Photo: 2 Kishawn Walker gets the interception of a pass intended for John Maldonado
The Northern Arizona Wranglers needed a win to keep their playoff hopes much alive but ran into a motivated and inspired San Diego Strike Force team in a costly 57-43 loss at Prescott Valley.
The loss drops Northern Arizona to fifth place in the Western Conference at (8-5), while Arizona and San Diego sit at (9-5). The problem is that the Wranglers have lost both meetings with those two clubs, and in order to make the playoffs would have to finish one game up on either of those teams.
Arizona still has to play San Antonio and Tucson, while San Diego has a tougher schedule against the top two teams in the Western Division, Bay Area and Vegas. Then there are the Wranglers who need to win at Bay Area on Sunday, then beat Vegas at home, and finish the regular season with a road win at Duke City.
Saturday night, the Wranglers found themselves in a good position already on top 15-7, but three missed opportunities gave San Diego exactly what they needed to pull off the win.
The first came in the first quarter right after getting a safety, the Wranglers fumbled the free kick as Arsiah McCorker took a hit as he came up the middle of the field. The ball was recovered by the kicker Mangan, giving the ball right back to San Diego. The Strike Force eventually tied the game in the second quarter.
Photo: Wrangler quarterback Josh Jones makes a run for it in the first half
The Wranglers came right back with a long pass from Josh Jones to McCorker that set up a three yard touchdown run by John Maldonado for a 22-15 lead.
The second came when Strike Force quarterback Nate Davis fired a pass that was picked off by Shamar Moreland who took it 45 yards to the house. A flag flew in the process and the official called blind side block penalty that not only took away the points, but Wranglers still had the ball at their own 12 yard line. Two long overthrown passes gave the ball back to San Diego with 4:40 left in the first half.
Davis would hit Jackson a second time for the game tying score with 3:35 left. The Strike Force continued to build on the energy of the tying score when the Wranglers had to settle for a 38 yard field goal attempt that went wide right.
The Strike Force scored to go ahead 29-22 at the half on another pass from Davis to Jackson. The half ended when a Wranglers pass was picked off by former NAZ standout Kishawn Walker as Jones attempted to get the ball to Maldonado.
San Diego came out and scored to start the second half to go up 36-22 and Northern Arizona found themselves chasing the Strike Force from there on out.
San Diego stayed up by at least one possession from there on out, keeping NAZ from scoring uin the final six minute.
The Strike Force were led by quarterback Nate Davis, who was 19-28-1, 231 yards and seven touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions, one to Moreland and one to Travion Banks. Arthur Jackson had a field day catching ten passes for 147 yards and six touchdowns. The Wranglers were led by Josh Jones 19-29-1, 207 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Jones also led rushing with 50 yards. John Maldonado caught six for 72 and a score. Arsiah McCorker pulled in four for 69 yards and a TD. David Elder and Kobay White also had touchdown receptions.
NAZ travels to play Bay Area on Sunday at 3:05pm.
SAN DIEGO STRIKE FORCE 57, NORTHERN ARIZONA WRANGLERS 43
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
San Diego 7 22 14 14 – 57
Northern Arizona 15 7 14 7 – 43
Scoring Summary
NAZ-McCorker 40 yard pass from Jones (Perez kick)
SD-Jackson 25 yard pass from Davis (Mangan kick)
NAZ-Jones 1 yard run (Kick failed)
NAZ-Young safety
SD-Johnson 6 yard run (Mangan drop-kick)
NAZ-Maldonado 3 yard run (Perez kick)
SD-Jackson 20 yard pass from Davis (Mangan kick)
SD-Jackson 13 yard pass from Davis (Mangan kick)
SD-Jackson 11 yard pass from Davis (Mangan kick)
NAZ-Elder 8 yard pass from Jones (Perez kick)
SD-Johnson 9 yard pass from Davis (Mangan kick)
NAZ-Maldonado 15 yard pass from Jones (Perez kick)
SD-Jackson 37 yard pass from Davis (Kick blocked)
NAZ-White 9 yard pass from Jones (Perez kick)
SD-Jackson 10 yard pass from Davis (Mangan drop-kick)
ATT:3,100
IFL STANDINGS
Western Conference W-L
Bay Area 11-2
Vegas 9-4
Arizona 9-5
San Diego 9-5
WRANGLERS 8-5
San Antonio 6-7
Tucson 2-11
Duke City 2-11
Eastern Conference W-L
Green Bay 11-3
Frisco 11-3
Massachusetts 7-6
Quad City 6-6
Tulsa 5-9
Iowa 4-9
Sioux Falls 3-10
Jacksonville 3-10
SCOREBOARD
San Diego 57, Northern Arizona 43
Arizona 55, Iowa 26
Bay Area 37, Vegas 35
Duke City 44, Tucson 32
Frisco 48, San Antonio 47
Green Bay 54, Tulsa 20
Jacksonville 36, Sioux Falls 28
SCHEDULE-WEEK 17
Massachusetts at San Antonio, Saturday, 4:05pm
Jacksonville at Iowa, Saturday, 5:05pm
Sioux Falls at Quad City, Saturday, 5:05pm
Vegas at San Diego, Saturday, 6:05pm
Frisco at Duke City, Sunday, 2:05pm
WRANGLERS at Bay Area, Sunday, 3:05pm
Tucson at Arizona, Sunday, 3:05pm
