PHOENIX-The Arizona Rattlers continued to try to keep pace in the AFL Western Division with a 28-18 victory over the Iowa Barnstormers in a Week 12 game.
Montrose Gulley fielded the opening kickoff for the Rattlers and returned it 61 yards to the Barnstormers' 37-yard line. Kadeem Raburn hit Shelby Lerti on a flag pattern, but the ball was jarred loose, and Seth Waltrip fell on it at his own 2-yard line. Iowa then drove 91 yards on 15 plays, ultimately settling for a 24-yard field goal by SB Rhoads to take a 3-0 lead with 6:19 to go in the first quarter. Arizona answered with a 9-play, 63-yard drive. Stomp Navarro finished off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to take a 7-3 lead with 2:09 remaining in the first. Davlin Coggins returned the ensuing kickoff into Rattlers' territory, and the Barnstormers drove 46 yards on 4 plays. Norm Damron threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Weldon Taber on the final play of the first quarter to give Iowa a 10-7 lead.
On 3rd-and-9 from the Arizona 10, Nigel Tuck would burst through the line and sack Raburn in the end zone for a safety to extend Iowa's lead to 12-7 with 13:28 to go in the second quarter. Corben Marvell returned the ensuing safety kick 62 yards to the Rattlers' 24-yard line. After netting 13 yards on 8 plays, Rhoads kicked a 28-yard field goal to make it 15-7 with 10:21 to go in the half. Raburn would fumble a snap on Arizona's next drive, and Leif Whitten recovered for the Barnstormers at the Iowa 42-yard line. Two plays later, Damron would mishandle a snap, and Madison Prunty recovered for the Rattlers at the Arizona 41-yard line. After a 9-play, 55-yard drive, Burt Hamrick kicked a 21-yard field goal to make it 15-10 with 1:55 to go in the second quarter. The Rattlers' defense struck when Abdul Hanna picked off Damron and returned it 16 yards to the Barnstormers' 37-yard line. Arizona gained 19 yards on 2 plays, and Hamrick kicked a 35-yard field goal to make it 15-13 at the half.
The Rattlers opened the second half getting the ball at their own 25, and marching 75 yards on 7 plays. The final 46 yards came on a touchdown run from Melvin Jones to give Arizona a 20-15 lead with 11:21 remaining in the third quarter. The Barnstormers punted on their next drive, then Raburn was picked off by Farrell Companis who took it back 11 yards to the Rattlers' 26-yard line. But on the next play, Ryan Travers fumbled the ball and Claud Fagan recovered at the line of scrimmage. Arizona would punt, and the Barnstormers drove 31 yards on 10 plays. Rhoads would kick a 43-yard field goal to make it 20-18 with 8 seconds to go in the third.
Arizona began the fourth quarter with a 7-play, 53-yard drive that ended with Raburn hitting Jones for a 21-yard touchdown pass. The 2-Point Conversion was good, and the Rattlers led 28-18 with 11:20 left in the fourth quarter. The teams traded punts, and Iowa was turned away on fourth down with under two minutes to go to give Arizona their fourth straight win.
Arizona (6-6) gained 327 yards of total offense. The Rattlers ran for 186 yards on 34 carries. Jones led the team with 65 yards on 4 carries and a TD. Raburn was 14-of-20 passing for 161 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked four times, losing 20 yards. Aaron Sidney was the leading receiver with 5 catches for 48 yards. Next week, the Rattlers visit the Los Angeles Avengers.
Iowa (7-5) gained 321 yards of total offense. The Barnstormers ran for 68 yards on 22 carries. Powell Ramos led the team with 38 yards on 9 carries. Damron was 28-of-37 passing for 277 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked three times, losing 24 yards. Travers was the leading receiver with 6 catches for 44 yards. The Barnstormers will visit the Milwaukee Mustangs next week.
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