACH MOSS’S GOOD FORTUNE CONTINUES WITH THE PLAY OF RECEIVER AND KICK RETURNED ARSIAH “RZ” MCCORKER. MCCORKER HAS SCORED AS A RECEIVER WITH THREE TOUCHDOWNS, ADDED A TOUCHDOWN RUSHING, AND RIPPED THE RATTLERS COVERAGE TWICE FOR RETURN TOUCHDOWNS IN WEEK ONE. HE IS AVERAGING 12 POINT 2 YARDS PER CATCH AND 55 RECEIVING YARDS PER GAME. DEFENSIVELY, TRAVION BANKS' IS THE WRANGLERS TOP WRANGLER WITH 12 POINT 5 TACKLES, TRAILED CLOSELY BY SHANON REID AND MALIK SONNIER WITH 12 AND 10 TACKLES, RESPECTIVELY.

THE GUNSLINGERS ARE NOT LOOKING FOR SILVER LININGS IN THEIR HOME OPENER TONIGHT. THEY ARE LOOKING TO IMPROVE THEIR LEAGUE WORST DEFENSE WHICH CONCEDED A CAREER-HIGH NINE PASSING TOUCHDOWNS TO NATE DAVIS AND THE STRIKE FORCE RECEIVERS THIS LAST MONDAY IN SAN DIEGO. HEAD COACH TOM MENAS HAS TO MAKE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS IN A SHORT WEEK OF PRACTICE IF THE GUNSLINGERS INTEND TO CONTEND. THE HIGH POWERED SAN ANTONIO OFFENSE IS LED BY FORMER JACKSONVILLE SHARK SAM CASTRONOVA WHO COMPLETED SEVENTY PERCENT OF HIS THROWS FOR FOUR TOUCHDOWNS AND RUSHED FOR 64 YARDS TO ADD FOUR MORE TOUCHDOWNS. THE GUNSLINGERS RUNNING BACK KEYSHAWN HARPER PICKED UP HIS IFL FIRST RUSHING TOUCHDOWN ALONG WITH TWO PASSES FOR TOUCHDOWNS. AUSTIN UPSHAW AND KALI RASHAAD WERE CASTRONOVAS PREFERRED TARGETS, TALLYING NINE RECEPTIONS FOR 97 YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN BETWEEN THEM. BUT IT WAS THE DEFENSE THAT WAS S-A’S UNDOING IN SAN DIEGO. THE STRIKE FORCE SCORED ON TEN OF THEIR ELEVEN POSSESSIONS, THREE TIMES ON ONE PLAY DRIVES, AND SCORED ON TWO OF THE THREE FOURTH DOWNS SAN DIEGO FACED ALL NIGHT.

CAN TOM MENAS AND THE GUNSLINGERS FIND THEIR WAY AT HOME TONIGHT, OR WILL IT BE THE WRANGLERS STAKING A CLAIM AT THE TOP OF THE WEST? THERE’S A SHOWDOWN COMIN’, BEST GET OFF THE STREET, FOLKS.

THANKS TO ALEX SHOE-BIRTH AND _ WITH SPORTS COAT TO COAST FOR

[DiamondThief]

For the last line (with the credit), you could add HEIDI MARIE BARNES who prepares all the previews. If it's in another sense, then I'm ANGELA MARTIN and my sister is MONIKA MARTIN. If it has to do with background information, rosters and such, DAVID HEIN (Pr: HINE).

[Monika]

Final

Northern Arizona Wranglers - 57
San Antonio Gunslingers - 50

Recap

[soundofthegunz]

Apr 6, 2024 11:44:16 GMT -8 DiamondThief said:

For the last line (with the credit), you could add HEIDI MARIE BARNES who prepares all the previews. If it's in another sense, then I'm ANGELA MARTIN and my sister is MONIKA MARTIN. If it has to do with background information, rosters and such, DAVID HEIN (Pr: HINE).

And this I will do in the next game if I get to do another monologue. I have not gotten any reviews/notes from ownership on my work this week so I don't know if I will need to make changes. For this first monologue I started with the preview onscreen and began rewriting from there.  

[Monika]

Apr 8, 2024 6:12:35 GMT -8 soundofthegunz said:

Apr 6, 2024 11:44:16 GMT -8 DiamondThief said:

For the last line (with the credit), you could add HEIDI MARIE BARNES who prepares all the previews. If it's in another sense, then I'm ANGELA MARTIN and my sister is MONIKA MARTIN. If it has to do with background information, rosters and such, DAVID HEIN (Pr: HINE).

And this I will do in the next game if I get to do another monologue. I have not gotten any reviews/notes from ownership on my work this week so I don't know if I will need to make changes. For this first monologue I started with the preview onscreen and began rewriting from there.  

It sounds to me like you'll mostly be referring to Heidi's Recaps and Alec's Wager Wednesday. I look forward to listening for our credits ... and to the games as well.

Speaking of which, I like the way you call the game. You had plenty of information about the Wranglers and even gave shout outs to their watch parties. Very classy. 

[soundofthegunz]

Thank you, Monika!

The information on the Wranglers was courtesy of you all. I gave the specific credit this time comes at the end of the monologue just before the first shout out to the watch party. I did another shout at end of halftime, and a final one in the closeout.

What I love about IFL and minor league in general is how much of an impact a move like that has. I spoke well-wishes directly to the entire hardcore fan base of another team. They will remember that favorably. What good does it do? I don't know, but I believe teams compete, but organizations should cooperate for the betterment of the league/sport/brand. Why not be gracious?

[DiamondThief]

I heard the credit at the beginning of the game. I was able to watch most of the first half before I switched over and covered the two games for which I wrote recaps Saturday night. I too appreciated the shout outs to the opposing team's watch parties. Fans are going to hear those and appreciate the effort. The next time a fan watches a Gunslingers game, even just on YouTube, they're going to remember that and recall it as a positive experience. I don't remember other announcers actually doing that in the IFL.

[soundofthegunz]

Apr 9, 2024 8:40:30 GMT -8 DiamondThief said:

I heard the credit at the beginning of the game. I was able to watch most of the first half before I switched over and covered the two games for which I wrote recaps Saturday night. I too appreciated the shout outs to the opposing team's watch parties. Fans are going to hear those and appreciate the effort. The next time a fan watches a Gunslingers game, even just on YouTube, they're going to remember that and recall it as a positive experience. I don't remember other announcers actually doing that in the IFL.

You've never heard it because I'm fairly confident other announcers don't do it. I'm trying to be different, but not in a "Look at me! I'm...DIFFERENT!" way. Maybe I just failed by saying that, but I'm trying to show the league a different way that might be a better way for the league. 

Casual first time viewers are the viewers you need to keep in order to grow the audience. And if the broadcaster talks only about the home team (known in the business as being a "homer"), that turns them off. It doesn't sound like the NFL/MLB/NBA. So why do they do it? Many announcers want to get a share of the popularity of their team. Let's face it, they want to be liked, have people buy them drinks, be a celebrity of sorts. I don't. I'm trying to elevate a sport and a league, and the way to do that is professionalism, not homerism. You guys have the same goal, which is why I was so happy to find you. We all have our teams, but we don't get to keep our teams if the league is doing poorly. Keep the drinks and celebrity. I'm a private person, a recovering extrovert who puts on a show when I put on a headset. I rarely drink, and I don't seek fame, cred, or attention. I'm very fortunate to do what I do. In my city of 2 million, there are only four other play by play callers (Missions minor league baseball, Spurs of NBA, Brahmas of UFL, and San Antonio FC of USL Champions League soccer) for professional sports teams. That fact amazes me every single day. And humbles me to work hard.

Last year, my goal was to have a production so good, so mobile, that the league might consider awarding a contract to have the company I work for do other team's broadcasts. That was a feasible thing in a six to eight team league like the NAL. It will never happen in the IFL. My role models are legends Keith Jackson and Vin Scully, guys you just wanted to like because they liked both teams. If you don't know, google a youtube broadcast and you will get it in 10 seconds or less.

Thank you for watching. I am open to notes and criticism, mostly because I can be better and want to be better. Your impressions are real, and are caused by technical things I know and can tweak. But I can't get better without knowing what you liked and what you didn't. And thank you for reading. I think I wanted you to understand how important this is to me, why your work is important to me, and why I want to recognize and promote it to the audience.