Photo: Quarterback Joshua Jones continues to be a dual threat with his legs and his arm for the Wranglers
The Northern Arizona Wranglers put together a 45 yard drive in the final seconds to pull out a 58-52 win over the Vegas Knight Hawks in Henderson, Nevada. The win pulls the Wranglers closer to the top of the Western Division of the IFL
Northern Arizona quarterback Joshua Jones followed up his record setting game with 8 touchdowns, accounting for five TDs this week, three coming on the ground and a pair through the air.
The Northern Arizona defense wasted little time when Kevin Hyde ripped the ball from the Knight Hawk receiver on the first offensive play of the game. Wranglers quarterback Joshua Jones scored his first touchdown of the night on their third play from scrimmage with a seven yard run. Perez added the extra point for a quick 7-0 lead.
Vegas came back quickly on their second play when quarterback Jorge Reyna launches a 38 yard pass to Caleb Holly, but the kick failed making the score 7-6.
Axel Perez kicked an 18 yard field goal for a 10-6 lead. Reyna scored on a short run up the middle to end the first quarter and a 13-10 Vegas lead.
Trailing for the first time in the game, the Wranglers scored when Kobay White rushed the ball in from six yards out to go up 17-13 lead. Former Wrangler Quentin Randolph scored on a three yard run for a 19-17 Knight Hawk lead.
The Vegas defense held the Wranglers inside the five yard line, so Northern Arizona had to settle for a 19 yard field goal by Perez to regain the lead 20-19.
Reyna dove in from one yard out to give Vegas a 25-20 lead. A two point conversion as the running back Winbush threw a short pass to Reyna on the ole Statue of Liberty play. The Wranglers trailing 27-20 had thirteen seconds left in the first half to work with. A forty yard field goal went wide right to end the half.
The Wranglers got the equalizer on their opening possession of the third quarter. Jones threw a perfect pass down field to McCorker for a one play 26 yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 27. Vegas retook the lead on a five yard run by Windham, but a third failed extra point attempt kept the score at 33-27.
A key play in the game came late in the third quarter when the Wranglers converted on a fourth and ten on a pass from Jones to White to move the ball into the Vegas five yard line. A misdirection run back Kevin Elder tied the game at 33. Perez broke the tie with the extra point for a 34-33 lead.
Another quick strike by Reyna came when he hit Randolph, but another missed extra point left the score at 39-34. Jones found an opening in the line and scampered in for the TD, and with the Perez drop-kick, the Wranglers led 42-39.
Vegas on a fourth and three at the six opted to bring in their struggling kicker for a field goal. Macias made it to tie the game at 42 with ten minutes to play.
Jones threw a pass to John Maldonado who broke a tackle to score. Perez added another drop-kick for a 50-42 lead with seven minutes remaining.
4th and two Vegas, Reyna threw a laser to CJ Windham. The Knight Hawks opted for a timeout to come up with the right play for the two point conversion attempt. Reyna hit Holly to tie the game with just under a minute to play. Macias, who was booed earlier in the game, drilled a deuce to give Vegas a 52-50 lead.
The Wranglers converted on a third and ten at their own five, moving the ball on consecutive pass plays to Maldonado. Then Jones ran the ball 12 yards to the Vegas eight. Jones scored on the very next play to go on top 56-52 with fourteen seconds left. A third straight drop-kick by Perez increased the lead to 58-52.
Vegas started their final drive at their own 21 with eleven seconds left. A final Hail Mary pass went out of the back of the end zone as the Wranglers improve to (7-3). Vegas drops to (7-2).
The Wranglers will travel to Glendale to face the Arizona Rattlers on Saturday at 6 pm. The game will be televised on the IFL YouTube channel.
NORTHERN ARIZONA WRANGLERS 58, VEGAS KNIGHT HAWKS 52
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
Northern Arizona 10 10 14 16 – 58
Vegas 13 14 12 13 – 52
Scoring Summary
NAZ-Jones 7 yard run (Perez kick)
V-Holly 38 yard pass from Reyna (Kick failed)
NAZ-Perez 18 yard FG
V-Reyna 3 yard run (Macias kick)
NAZ-White 6 yard run (Perez kick)
V-Randolph 3 yard run (Kick failed)
NAZ-Perez 19 yard FG
V-Reyna 1 yard run (Reyna pass from Windham)
NAZ-McCorker 26 yard pass from Jones (Perez kick)
V-Windham 5 yard run (Kick failed)
NAZ-Elder 5 yard run (Perez kick)
V-Randolph 17 yard pass from Reyna (Kick failed)
NAZ-Jones 4 yard run (Perez drop-kick)
V-Macias 21 yard FG
NAZ-Maldonado 29 yard pass from Jones (Perez drop-kick)
V-Windham 2 yard pass from Reyna (Holly pass from Reyna)
V-Macias deuce
NAZ-Jones 8 yard run (Perez drop-kick)
ATT:N/A
IFL STANDINGS
Western Conference W-L
Bay Area 8-1
Vegas 7-2
WRANGLERS 7-3
San Diego 6-4
Arizona 6-4
San Antonio 4-5
Tucson 2-7
Duke City 1-8
Eastern Conference W-L
Frisco 8-2
Green Bay 8-2
Massachusetts 6-4
Quad City 4-5
Tulsa 3-7
Iowa 3-7
Sioux Falls 2-7
Jacksonville 1-8
SCOREBOARD
Northern Arizona 58, Vegas 52
Arizona 62, Jacksonville 41
Duke City 21, Tucson 20
Bay Area 42, San Antonio 31
Green Bay 64, Quad City 36
San Diego 42, Tulsa 34
Iowa 47, Sioux Falls 45
Frisco 52, Massachusetts 48