Photo: 5 Garrett Kettle
Northern Arizona Wrangler’s quarterback Garrett Kettle threw two touchdown passes and rushed for two more, to lead the Wranglers to a hard fought 38-36 win over the Strike Force in San Diego.
The Wranglers trailed 14-7 after one quarter as San Diego quarterback Nate Davis connected on two TD passes to Carlos Thompson. Jarrod Ware Jr. scored from a yard out for the NAZ score.
Kettle scored his first touchdown from one yard out, but the extra point attempt by new kicker Conor Mangan hit the upright, keeping the score at 14-13. The Wranglers defense stepped up in the second quarter. Kishawn Walker picked off the first of his two pass interceptions of Davis to stop a threat. The Wranglers had to settle for a 22 yard field goal by Mangan, but had their first lead at 16-14. A blocked field goal attempt by Kevin Goessling kept the lead going into halftime.
San Diego regained the lead when Davis threw his third TD pass, this time to Marques Rodgers, for a 21-16 lead. Kettle connected on an 9 yard pass to Ramaud Chiaokhi-Bowman and the Wranglers led 24-21 after Kettle hit RCB again on the two point attempt.
The Strike Force gave the ball right back when Kishawn Walker picked off his second Nate Davis pass. The Wranglers took advantage when Kettle scored on a five yard run, burning up five minutes of clock in the process for a 31-21 lead early in the fourth quarter.
San Diego closed the gap on a fifth Davis TD pass, second to Rodgers to make it 31-28 with ten minutes left. Lightning struck when Kettle hit Ware Jr. for a 25 yard score on a one play drive. Davis and company battled back to get within in 38-36 with four minutes left, but the Wranglers were able to pick up a couple of first downs and ran out the clock for the win.
Kettle was 16-23-1 145 yards, two TDs through the air, and was the workhorse on the ground gaining 74 yards on 16 carries. Ware Jr. had eight receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for another touchdown on seven carries, thirteen yards. Chiaokhi-Bowman had six receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Kishawn Walker led with two interceptions and seven tackles.
The win snapped a three game skid coming into a tough matchup with the Frisco Fighters here in Prescott Valley on Saturday night. Game time is 6:05 pm.
NORTHERN ARIZONA WRANGLERS 38, SAN DIEGO STRIKE FORCE 36
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
Northern Arizona 7 9 8 14 – 38
San Diego 14 0 7 15 – 36
Scoring Summary
NAZ-Ware Jr. 1 yard run (Mangan kick)
SD-Thompson 29 yard pass from Davis (Goessling kick)
SD-Thompson 19 yard pass from Davis (Goessling kick)
NAZ-Kettle 1 yard run (Kick failed)
NAZ-Mangan 22 yard Field Goal
SD-Rodgers 36 yard pass from Davis (Goessling kick)
NAZ-Chiaokhi-Bowman 9 yard pass from Kettle (Chiaokhi-Bowman pass from Kettle)
NAZ-Kettle 5 yard run (Mangan kick)
SD-Rodgers 31 yard pass from Davis (Goessling kick)
NAZ-Ware Jr. 25 yard pass from Kettle (Mangan kick)
SD- Bell 14 yard pass from Davis (Thompson pass from Davis)
ATT:2250
IFL STANDINGS
Western Conference W-L Eastern Conference W-L
Bay Area 7-4 Frisco 9-2
Arizona 7-4 Massachusetts 8-3
Tucson 6-4 Quad City 7-4
WRANGLERS 6-5 Green Bay 6-5
Vegas 4-7 Sioux Falls 5-5
Duke City 4-7 Tulsa 1-9
San Diego 4-7 Iowa 2-9
SCOREBOARD
WRANGLERS 38, San Diego 36
Tucson 47, Duke City 43
Arizona 70, Bay Area 63
Frisco 54, Sioux Falls 41
Green Bay 45, Quad City 38
Massachusetts 49, Vegas 28
Iowa 48, Tulsa 40
WEEK 14 SCHEDULE- Arizona Time
Frisco at WRANGLERS, Saturday, 6:05 pm
Quad City at Iowa, Saturday, 5:05 pm
Sioux Falls at Tulsa, Saturday, 5:05 pm
Iowa at Tulsa, Saturday, 5:05 pm
San Diego at Tucson, Saturday, 6:05 pm
Bay Area at Vegas, Saturday, 7:05 pm
Arizona at Duke City, Sunday, 2:05 pm
