Photo: 1 Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman returned with a big game to help the Wranglers advance to the Western conference championship next Saturday
The Northern Arizona Wranglers shocked the Arizona Rattlers and their faithful with a 62-53 playoff win at the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix. The Wranglers who had lost three times this season to Rattlers jumped out to a commanding 42-14 lead early in the third quarter, only to see the Rattlers come back to take a 47-42 lead, with 34 straight points. NAZ managed to get it their act together at the end for the nine point win.
It is not often when you see a team get 19 penalties and have a negative five yards rushing win a game, but that is exactly what happened. Arizona did help with six turnovers that proved to be too much for them to overcome.
The Wranglers came out ready to play. NAZ quarterback Nick Watson hit Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman (RCB) on back to back pass plays for the first score of the game. Jutice King intercepted Rattlers quarterback Drew Powell for the first of Powell’s five interceptions on the night. Watson hit Jarrod Ware Jr. in stride for a TD, and Connor Mangan’s drop-kick was good for a 14-0 lead with only seven minutes gone.
The Rattlers were able to score when Powell hit Jamaal Miles in the corner of the end zone to pull within 14-7. The drive was aided by a couple of penalties called on the Wranglers. The Rattlers defense held and got the game tying score when Miles took the ball in. It was then all Wrangler for the remainder of the second quarter and the initial drive in the third as NAZ scored the next 28 points.
RCB took a Watson pass on a curl route, and sprinted down the middle of the field for the final 22 yards, putting NAZ back on top 22-14. Kerry Starks picked off a Powell pass that was forced, giving the ball back to the Wranglers.
Watson hit RCB at the Arizona six. The Arizona defense held, but Mangum dropkicked the field goal, which awards four points instead of the traditional three. NAZ now led 26-14 with 1:10 left in the first half.
The Wrangler defense forced Powell to throw another bad pass, this time right to Dorian Walker. NAZ was back in business with :43 left, but the offense sputtered, giving the ball back to Arizona.
After a blindside blocked kick moved the ball back to the Rattler five, Powell lost the ball in the end zone and Theo Majette fell on the loose ball for the touchdown. Mangan’s drop kick increased the lead to 34-14 as the Footprint Center was very quiet. After having just 18 points in the first two games in Phoenix, the Wranglers scored 34 to lead by 20. Four first half turnovers by Arizona was a huge part of that.
The second half started with an Arizona onside kick that went into the seats. Watson hit RCB on a six yard scoring strike, and with another Mangan drop-kick, the score was now 42-14, and it seemed that NAZ could do no wrong, but not so fast my friends.
Arizona, winners of eight straight, stood up to the challenge. Powell hit a wide open Jager Gardner for a touchdown and the momentum began to switch. The Wranglers began to be accident prone. A bad snap got past Watson who tried to pick up the ball, but couldn’t, with Connor Taylor falling on it in the end zone for a seven point gift, to cut the Wrangler lead to 42-28. The NAZ offense struggled even more on their next possession and the Rattlers and their fans woke up. Arizona got the ball back and moved it as they broke through tackles, making it look easy. An easy untouched run around the end by Miles for the score, cut the Wranglers lead to 42-35.
Once again the NAZ offense failed to get a first down. The officials called a penalty on four straight plays, three on the Wranglers, to put the ball inside the NAZ five yard line. Powell called his own number to score on a two yard run, to pull within one, as the holder was unable to get the ball for the kick, but the Rattlers were within a single digit, 42-41 with eleven minutes left.
The meltdown continued as a bad pass by Watson was picked off by Chris Page. Arizona took the lead with their fifth straight touchdown with seven minutes remaining when Miles ran around the end once again being untouched for the score. The Rattlers failed on the two point play, but now held a 47-42 lead.
An unusual play perhaps muffled the Rattler’s momentum, or it would seem later to have been the case. On the kickoff, Wrangler’s returner Sheldon Augustine was interfered with on the sideline by an Arizona fan, causing a delay, and an ejection of his front row seat. The officials also called an unsportsmanlike penalty on Augustine. Garrett Kettle came in and replaced Watson, for the moment. The Wranglers brought Watson back in three plays later, and the starting QB hit RCB for his third touchdown on an 8 yard pass play. The PAT was no good, but the Wranglers had regained the lead 48-47 with 3:04 left.
Arizona moved the ball to the Wrangler two with a minute left. Powell danced his way through four NAZ defenders for the touchdown. The two point play failed, but the Rattlers led 53-48 with just under a minute remaining.
Another NAZ penalty moved the ball back to their own seven. Watson, who went 15-25-1, for 222 yards and five TDs, aired it out to RCB for a touchdown, and the Wranglers led once again 54-53, with a half a minute left. Mangan’s masterful kickoff pinned Arizona at their own one yard line. Powell was under a lot of pressure and Dorian Walker picked off his second pass, returning for the score. The extra point was blocked, but a penalty on the Rattlers gave Mangan another chance. This time the drop-kick came through for a 62-53 lead with :16 left. Another Powell interception, his fifth, ended the Western Conference regular season champs hopes.
The Wranglers even their record at (8-8) and earned themselves a return trip to the Western Conference championship game. Arizona ends their season at (11-5). Next up will be a trip to San Jose and take on the Bay Area Panthers. Kickoff is Saturday at 6:05 pm and can been seen on the IFL YouTube channel.
NORTHERN ARIZONA WRANGLERS 62, ARIZONA RATTLERS 53
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
Northern Arizona 14 20 8 20 – 62
Arizona 7 7 21 18 – 53
Scoring Summary
NAZ-Chiaokhiao-Bowman 13 yard pass from Watson (Drp-kick failed)
NAZ-Ware 29 yard pass from Watson (Mangan drop-kick)
A-Miles 6 yard pass from Powell (McInerney kick)
A-Miles 2 yard run (McInerney kick)
NAZ- Chiaokhi-Bowman 28 yard pass from Watson (Mangan drop-kick)
NAZ-Majette fumble recovery in end zone (Mangan drop-kick)
NAZ-Chiaokhiao-Bowman 6 yard pass from Watson (Kick failed)
A-Gardner 18 yard pass from Powell (McInerney kick)
A-Taylor 1 yard fumble recovery (McInenery kick)
A-Miles 6 yard run (McInenery kick)
A-Powell 2 yard run (Kick failed)
A-Miles 3 yard run (Run failed)
NAZ-Chiaokhiao-Bowman 8 yard pass from Watson (Kick failed)
A-Powell 2 yard run (Run failed)
NAZ-Chiaokhiao-Bowman 38 yard pass from Watson (Kick failed)
NAZ-Walker 25 yard interception return (Mangan drop-kick)
ATT:8,078
IFL Playoff Scores
Western Conference
WRANGLERS 62, Arizona 53
Bay Area 46, Tucson 34
Eastern Conference
Frisco 57, Quad City 29
Sioux Falls 42, Massachusetts 39
Playoff Schedule
Western Conference
WRANGLERS (8-8) at Bay Area (11-5)
Eastern Conference
Sioux Falls (10-6) at Frisco (14-2)
