AFL I Arizona Rattlers

Arizona Rattlers game notes

Published on May 16, 2006 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Arizona Rattlers News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Game: Utah Blaze at Arizona Rattlers
Date: Saturday, May 20, 2006
Kickoff: 2:00 p.m. (Pacific)
Site: Phoenix, Ariz.
Arena: US Airways Center (16,321)
Television: OLN (Ari Wolfe, Charles Arbuckle, Andrew Siciliano)
Radio: ESPN Radio 860 AM - (Kent Derdivanis, Dale Hellestrae, Craig Grialou)
Series Record: Rattlers lead 2-0
Last Meeting: Arizona 64, Utah 52 - April 7, 2006 at the Delta Center
Officials: Dennis Lipski (R), Rick Nelson (U), Brent Durbin (HL), Dave Chesney (LJ), Greg Wilson (BJ)
Head Coaches: Arizona - Gene Nudo (first season, 8-8, 0-0 in playoffs) Utah - Danny White (14th season overall, 127-64, 20-10 in playoffs, first in Utah, 7-9)

2006 RATTLERS: Despite starting the season 0-3, Arizona won eight of their next 12 games to clinch their 13th trip to the postseason in their 15-year history and earn an American Conference No. 3 seed in the new 12-team AFL playoff format. With the seed, the Rattlers will play their first round game at home where they have won six straight. Their opponent will be the No. 6 seed Utah Blaze, a team they have already beaten twice this year. The Blaze are led by former Ratter head coach Danny White, who boasts a 20-10 playoff record while in Arizona, including two championships. Ratter Head Coach Gene Nudo, who was an assistant in 1995, seeks his first-ever playoff win as a head coach. QB Sherdrick Bonner, who has won 17 playoff games in his 13-year career, finished the season with franchise-high 3,991 passing yards, while nearly matching his career mark in TD passes (88) with 83. WR/LB Randy Gatewood, who was the team's top target, had career-highs in receiving yards (1,175), receptions (89) and touchdown catches (35). The "Ironman of the Year" candidate set a career mark in tackles, leading the team with 64. OS Damien Groce is another key offensive weapon, accumulating 59 receptions for 857 yards and 21 touchdowns in just 12 games. WR/LB Cosmo DeMatteo and WR/DB Curtis Fagan each look to return from injury, while WR/LB Wilson Thomas continues to contribute. Defensively, DS Joe Todd finished one pass deflection shy of the franchise record with 26 and DS Clarence Lawson was second on the team in tackles with 55.

THE SERIES: This will be the third meeting between the two teams, as Arizona swept the regular season series. The first meeting was a 45-38 win in Phoenix and the second was a 64-52 victory in Utah. Blaze coach Danny White headed Arizona during their first 13 seasons, while Utah assistant Hunkie Cooper played with the Rattlers for the same tenure. The Blaze roster features eight ex-Rattlers: FB/LB Orshawante Bryant, OS Siaha Burley, WR/DB Ryan Dennard, QB Joe Germaine, DS Kelvin Hunter, WR/LB Tom Pace and WR/DB Justin Taplin.

ARIZONA RATTLERS (8-8)
Date Opponent Result Score
Jan. 29 @ Los Angeles Loss 40-31
Feb. 3 Austin Loss 53-34
Feb. 12 San Jose Loss 55-50
Feb. 18 Utah Win 45-38
Feb. 24 @ Columbus Loss 42-26
Mar. 4 Nashville Win 51-49
Mar. 10 Orlando Win 60-57
Mar. 17 @ Las Vegas Win 47-33
Mar. 24 Los Angeles Win 58-45
April 2 @ San Jose Loss 61-49
April 7 @ Utah Win 64-52
April 15 Chicago Win 61-42
April 23 @ G. Rapids Loss 45-42
April 28 @ Dallas Loss 54-46
May 5 Las Vegas Win 75-28
May 12 @ Colorado Loss 59-35

UTAH BLAZE (7-9)
Date Opponent Result Score
Jan. 28 @ San Jose Win 48-35
Feb. 4 Dallas Loss 53-56
Feb. 11 New York Loss 81-84
Feb. 18 @ Arizona Loss 45-38
Feb. 25 @ Los Angeles Win 68-66
Mar. 4 San Jose Loss 65-50
Mar. 10 Nashville Win 63-34
Mar. 16 @ Grand Rapids Loss 59-49
Mar. 24 Las Vegas Loss 49-47
Apr. 1 @ Tampa Bay Loss 56-41
Apr. 7 Arizona Loss 64-52
Apr. 15 Los Angeles Win 63-61
Apr. 21 @ Colorado Win 52-40
Apr. 29 @ Las Vegas Win 63-52
May 6 @ Chicago Loss 84-48
May 12 Kansas City Win 55-54


RATTLER HEAD COACH: Gene Nudo enters his first season as head coach to become the third head coach in franchise history. Nudo joined the Rattlers coaching staff in 1995 as an assistant head coach before becoming a part of the team's front office in 1996. A true pioneer in the AFL, Nudo coached the first-ever Arena Football games in Rockford, Ill. (1986) as well as its "Showcase Game" in Rosemont, Ill. (1987). He would later serve as the Director of Player Personnel and assistant coach for the Chicago Bruisers (1987-88), helping guide them to a berth in ArenaBowl II.

THIS WEEK'S QUOTES:

Rattler head coach Gene Nudo on last week's loss versus Colorado: "It was a real disappointment to drop another one on the road. On the bright side, we came out of the game pretty good health-wise and had some positives on offense and in our kicking game. Hopefully, it was more of a case where our guys were overlooking this game and looking towards the playoffs. We played a very formidable team and it showed. We need to bounce back with a good home performance."

Nudo on Utah's late run: "They have brought in a veteran quarterback that gets the ball out on time and has helped them win. Winning four of their last five, they are a much different team than they were the last time we played them. They have beaten some really improved teams down the stretch. We are expecting them to play as tough as they have been lately."

Nudo on what it takes to win in the playoffs: "It is going to take some consistent play and keeping our mistakes down. We have to play better, particularly on the road if we are going to advance. We need to take one game at a time and get a good effort out on offense and defense. The team that keeps their turnovers down will be in a good position to win."

ARIZONA RATTLERS
2005 Results (7-9)
Date Opponent Result Score
Jan. 28 @ G. Rapids Win 58-38
Feb. 3 Orlando Loss 51-40
Feb.12 @ Georgia Loss 61-47
Feb. 19 Colorado Loss 74-69
Feb. 27 @ New York Loss 61-37
Mar. 6 Los Angeles Loss 33-29
Mar. 13 @ Tampa Bay Loss 59-56
Mar. 19 Las Vegas Loss 66-63
Mar. 26 @ Nashville Win 48-35
April 3 @ San Jose Loss 48-27
April 8 Columbus Win 70-53
April 22 Austin Win 52-26
April 30 @ Los Angeles Loss 59-56
May 6 Chicago Win 61-43
May 14 San Jose Win 54-44
May 22 @ Las Vegas Win 49-42

NEXT GAME: If the Rattlers are to beat Utah in the first round, they will travel to San Jose to take on the No. 2 seeded SaberCats. It would be their third meeting with San Jose this season, as the SaberCats swept the season series against Arizona. The contest would be on May 27th or 28th and can be seen on NBC.

THE "IF" SECTION
If the Rattlers defeat Utah it would:
- be their ninth victory in their last 14 games
- be their seventh straight win at home
- give them a 4-0 record on Saturday this season
- give them a 4-0 all-time record in the Wild Card Round
- give them their 13th quarterfinal appearance in franchise history

Rattlers Coaching HistorySeason - Head Coach Record
1992-2004 Danny White 122-57 (playoffs 20-10)
2005 Todd Shell 7-9
2006 Gene Nudo 8-8

DIVISION ADDITION: The league's Western division took new shape this year with the addition of the expansion Utah Blaze. The Blaze are coached by former Rattler head coach Danny White, who is the team's head coach, while former Rattler WR/LB Hunkie Cooper is an assistant.

SECOND HALF SURGE: The Rattlers have hardly been known for breaking out of the gates quickly in recent years. In their last four seasons, Arizona has a combined 12-20 record during the first half of the season, but the team boasts a 24-8 record during the second half of the season, making championship runs in 2003 and 2004.

Record Year- Season Result 1st Half 2nd Half Final record
2003 lost ArenaBowl XVII 4-4 6-2 13-7
2004 lost ArenaBowl XVIII 3-5 8-0 13-6
2005 missed playoffs 1-7 6-2 7-9
2006 ???? 4-4 4-4 ???

25 PERCENT OF THE TOP 20: The league's historical committee announced the top 20 players in AFL history on January 18, 2006. A total of five players with Rattler ties made the list, including current Rattler QB Sherdrick Bonner and WR/DB Randy Gatewood. Former Rattlers included WR/LB Hunkie Cooper, QB Aaron Garcia, and FB/LB Bob McMillen.

Top 20 Players of All-time
1. Eddie Brown - Albany, Indiana
2. Barry Wagner - Orlando, San Jose
3. George LaFrance - Detroit, Tampa Bay, New Jersey
4. Jay Gruden - Tampa Bay, Orlando
5. Hunkie Cooper - Arizona
6. James Baron - Chicago, Nashville
7. Sylvester Bembery - New England, Albany, Tampa
8. Sherdrick Bonner - Arizona
9. Stevie Thomas - Tampa Bay, Orlando, New Jersey
10. Dwayne Dixon - Washington, Detroit
11. Aaron Garcia - Arizona, Iowa, New York
12. Kurt Warner - Iowa
13 Sam Hernandez - Las Vegas, Anaheim, San Jose
14. Cory Fleming - Carolina, Orlando, Nashville
14. Greg Hopkins - Albany, Indiana, Los Angeles
16. Alvin Rettig - Detroit
17. Randy Gatewood - Arizona
17. Gary Mullen - Denver, Detroit, Cincinnati
19. John Corker - Detroit, Miami
20. Bob McMillen - Arizona, San Jose, Chicago
13 = 8 = GREAT: Arizona quarterback Sherdrick Bonner is one of the league's best all-time field generals, as he was honored as eighth-greatest on the league's top 20 of all-time. In addition to owning every Rattler passing record, he is steadily working his way up the league charts. Currently, Bonner ranks in the top four in four different all-time passing stats with 36,933 passing yards (No. 3 on the AFL career chart), 746 touchdowns (No. 4), 4,769 pass attempts (No. 3), and 2,916 completions (No. 3). Bonner has also won more games than any other quarterback in AFL history with 102 regular season victories and 17 playoff wins.

Career Passing Yards
1. Andy Kelly - Utah Blaze 39,948
2. Clint Dolezel - Dallas Desperados 37,362
3. Sherdrick Bonner - Arizona Ratters 36,933
4. Aaron Garcia - New York Dragons 36,102

Career Touchdowns
1. Andy Kelly - Utah Blaze 768
2. Clint Dolezel - Dallas Desperados 765
3. Aaron Garcia - New York Dragons 757
4. Sherdrick Bonner - Arizona Ratters 746

Career Attempts
1. Andy Kelly - Utah Blaze 5,827
2. Clint Dolezel - Dallas Desperados 4,824
3. Sherdrick Bonner - Arizona Ratters 4,769
4. Aaron Garcia - New York Dragons 4,468

Career Completions
1. Andy Kelly - Utah Blaze 3,600
2. Clint Dolezel - Dallas Desperados 3,138
3. Sherdrick Bonner - Arizona Ratters 2,916
4. Aaron Garcia - New York Dragons 2,833

SCORING MACHINE: WR/DB Randy Gatewood scored a touchdown in 13 of his 16 games last season. He has scored touchdowns in 14 of 16 games this season and has a total of 203 touchdowns in his career as a Rattler.

PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS WEEK:

Utah OS Siaha Burley: The former Rattler set the AFL's record for an expansion team player in receptions (136) and touchdowns (44). Burley had seven catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns in his first meeting against his former team and three catches for 41 yards and a score in their second meeting. If Utah is going to put up enough points to pull off a road upset, they will need Burley to put up a big performance like he did the first time in Arizona. Meanwhile, the Rattlers hope to contain Burley like they did in their most recent meeting in Utah.

Arizona QB Sherdrick Bonner: Bonner is in search of his 17th playoff victory and looks to do it against the coach whom he won all of those games under. Since returning from a shoulder injury, which caused him to miss a game in Week 2, the 13-year veteran has thrown for 3,856 yards and 81 TD's in his last 14 games. Despite having a career-year, throwing for a franchise-high 3,991 yards, Bonner also set a team single-season high with 16 interceptions. If the Rattlers are going to go a perfect three-for-three on the year against the Blaze, Bonner will not be able to afford costly mistakes.
LAST GAME:
CRUSH CLINCH HOME FIELD IN 59-35 WIN OVER ARIZONA

Denver, Colo. (May 12, 2006) - In a game that meant much more to the Crush, Colorado (11-5) clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a 59-35 victory over the Arizona Rattlers (8-8) in front of 15,261 at the Pepsi Center.

The Rattlers came into the game unable to move up or down from their No. 3 seed in the American Conference playoff race, while the Crush needed a victory to solidify the No. 1 spot.

Colorado did just that by scoring on each of their first nine possessions, including eight touchdowns. Six of the scores were by offensive specialist Damien Harrell, who was named "Offensive Player of the Game" with five catches-all for scores, for 61 yards. His 60 touchdown catches on the season set a new AFL single-season record.

Colorado was able to jump out to a 14-0 lead after the game's first two plays from scrimmage.

The first Crush points came on a 16-yard touchdown reception by Harrell on Colorado's first offensive play. The play was set up by a 42-yard return by wide receiver/defensive back Willis Marshall on the game's opening kickoff.

On the Rattlers' first offensive play, quarterback Sherdrick Bonner threw his sixteenth interception of the year, which was taken back for a score by Marshall that put the Crush up two touchdowns, less than two minutes into the contest.

Marshall earned "Ironman of the Game" honors with nine catches for 75 yards on offense and two tackles, along with his interception on defense.

The Rattlers responded with their first score of the game, a three- yard touchdown from Bonner to wide receiver/defensive back Randy Gatewood, but Colorado answered when quarterback John Dutton found Harrell for a second time to give them a 21-7 lead with 3:37 left in the first quarter.

The two teams would trade touchdowns to start the second quarter. Rattler fullback/linebacker Bo Kelly ran in his sixth rushing of the touchdown of the season, while Dutton answered with a two-yard score to wide receiver/defensive back Ahmad Hawkins to give Colorado a 28-14 lead.

After a touchdown grab by offensive specialist Damien Groce which cut the Rattler deficit back to seven, it seemed like the Arizona defense had recorded a stop when defensive specialist Joe Todd caused Crush receiver Andy McCullough to fumble after a catch near the goaline. Colorado benefited from the near turnover when Harrell jumped on it for his third touchdown of the game.

Harrell added a fourth score in the first half with another touchdown reception after a successful onside kick to put the Crush up 42-21 at halftime.

"He's the best guy at his position in the league," said Rattler head coach Gene Nudo. "He showed us that tonight."

Arizona opened the third quarter with two consecutive scores, including a 42-yard Bonner-to-Gatewood touchdown strike on the first play of the half, but Colorado answered with a touchdown and a field goal to go up 52-35 heading into the final quarter.

The Rattlers had a chance to cut the deficit to ten while facing a first-and-goal on their first possession of the fourth quarter, but the drive ended on a botched snap on a 35-yard field goal attempt that was recovered by Gary Kral.

Harrell caught his sixth touchdown of the night on the ensuing possession to extend the Crush lead to 59-35.

Rattler backup Travis Cole came in to relieve Bonner late in the fourth quarter. He was two-of-six for 19 yards.

Arizona, who will play the No. 6 seed, awaits outcomes of several games in the league's final day of the regular season (tomorrow) before they find out who it will be.

"We are looking forward to playing at home next week," said Nudo. "But, if we are thinking about championship, we've got to figure out how to win on the road."

ARIZONA (8-8) 7 14 14 0 -- 35
COLORADO (11-5) 21 21 10 7 -- 59


QUEST FOR 100: Rattler quarterback Sherdrick Bonner became the first QB in AFL history to win 100 games when he led the Rattlers to a 64-52 victory over the Utah Blaze on April 7, 2006.

GETTING PASS DEFENSIVE: The Rattlers are the league's top passing defensive team, allowing just 4072 passing yards and have held opposing quarterbacks to a 97.9 passer rating.

Passing Defense Opp. Yds pass rat.
1. Dallas Desperados 4481 95.5
2. Columbus Destroyers 4300 97.0
3. Arizona Rattlers 4072 97.9
4. Philadelphia Soul 4305 99.6

SNAKES STACK STOPS: Arizona has been one of the league's stingiest teams when it comes to giving up touchdowns. Opponents have found the endzone on just 55.08 percent of their possessions.

Defense Touchdown %Rank Team Opp Poss. TD's TD %
1. Columbus Destroyers 191 98 51.31
2. Dallas Desperados 189 97 51.32
3. Philadelphia Soul 195 104 53.33
4. Orlando Predators 188 103 54.79
5. Austin Wranglers 184 101 54.89
6. Arizona Rattlers 187 103 55.08

NFL RATTLERS: Twelve Rattlers have spent time on NFL rosters - OL/DL Vince Amey (1998 Oakland), OL/DL Sebastian Barrie (1992 Green Bay, 1994 San Francisco and Arizona), QB Sherdrick Bonner (1998 Atlanta), DS Wendell Davis (1996-99 Dallas, 1999 Washington), WR/DB Curtis Fagan (2005 Tampa Bay), OL/DL Wendall Gaines (1993-96 Arizona, 1997 Kansas City, 1998-99 Philadelphia), WR/DB Randy Gatewood (1995 Miami), OL/DL Kelvin Ingram (1995-96 New Orleans, 1996-97 Seattle), WR/DB Jeremiah Pope (2004 Philadelphia), WR/DB Wilson Thomas (2003 Kansas City, 2004 Green Bay Packers), OL/DL Mark Tucker (1991 Atlanta, 1992 Indianapolis, 1993-94 Arizona, 1995 Jacksonville), and WR/DB Talib Wise (2005 Chicago). Three Ratters -- Amey (7th round), Davis (6th round), and Tucker (7th round) -- were NFL Draft picks. Davis is the most experienced, having played in 34 NFL games.

ARIZONA CONNECTIONS: The Rattlers have three players with local connections: OL/DL Vince Amey (Arizona State alum). Two Rattlers - OL/DL Wendall Gaines and OL/DL Mark Tucker - played for the Arizona Cardinals.

CATCH RATTLE AND ROLL: The Rattlers lead the league in yards per catch, averaging over 13 yards per reception.

Passing Yards per catchRank Team Comp Yards Avg.
1. Arizona Rattlers 320 4263 13.3
2. Nashville Kats 508 3847 12.9
3. Dallas Desperados 588 4763 12.3
4. Orlando Predators 499 4072 12.2

RECENT ROSTER MOVES:
Date Action Player
5/9 Signed to Practice Squad OS Shannon CulverWR/LB Johnny Marshall
5/4 Activated from IR OL/DL Anthony Hutch
Placed on IR OS Curtis Fagan
5/3 Re-signed WR/DB Jeremiah Pope
4/27 Activated from IR WR/DB Jeremiah PopeDS Joe Todd
Placed on IR DS Erin DamondOL/DL Zach Rupp
Signed from practice squad OL/DL Jeff Ruffin
4/26 Waived WR/DB Johnny Marshall
4/14 Activated from IR WR/DB Corey Johnson
Signed from practice sqad WR/DB Johnny Marshall
Placed on IR WR/DB Jeremiah Pope
4/13 Waived DS Art Smith
4/6 Activated from IR DS Clarence Lawson
Placed on IR DS Joe Todd
4/5 Signed FB/LB Joey Dozier
Placed on IR FB/LB Frank Trentadue
Signed to practice squad OL/DL Jeff Ruffin
4/4 Waived OL/DL Ricky Gaspar
4/1 Activated from IR OS Damien GroceWR/DB Jeremiah PopeWR/DB Wilson Thomas
Placed on IR OL/DL Anthony HutchOS Darrell JonesWR/DB Talib Wise
3/23 Activated from IR OL/DL Wendall Gaines
Signed to practice squad QB Dennis Gile
3/22 Waived QB Dennis Gile

THE RATTLERS ARE ...
- 6-2 at US Airways Center
- 2-6 on the road
- 6-0 when they score more than 50 points
- 4-0 when they score 60 or more points
- 8-7 when they allow less than 60 points
- 6-3 when they allow less than 50 points
- 3-0 when they allow less than 40 points
- 5-2 when they score first
- 4-0 when they commit fewer turnovers
- 1-5 when they commit more turnovers
- 7-3 when a player scores three or more touchdowns
- 0-1 when they score two or more TDs on the ground
- 7-4 when Sherdrick Bonner throws five or more TDs
- 4-2 when Damien Groce scores two or more TDs
- 3-0 when Damien Groce catches seven or more passes
- 0-1 when Bo Kelly scores two or more TDs
- 2-4 when they commit fewer penalties
- 5-2 when they record at least one sack
- 1-6 when they go scoreless for at least one quarter
- 1-0 when they pitch a shutout in a quarter
- 2-1 when the game is decided by 7 or fewer points
- 5-1 when leading at halftime
- 1-8 when trailing at halftime

LAST MEETING WITH UTAH
BONNER WINS 100th, RATTLERS PUT OUT BLAZE, 64-52

Salt Lake City, Utah (April 7, 2006) - In a game that saw five lead changes and two ties, quarterback Sherdrick Bonner recorded his 100th victory, while wide receiver/defensive back Randy Gatewood scored a career-high seven touchdowns in a 64-52 Arizona victory over the Utah Blaze in front of 14,651 at the Delta Center.

The win gave the Rattlers (6-5) a half-game lead over Las Vegas for first place in the Western Division, while the Blaze dropped to 3-8.

Bonner, who is the first-ever AFL quarterback to record 100 wins, finished 25-of-49 for 345 yards and eight touchdowns. Gatewood earned "Offensive Player of the Game" honors with 13 catches for 149 yards. His seven touchdowns tied a Rattler single-game record which was held by Calvin Schexnayder.

"I couldn't have accomplished this feat without guys like Randy around me," said the 12-year veteran Bonner. "I am truly blessed to be able to play this long and have the guys I have had around me."

Down by six with under a minute left, the Blaze faced a fourth-and-goal. They attempted a trick play when quarterback Jason Gesser threw a pass to wide receiver/defensive back Orshawante Braynt behind the line of scrimmage. Braynt tried to throw the ball back to Gesser, but it fell incomplete.

"We knew all week that they were going to try some trickery," said Rattler head coach Gene Nudo. "It wasn't a pretty game, but I'm glad we hung in there to win it."

The Blaze struck first when Gesser found wide receiver/linebacker Tom Pace for a 23-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

The Rattlers responded on their second play from scrimmage, when Gatewood caught a 33-yard score to tie the game at seven, less than three minutes into the contest.

Pace scored again on Utah's next series, this time on a run from three yards out to give the Blaze a 14-7 lead. The Blaze extended their lead to 14 when wide receiver/defensive back Justin Taplin, who spent training camp with Arizona this season, intercepted a Bonner pass and took it into the endzone from 13 yards out.

After the turnover, Arizona countered with 22 consecutive points to take a 29-21 lead with 12:40 left in the first half.

The run started when Bonner found Gatewood a second time from nine yards out to cut the Blaze lead to eight, 21-13, after Gary Kral's extra point attempt failed.

On the ensuing possession, the Rattlers forced Utah into a 58-yard field goal attempt that Rattler offensive defensive/lineman Kelvin Ingram blocked in the endzone. After the ball deflected off of Ingram's arm, it hit the back wall for a Rattler safety.

Following the safety, Bonner was able to find Gatewood for a third touchdown, this time from six yards out, to give the Rattlers their first lead, 22-21.

The Rattlers scored for a fourth-straight time when wide receiver/linebacker Wilson Thomas recovered Kral's kickoff that bounced off the net and through the hands of Utah offensive specialist Siaha Burley in the endzone to put the Rattlers up eight, 29-21.

The Blaze answered with a touchdown and a stop, but was unable to take the lead when fullback/linebacker Kautai Olevao attempted a short run inside the Rattler 10-yard line. On the play, Olevao tried to push a stopped pile forward, but Rattler defensive specialist Clarence Lawson alertly stripped the ball out of his hands to give Arizona the ball back.

The Rattlers could not capitalize on the turnover, as Kral attempted a 54-yard field goal that was blocked. The ball squirted forward to the Arizona eight-yard line when Utah recovered it. On the next play, Olevao redeemed himself by rushing in a touchdown from eight yards out to give the Blaze the lead back, 34-29, with under a minute left in the second quarter.

The points proved to be the final ones of the half, as Kral attempted a 40-yard field goal that missed as the second quarter expired.

Utah recorded their third stop in a row at the start of the second half, forcing the Rattlers to go four-and-out. They upped their lead to eight, 37-29, when kicker Steve Vietich connected on an 18-yard field goal.

Gatewood's fourth touchdown of the game was a spectacular 27-yard catch to bring Arizona within one with seven minutes left in the third. After the score, the Rattlers defense came to life, recording their second safety when fullback/linebacker tackled Gesser in the endzone to give Arizona the lead back, 38-37.

Despite getting possession back, the Rattlers couldn't build on their lead, as Bonner was intercepted by wide receiver/defensive back Sale Key. The Blaze wasted no time to take advantage of the turnover, as Gesser found Burley for a 14-yard score to give Utah the lead back. Key capped the possession by pulling in a two-point conversion to put the Blaze up 45-38.

Bonner and Gatewood hooked up for a fifth time to start the fourth quarter in which the Rattlers scored 26 points. The touchdown tied the game at 45.

The Rattlers took the lead for a second time when Gatewood caught his sixth touchdown pass after a Lawson interception.

The two teams would trade scores on the next two possessions, but the Rattlers could only extend their lead to six after a touchdown by offensive specialist Damien Groce, as Kral missed his second extra point to keep the Rattler lead at 58-52 with 3:20 left in the game.

After the Rattlers stopped Utah on the fourth-and-goal, Bonner sealed the victory with a seven-yard touchdown to Gatewood for his seventh one of the night.

"It was a night that I won't forget," said Gatewood. "Thankfully we were able to win. We need to keep this kind of momentum going."

Lawson, who filled in for Joe Todd, took "Defensive Player of the Game" honors and Thomas was named the game's "Ironman".

ARIZONA (6-5) 15 14 9 26 -- 64
UTAH (3-8) 21 13 11 7 -- 52


ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE FINAL 2006 STANDINGS:

AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Western Division
W L T Pct. Pts. OP
San Jose 10 6 0 .625 898 849
Arizona 8 8 0 .500 774 756
Utah 7 9 0 .437 871 904
Las Vegas 5 11 0 .312 769 895
Los Angeles 5 11 0 .312 809 906

Central Division
W L T Pct. Pts. OP
Colorado 11 5 0 .687 903 833
Nashville 8 8 0 .500 818 799
Chicago 7 9 0 .437 825 834
Grand Rapids 5 11 0 .312 722 875

NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division
W L T Pct. Pts. OP
Dallas 13 3 0 .812 929 710
New York 10 6 0 .625 848 887
Philadelphia 9 7 0 .562 562 747
Columbus 8 8 0 .500 500 717

Southern Division
W L T Pct. Pts. OP
Orlando 10 6 0 .625 816 760
Austin 10 6 0 .625 816 757
Georgia 8 8 0 .500 855 735
Tampa Bay 7 9 0 .437 810 862
Kansas City 3 13 0 .187 704 842

AFL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES PST):

Saturday, May 20
Arizona at Utah 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 21
Georgia at New York Noon
Philadelphia at Austin Noon
Chicago at Nashville Noon

INDIVIDUAL GAME-BY-GAME AWARDS

"OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME": Voted on by the media, the award goes to the player who was the most valuable to his team's offensive success in the game, win or lose.

W Opp. Offensive Player of the Game
1 @ Los Angeles K Remy Hamilton (L.A.)4-for-4 on FG's, 3-of-3 on XP's, 15 pts
2 Austin QB John Fitzgerald (AUS)16-of-29, 122 yds, 2TD's, 1 rush TD
3 San Jose WR/LB Calvin Schexnayder (S.J.)9 catches, 147 yards, 2TD's
4 Utah OS Damien Groce (ARI)11 catches, 194 yards, 4TD's
5 @ Columbus OS Damien Groce (ARI)5 catches, 84 yards, 3TD's
6 Nashville OS T.T. Toliver (NAS)8 catches, 132 yards, 4TD's
7 Orlando WR/DB Darrell Jones (ARI)9 returns, 203 yards, 2 TD KO returns
8 @ Las Vegas WR/DB Darrell Jones (ARI)8 catches, 144 yards, 3TD's
9 Los Angeles QB Sherdrick Bonner (ARI)16-of-29, 236 yards, 7 TD's
10 @ San Jose WR/LB Ben Nelson (S.J.)11 catches, 203 yards, 5 TD's
11 @ Utah WR/DB Randy Gatewood (ARI)12 catches, 149 yards, 7 TD's
12 Chicago QB Sherdrick Bonner (ARI)19-of-25, 195 yards, 7 TD's
13 @ Grand Rapids QB Chad Salisbury (G.R.)22-of-45, 266, 5 TD's
14 @ Dallas WR/DB Terrill Shaw (DAL)8 catches, 101 yards, 1 touchdown
15 Las Vegas QB Sherdrick Bonner (ARI)11-of-13, 187 yards, 7 touchdowns
16 @ Colorado WR/DB Willis Marshall (COL)9 catches, 75 yards, 1 INT TD

"U.S. ARMY IRONMAN OF THE GAME": Voted on by the media, the award goes to the two-way player who best demonstrated the ideals of the AFL's style of ironman football

W Opp. Ironman of the Game
1 @ Los Angeles WR/DB Kevin Ingram (L.A.)7 catches, 126 yards, 1TD, 1 INT
2 Austin FB/LB Dane Krager (AUS)9 rushes, 22 yds, 3TD's, 2 tackles
3 San Jose WR/DB Charles Pauly (S.J.)3 catches, 78 yds, 1TD, 1INT
4 Utah WR/DB Randy Gatewood (ARI)3 catches, 32 yds, 1TD, 3 tckls, 1PB
5 @ Columbus FB/LB Leroy Thompson (CBS)10 carries, 28 yds, 1TD, 1tackle, 1PB
6 Nashville WR/DB Randy Gatewood (ARI)8 catches, 88 yds, 2 TD's, 2 INT's
7 Orlando WR/DB Cosmo DeMatteo (ARI)7 catches, 70 yards, 1TD, 3.5 tackles
8 @ Las Vegas WR/DB Talib Wise (ARI)6 catches, 39 yards, 3 tackles
9 Los Angeles WR/DB Randy Gatewood (ARI)7 catches, 112 yds, 5 TD's, 3.5 tackles
10 @ San Jose WR/DB James Roe (S.J.)10 catches, 111 yds, 4 TD's, 1.5 tack
11 @ Utah WR/LB Wilson Thomas (ARI)2 catches, 47 yds, net recovery TD, FR
12 Chicago WR/DB Randy Gatewood (ARI)7 catches, 80 yards, 4 TD's, 6 tackles
13 @ Grand Rapids WR/DB Josh Bush (G.R.)4 catches, 74 yds, 2 TD's, 67 KOR yds
14 @ Dallas WR/DB Will Pettis (DAL)8 catches, 117 yards, 3 TD's, 3 tackles
15 Las Vegas WR/DB Randy Gatewood (ARI)5 catches, 68 yds, 4 TD's, FR TD, 3tkls
16 @ Colorado OS Damien Harrell (COL)5 catches, 61 yds, 6 TD's

ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME": Voted on by the media, the award goes to the player who was the
most valuable to his team's defensive success in the game, win or lose.

W Opp. Defensive Player of the Game
1 @ Los Angeles WR/DB Kevin Ingram (L.A.)2 tackles, 1 interception
2 Austin DS Damon Mason (AUS)4 tackles, 3 pass breakups, 3 INT's
3 San Jose DS Clevan Thomas (S.J.)9 tackles, 1 forced fum., 1 breakup
4 Utah DS Joe Todd (ARI)7 tackles, 5 pass breakups, 1 INT
5 @ Columbus DS Jerald Brown (CBS)1 tackle, 2 INT's, 1 pass breakup
6 Nashville DS Monty Montgomery (NAS)7.5 tackles, 2 INT's, 1 pass breakup
7 Orlando DS Jeroid Johnson (ORL)2 INT returns for TD's, 4 tackles
8 @ Las Vegas DS Erin Damond (ARI)7 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT
9 Los Angeles DS Joe Todd (ARI)6.5 tackles, 7 pass breakups
10 @ San Jose DS Joe Todd (ARI)8 tackles, 2 pass breakups
11 @ Utah DS Clarence Lawson (ARI)2 tackles, fumble recovery, 1 INT
12 Chicago DS Erin Damond (ARI)8 tackles, MFG return for a TD
13 @ Grand Rapids DS Johnnie Harris (G.R.)4.5 tackles, 1 INT, 1 pass breakup
14 @ Dallas DS Jermaine Jones (DAL)3 tackles, 1 INT, 1 pass breakup
15 Las Vegas WR/LB Wilson Thomas (ARI)2 INT's, FF, 2.5 tackles
16 @ Colorado DS Rashad Floyd (COL)10.5 tackles, 2 pass breakups

RATTLERS PLAYOFF HISTORY: The Arizona Rattlers will be playing their 31st postseason game, as they are 20-10 in playoff history. Only the Tampa Bay Storm (35) and the Orlando Predators (32) have appeared in more postseason games.

Year Opp./Round Result
1993 Charlotte - Quarterfinals W 56-49
@ Detroit - Semifinals L 38-34
1994 Charlotte - Quarterfinals W 52-24
@ Albany - Semifinals W 40-33
@ Orlando - ArenaBowl IX W 36-31
1995 Iowa - Quarterfinals L 56-52
1996 Orlando - Quarterfinals W 65-48
@ Tampa Bay - Semifinals L 55-54
1997 Milwaukee - Quarterfinals W 46-29
Tampa Bay - Semifinals W 49-46 (OT)
Iowa - ArenaBowl XI W 55-33
1998 Houston - Quarterfinals W 50-36
Orlando - Semifinals L 38-33
1999 Nashville - Quarterfinals W 34-30
@ Albany - Semifinals L 73-47
2000 Buffalo - Wild Card W 41-34
@ Albany - Quarterfinals W 53-50
@ Orlando - Semifinals L 56-44
2001 Detroit - Wild Card W 52-44
@ San Jose - Quarterfinals L 68-49
2002 Carolina - Quarterfinals W 61-59
Chicago - Semifinals W 46-35
@ San Jose - ArenaBowl XVI L 52-14
2003 Las Vegas - Wild Card W 69-26
@ Los Angeles - Quarterfinal W 70-63
@ San Jose - Semifinal W 66-49
@ Tampa Bay - ArenaBowl XVII L 43-29
2004 Los Angeles - Quarterfinal W 59-42
Colorado - Semifinal W 46-42
San Jose - ArenaBowl XVIII L 69-62

ALL TIME POST SEASON WINS: The Rattlers need one playoff victory to tie the Tampa Bay Storm for most-ever by a franchise.

Team Playoff Wins
1. Tampa Bay Storm 21
2. Arizona Rattlers 20
Orlando Predators 20
4. Detroit Drive 12

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 16, 2006


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