Post by DiamondThief on Jul 27, 2024 21:31:09 GMT -8
Rattlers 39, Knight Hawks 38
7/27/24 --
HENDERSON, NV - Dalton Sneed's one-yard touchdown run around the left side as time expired was just enough to propel the Arizona Rattlers past the Vegas Knight Hawks and into the Western Conference Championship game next week.
The Rattlers' last-second 39-38 win at Lee's Family Forum tonight was the next step in their quest to reach the IFL National Championship game for the first time since 2017 when they won their first IFL championship. Their last trip to the conference championship game was in 2022 and ended in a 52-51 loss to the Northern Arizona Wranglers, who would go on to win the IFL championship. They previously won five championships in the Arena Football League before moving over to the IFL prior to that 2017 season. The Rattlers will either visit the Bay Area Panthers, or host the San Diego Strike Force, in next week's Western Conference Championship Game. The fourth-seeded Strike Force visit the Panthers tomorrow afternoon which will determine that matchup.
The Knight Hawks won the regular season series. They defeated the Rattlers 45-43 at Glendale, Arizona on March 24 and protected their home arena with a 55-50 win on June 22. Including this playoff game, the Rattlers lead the overall series over the Knight Hawks, 5-2, including a mark of 3-1 at Henderson.
Arizona found the scoreboard first, scoring on a five-yard rush from wide receiver Corey Reed, Jr. nearly five minutes into the contest, but Dawson Evitts' point-after try was no good. Vegas struck right back when Ja'Rome Johnson hit CJ Windham on a 15-yard touchdown. Kevin Macias' extra point gave the Knight Hawks a 7-6 first quarter lead. The Knight Hawks' Maurice Jackson sacked Dalton Sneed deep in Vegas territory. Sneed fumbled on the play and was recovered by the Knight Hawks' Darius Williams. They drove to the Rattlers one-yard line as time expired in the quarter.
Johnson's one-yard rush up the middle on fourth down extended the Knight Hawks' lead two minutes into the second. The Rattlers' responded immediately when Glen Gibbons, Jr. returned the ensuing kickoff 48 yards for a touchdown. Evitts' conversion try once again failed and Vegas' lead was two with 12 minutes remaining in the quarter. The Knight Hawks once again extended the lead on an 11-yard bootleg around the right side from Johnson. The Rattlers struck back with Dalton Sneed firing a four-yard touchdown to Nih-Jer Jackson in the right side of the end zone. Sneed's toss to Shannon Brooks in nearly the same spot completed the two-point conversion. Arizona attempted an onside kick which was recovered by Vegas' Reggie Henderson to give the Knight Hawks the ball at the Rattlers' 11-yard line. The Knight Hawks milked the clock before Johnson hit Quentin Randolph for a seven-yard score with four seconds remaining in the half. Vegas took a 28-20 lead into the break and were set to receive the opening kickoff of the second half.
On Vegas' first play from scrimmage in the second half, Johnson went deep, but was intercepted by the Rattlers' Jarmaine Doubs at the Arizona four-yard line. After driving down to the Vegas 18, the Rattlers turned over the ball on downs. Antonio Wimbush found a hole around the right guard and sprinted nearly untouched to the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown for the Knight Hawks. The third quarter ended with the Knight Hawks up 35-20 and the Rattlers driving deep into Vegas territory.
The Rattlers scored on the first play of the fourth quarter on a one-yard run from Shannon Brooks. Arizona got the ball back when Davontae Merriweather intercepted the ball to give the ball back to the Rattlers. They capitalized with a two-yard run around the left side from Sneed. The Rattlers attempted the two-point conversion, but Sneed's pass to the left side to Jamal Miles was broken up by James Ceasar of the Knight Hawks. After Johnson was injured on a roughing the passer call and replaced by Jorge Reyna, the Knight Hawks scored on a 35-field goal from Kevin Macias with 48 seconds left. Macias attempted a deuce, but the kickoff went wide left. The Rattlers took over the ball down by five with 48 seconds to go. They drove down to the two-yard line and were able to spike the clock with two seconds left; essentially, one play barring a defensive penalty. They capitalized as Sneed rushed around the left side and dive in for the game winner.
Sneed finished 16 of 25 for 149 yards with a touchdown and no picks. He also rushed for 24 yards and two scores. Brooks had 11 carries for 23 yards and another score, and caught four passes for 35 yards. veteran Jamal Miles led rattlers receivers with seven grabs for 75 yards. Connor Taylor paced the defense with 6.5 tackles, three of which were tackles for loss, and a sack. Kevin Simes, Jr. had another sack. Doubs and Merriweather each had an interception.
Johnson completed seven of 11 throws for 104 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. He also rushed 15 times for 54 yards and two scores. Wimbush, just activated off short-term injured reserve, gained 49 yards off 12 carries to go with his fourth quarter touchdown rush. Randolph was the Knight Hawks' leader in the receiving game with his five catches for 65 yards and touchdown. Gabriel McCoy's six tackles led Vegas' balanced defense.
Arizona had a very slight edge of 195 yards to 193 in total offense. The Rattlers had a 51-yard advantage in receiving yards while the Knight Hawks emerged with a 49-yard edge on the ground. Penalties for the teams were identical with each team being flagged seven times for 45 yards.
All playoff games with the exception of the National Championship Game will be streamed live on the Stadium 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. Click for our complete IFL 2024 Schedule.
7/27/24 --
HENDERSON, NV - Dalton Sneed's one-yard touchdown run around the left side as time expired was just enough to propel the Arizona Rattlers past the Vegas Knight Hawks and into the Western Conference Championship game next week.
The Rattlers' last-second 39-38 win at Lee's Family Forum tonight was the next step in their quest to reach the IFL National Championship game for the first time since 2017 when they won their first IFL championship. Their last trip to the conference championship game was in 2022 and ended in a 52-51 loss to the Northern Arizona Wranglers, who would go on to win the IFL championship. They previously won five championships in the Arena Football League before moving over to the IFL prior to that 2017 season. The Rattlers will either visit the Bay Area Panthers, or host the San Diego Strike Force, in next week's Western Conference Championship Game. The fourth-seeded Strike Force visit the Panthers tomorrow afternoon which will determine that matchup.
The Knight Hawks won the regular season series. They defeated the Rattlers 45-43 at Glendale, Arizona on March 24 and protected their home arena with a 55-50 win on June 22. Including this playoff game, the Rattlers lead the overall series over the Knight Hawks, 5-2, including a mark of 3-1 at Henderson.
Arizona found the scoreboard first, scoring on a five-yard rush from wide receiver Corey Reed, Jr. nearly five minutes into the contest, but Dawson Evitts' point-after try was no good. Vegas struck right back when Ja'Rome Johnson hit CJ Windham on a 15-yard touchdown. Kevin Macias' extra point gave the Knight Hawks a 7-6 first quarter lead. The Knight Hawks' Maurice Jackson sacked Dalton Sneed deep in Vegas territory. Sneed fumbled on the play and was recovered by the Knight Hawks' Darius Williams. They drove to the Rattlers one-yard line as time expired in the quarter.
Johnson's one-yard rush up the middle on fourth down extended the Knight Hawks' lead two minutes into the second. The Rattlers' responded immediately when Glen Gibbons, Jr. returned the ensuing kickoff 48 yards for a touchdown. Evitts' conversion try once again failed and Vegas' lead was two with 12 minutes remaining in the quarter. The Knight Hawks once again extended the lead on an 11-yard bootleg around the right side from Johnson. The Rattlers struck back with Dalton Sneed firing a four-yard touchdown to Nih-Jer Jackson in the right side of the end zone. Sneed's toss to Shannon Brooks in nearly the same spot completed the two-point conversion. Arizona attempted an onside kick which was recovered by Vegas' Reggie Henderson to give the Knight Hawks the ball at the Rattlers' 11-yard line. The Knight Hawks milked the clock before Johnson hit Quentin Randolph for a seven-yard score with four seconds remaining in the half. Vegas took a 28-20 lead into the break and were set to receive the opening kickoff of the second half.
On Vegas' first play from scrimmage in the second half, Johnson went deep, but was intercepted by the Rattlers' Jarmaine Doubs at the Arizona four-yard line. After driving down to the Vegas 18, the Rattlers turned over the ball on downs. Antonio Wimbush found a hole around the right guard and sprinted nearly untouched to the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown for the Knight Hawks. The third quarter ended with the Knight Hawks up 35-20 and the Rattlers driving deep into Vegas territory.
The Rattlers scored on the first play of the fourth quarter on a one-yard run from Shannon Brooks. Arizona got the ball back when Davontae Merriweather intercepted the ball to give the ball back to the Rattlers. They capitalized with a two-yard run around the left side from Sneed. The Rattlers attempted the two-point conversion, but Sneed's pass to the left side to Jamal Miles was broken up by James Ceasar of the Knight Hawks. After Johnson was injured on a roughing the passer call and replaced by Jorge Reyna, the Knight Hawks scored on a 35-field goal from Kevin Macias with 48 seconds left. Macias attempted a deuce, but the kickoff went wide left. The Rattlers took over the ball down by five with 48 seconds to go. They drove down to the two-yard line and were able to spike the clock with two seconds left; essentially, one play barring a defensive penalty. They capitalized as Sneed rushed around the left side and dive in for the game winner.
Sneed finished 16 of 25 for 149 yards with a touchdown and no picks. He also rushed for 24 yards and two scores. Brooks had 11 carries for 23 yards and another score, and caught four passes for 35 yards. veteran Jamal Miles led rattlers receivers with seven grabs for 75 yards. Connor Taylor paced the defense with 6.5 tackles, three of which were tackles for loss, and a sack. Kevin Simes, Jr. had another sack. Doubs and Merriweather each had an interception.
Johnson completed seven of 11 throws for 104 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. He also rushed 15 times for 54 yards and two scores. Wimbush, just activated off short-term injured reserve, gained 49 yards off 12 carries to go with his fourth quarter touchdown rush. Randolph was the Knight Hawks' leader in the receiving game with his five catches for 65 yards and touchdown. Gabriel McCoy's six tackles led Vegas' balanced defense.
Arizona had a very slight edge of 195 yards to 193 in total offense. The Rattlers had a 51-yard advantage in receiving yards while the Knight Hawks emerged with a 49-yard edge on the ground. Penalties for the teams were identical with each team being flagged seven times for 45 yards.
All playoff games with the exception of the National Championship Game will be streamed live on the Stadium 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. Click for our complete IFL 2024 Schedule.
-ANM
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