BEST IN THE WEST: Rattlers to play for title after throttling Strike Force 58-23
Arizona faces Massachusetts on Aug. 17 in Henderson, Nev.
Arizona Rattlers players, coaches and staff celebrate their Western Conference Championship on Monday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. (Matt Hinshaw/Arizona Rattlers)
Arizona Rattlers' Connor Taylor (10), Omari Alexander (24) and Jamal Miles (2) converge on San Diego kickoff returner Elijah Lilly (19) during the Rattlers' 58-23 win on Monday night. (Darryl Webb/Arizona Rattlers)
Arizona Rattlers QB Dalton Sneed (11) throws downfield in the Western Conference title game Monday night. Arizona won 58-23. (Matt Hinshaw/Arizona Rattlers)
Rattlers DB Jarmaine Doubs (5) celebrates his pick 6 with teammates on Monday night in Glendale. (Matt Hinshaw/Arizona Rattlers)
GLENDALE — In football — indoor and outdoor — defense wins championships.
And the way the Arizona Rattlers played defense Monday night, they're right on the doorstep of their 7th league championship.
Led by a ferocious defense that snagged four interceptions and an offense that worked its game plan to perfection, Arizona demolished the San Diego Strike Force 58-23 Monday in the Indoor Football League Western Conference Championship at Desert Diamond Arena.
"They came in here earlier this year when we were hurt and pushed us around a little bit," Rattlers Head Coach Kevin Guy said after the game. "That was the message this week, we weren't going to be bullied. This was a total team effort — total domination. We created a nightmare for San Diego tonight."
Next stop for the third-seeded Rattlers — Las Vegas. Or Henderson, Nev. to be precise for the IFL's National Championship Game set for 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17 at Lee's Family Forum. The Rattlers will face a familiar foe, the #3 Massachusetts Pirates (10-8), who have a short but controversial history with the Rattlers dating back to 2021 when the Pirates plundered Footprint Center and walked away with a 37-34 overtime championship victory in what was then known as the United Bowl.
"You can't look at records at this point," Guy noted. "Massachusetts has a solid team and they just beat the top seed in the East. We've still got work to do."
San Diego and Arizona had split the two previous games this season with each winning on the road, but the Rattlers quickly showed they meant business.
After converting a fourth-down to keep their initial drive going, Arizona cashed in on a 5-yard pass from quarterback Dalton Sneed to Jamal Miles. Dawson Evitts made the PAT and the Rattlers led 7-0 five minutes into the game.
"As an offense, we honestly didn't want to get stopped all night," Sneed explained. "The game plan was tremendous. Hats off to the coaching staff for that."
The momentum continued as the Arizona defense stood tall in the red zone. Forcing a fourth down, San Diego quarterback Nate Davis threw toward the back wall of the end zone but his pass was knocked away by Omari Alexander to turn the ball over on downs.
It didn't take long for Sneed to take advantage. After three plays, the Rattlers QB called his own number and ran untouched for a 28-yard touchdown. Evitts made the PAT to give Arizona a 14-0 lead with a minute left in the first quarter.
San Diego (11-7) got on the board as Davis hooked up with Arthur Jackson III on a 15-yard TD pass. Paul Ortiz missed the PAT wide right and Arizona led 14-6 with 10 minutes until halftime.
Arizona (13-5) then lost a possession as a line drive kickoff bounced off the Rattlers and the Strike Force recovered. But any San Diego momentum was squelched when Jarmaine Doubs picked off Davis on a long bomb attempt.
The quick-strike Snakes immediately upped their lead as Sneed fired a perfect 35-yard TD pass to Nih-Jer Jackson, who had easily beaten his defender. Evitts' PAT gave the Rattlers a 21-6 lead with 5:45 to go in the second.
At the one-minute warning, Davis scrambled and found WR Xavier Amey with a 3-yard TD pass. Ortiz missed another PAT and the Strike Force trailed 21-12.
The Rattlers then executed their one-minute offense to near-perfection. Jackson and Corey Reed Jr. caught key receptions and Miles finished the drive with a 7-yard TD catch from Sneed with 15.7 seconds left.
A 7-yard TD from Sneed to Miles. PAT Evitts. May be too much time left on the clock, though.
Unfortunately for the home crowd of 7,042 there was too much time left on the clock. The Strike Force ran three plays and 0.5 seconds remained with the ball at midfield. Ortiz then made his first kick of the night, a 33-yard field goal to cut the Rattlers lead to 28-15 at halftime.
Arizona's defense made another huge statement as the second half began.
With San Diego knocking on the door, Davis threw an errant pass that was easily snagged by the Rattlers' Devontae Merriweather on the goal line. Merriweather then went coast to coast, ducking and dodging would-be tacklers for a 50-yard pick six. The PAT was blocked but Arizona still led 34-15.
BIG PLAY ALERT
It’s a 50-yard PICK 6 by @stay_tune_4_dm and the Rattlers go up by 3 scores. PAT blocked.
It was like deja vu on the next drive as Doubs snagged his second INT of the night and took it all the way back 43 yards as the roof nearly blew off the arena. Guy was jubilant, running full speed down the sideline to celebrate back-to-back defensive touchdowns.
It reminded many longtime Rattler fans of the 2014 ArenaBowl in Cleveland when Guy chased ex-Rattler Kerry Reed down the sideline in similar fashion in a 72-32 championship victory. Guy smiled when reminded of his "run to glory" a decade ago.
"When Jarmaine took that one to the house, I figured the game was over," he said. "Our defense got after it tonight. This was the most physical team we played this year but we were able to out-physical them tonight."
Evitts' PAT made it 41-15 Arizona with 7:12 left in the third quarter.
Another defensive stop followed and the Rattlers and their fans were starting to feel it as the third quarter ended and the chippiness between the two teams started to ramp up.
"Getting three stops in a row to start the second half was huge," Guy said.
Sneed rushed in from a couple yards out and the party was on with nearly a full quarter to go. Evitts made it 48-15 with 14:11 left in the game and capped a 27-3 Arizona scoring run.
Davis scored on a 12-yard scramble but the outcome was hardly in doubt. The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Merriweather and Evitts kicked a 20-yard field goal to extend the lead to 51-23 with 8:35 left.
Dillion Winfrey got in on the defensive act with the Rattlers' fourth pick of the night at the 7 minute mark.
"We've had those same guys in the locker room all season long," Winfrey explained. "Tonight, we just put it all together. I'm proud of everyone on this defense but we are not done — we've got one more game to get."
The icing on the Western Conference cake was a 1-yard plunge by RB Shannon Brooks with a minute left to cap off a dominant 35-point victory.
Sneed finished the game 14-for-19 through the air for 159 yards, 5 total TDs and no turnovers. Miles caught a pair of touchdowns while Jackson added the other.
Defensively, Doubs led the way with 7.5 total tackles and two INTs. Winfrey and Merriweather each added an interception.
It was a night to forget for Davis, who went 17-for-38 (44.7%) for 179 yards and 3 scores but four INTs.
To win lucky #7 in the shadow of the Vegas Strip, Arizona knows it will need a similar effort in two weeks. They've already overcome a 1-3 start and a plethora of injuries this season to get a shot at another ring.
"Both teams are 0-0 going into that game," Sneed said. "It's whoever prepares the best and executes the best on that day."
The National Championship game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network, but Guy wants Rattler Nation to make the trip to Sin City.
"The fans were awesome tonight. They were loud and they made a difference," he explained. "We need that same type of energy in Henderson so we can turn it into a home game for us because we are back where we belong."
Even as a raucous celebration went on around him, Sneed — who beat Vegas in Round 1 on a 1-yard scramble on the final play of the game — was laser-focused on what's ahead.
"I came here for one reason and the job is not finished," said Sneed, who won an IFL title with Bay Area in the same venue last season. "We've got one more and that's where my mind is at."
Rattlers leave no doubt in winning the IFL Western Conference. Next up is a date with Massachusetts for the title. My story on the big win coming up on https://t.co/MzWWyvsher.
I have edited and written about almost everything in my 20-year journalism career, but I have a strong passion for sports since my father was a teacher and coach when I was young.
My job has allowed me to meet many influential people, including Hillary Clinton, Al Gore (I have a brief, on-camera part in his second movie), George Strait, Matthew McConaughey and several world-class athletes.
I have worked for Independent Newsmedia on two separate occasions – 2000-09 and 2018-present – after studying journalism at the University of Texas at Austin.
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