Rattlers exact revenge on Knight Hawks with 47-36 playoff win

By Matt Loeschman
Mail | X: @MattLoeschman

HENDERSON, NEV. — The Arizona Rattlers love playing postseason games in Las Vegas.

After two tough losses to the Vegas Knight Hawks earlier this season, the Rattlers took out some revenge on Sunday with a 47-36 first-round playoff victory over Vegas at Lee's Family Forum.

"I'm proud of everyone," Rattlers Head Coach Kevin Guy said after the game on social media. "We had a tremendous week of practice and the guys came out today really locked in."

Trailing 16-14 after a VKH deuce, Arizona retook the lead on a Ron Brown Jr. 10-yard rushing TD. A 2-point conversion attempt failed but Rattlers kicker Matthew Cook made up for that by nailing his first of a pair of deuces in the game.

Arizona led 22-16 at halftime.

Rattlers QB Max Meylor then found WR Arland Bruce IV on an 11-yard TD pass to put Arizona up two scores.

The teams traded scores until late in the 4th quarter. Meylor connected with WR Jayden Horace on a 9-yard score then Vegas QB Jayden DeLaura hit Senika McKie with a 5-yard TD pass to bring the Knight Hawks within 44-36.

Cook then came up huge, nailing a 22-yard field goal to provide the winning margin of 11 points. Vegas drove the field with time running out, but their 4th-down lob was batted away in the end zone as Guy pumped his fist with victory secured.

Meylor was just 7-of-18 passing for 63 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT but he added 63 important yards on the ground. Brown Jr., Bruce IV and Kymani Clarke each rushed for a score. Horace, Bruce IV and Corey Reed Jr. each caught a TD pass.

DeLaura, likely to be named the league's 2026 MVP, threw a pair of TDs and ran for another.

In knocking out the IFL's defending national champions, the Rattlers improved to 3-0 all-time in playoff games at the venue located in the Vegas suburb of Henderson. In addition to Sunday's triumph, Arizona won two games in the same arena during the 2024 postseason, including a blowout win over Massachusetts for the franchise's 7th championship. They also held the Knight Hawks (12-5) to their second-fewest points in 17 games played in 2026.

The win propels the third-seeded Rattlers (12-5) into the Western Conference Championship game at top-seeded San Diego (14-3). Arizona has beaten the Strike Force twice already this season. San Diego advanced Sunday night with a 54-47 victory over #4 Tucson.

The west final is set for 4:30 p.m Sunday, Aug. 9 at Frontwave Arena. The game will be streamed on the Yahoo! Sports Network.

Matt Loeschman
Managing Editor | West Valley

mloeschman@iniusa.org

Meet Matt

Matt Loeschman has had two separate stints at Independent Newsmedia. He began as a reporter covering Peoria and later Surprise from 2000-2009. In 2017, he returned to Arizona and INI as the news editor of the Daily News-Sun (now the Phoenix Independent). He previously covered the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League for more than a decade.

Community: During high school football season since 2017, he contributes live postgame radio reports to the AzPreps 365 Friday Night Football Wrapup Show. He supports organizations such as Phoenix Children’s, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley and the American Cancer Society.

Education: The University of Texas at Austin majoring in Journalism-News and Public Affairs. 

Random Fact: He can sing and he has been fortunate to meet many famous people during his journalism career including First Lady Hillary Clinton, King of Country Music George Strait and Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey. Attended all 4 home games of the 2001 World Series.

Hobbies: Watching and playing a wide variety of sports, including golf, tennis, pickleball and softball. Playing PlayStation 5, working out, shopping and reading.