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Vigilantes Fall to Rattlers, 55-49

July 23, 2011 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Dallas Vigilantes News Release


DALLAS, TX - Although it did not affect their playoff positioning, the Dallas Vigilantes (11-7) lost their final game before 2011 postseason, falling to the National Conference top seed Arizona Rattlers (16-2), 55-49, tonight at the American Airlines Center. Although he only played half of the game, it was a tough night for Vigilante quarterback Dan Raudabaugh, going nine of 21 for 113 yards and no touchdowns.

"It was a tough loss, but I definitely liked how we finished tonight," Vigilante head coach Clint Dolezel said. "There were a lot of little things that we didn't do well in this game, things that the untrained eye may not catch. We just know that we'll have to clean everything up come Friday, but I know our guys are up to the task."

Arizona jumped out of the gates early, as the Rattlers would score back-to-back touchdowns on their first two drives, putting the Vigilantes down, 14-0, at the 3:00 mark of the first quarter.

Dallas ended the first with no points on the board, but found a way to rally in the second. Capping off a 12-play, 47-yard drive, Vigilante fullback Derrick Ross plowed through on a one-yard touchdown run, cutting Arizona's lead to 14-7 with 10:08 left in the first half.

After forcing the Rattlers to go four and out for the first time in the game, Raudabaugh and the Vigilante offense marched their way back to the red zone, where Ross would score his second touchdown of the night, this time on a seven-yard rush to daylight.

The Rattlers jumped back ahead with just a little over two minutes to play in the half, as quarterback Nick Davila fired an a eight-yard strike to receiver Kerry Reed. But the lead was short-lived. Scoring his third touchdown of the game, Ross found daylight again with another one-yard goal line run.

It was all knotted up until the 15-second mark of the quarter, as Reed would snag his second touchdown of the game, slating the halftime score, 28-21, in Arizona's favor.

With the playoffs in the books, Dallas chose to rest some of its starters to begin the third quarter, which included Raudabaugh. Making the most of the opportunity, Vigilante back-up quarterback Luke Drone hit the ground running, leading the Vigilante offense on a six-play, 43-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard touchdown strike to receiver RJ Jackson.

"Luke played great tonight," Raudabaugh said. "I have all the confidence in the world in this team's quarterback play.

Offensively, I don't think we've played our best the last two weeks, but there's no reason why we can't play our best in the next three games. We're excited, we're going to work hard, we're going to practice like champions, and play like champions. If we do that, the sky's the limit."

Dallas fell behind again after another touchdown pass to Arizona receiver Chris Jackson, but in their ensuing possession, the Vigilantes showed what they could do with a Jackson of their own. At 1:48 to go in third, Drone found Jackson again for the receiver's second touchdown of the night and of the season, a four-yard out to the boards. The Vigilante touchdown, however, would be the last one they'd score for awhile.

The Vigilante offense was quiet for remainder of the game, until Drone found receiver Tiger Jones on a two-yard shovel pass with 43 seconds to go in the game.

After a late Chris Jackson touchdown reception, the Vigilantes found themselves down, 55-42, with 38 seconds left in the game. But eight seconds was all Vigilante receiver DeAndrew Rubin needed to return the ensuing kickoff 46 yards to the house. Giving Dallas even more life, Vigilante jack linebacker Brendan Pahulu recovered the ensuing onside kick, returning it all the way to the Arizona 24-yard line.

But, unfortunately, that is where the late heroics ended, as a bad exchange at the line of scrimmage gave the Rattlers the ball back with only 22 seconds to go. The turnover was all she wrote, forcing Dallas to lose its last tune-up game before the playoffs, 55-49. Next up for the Vigilantes is the game we've all been waiting for, the second rematch with divisional rival Chicago Rush, this time for the right to go to the National Conference Championship game. In two attempts, Dallas has failed to beat the Rush this season, as the Vigilantes hope the third time will be the proverbial charm.

Kickoff from Allstate Arena is slated for a 7:30 p.m. (CST) start on Friday, July 29. The semi-final game will be the first postseason game in Vigilantes history.

"We have three more games to go; that's how we're looking at the playoffs," Dolezel said. "Everybody has the same record coming in, and we have just as good of a shot of winning it as anybody else. That's the only way you can look at it."

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