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IFL Northern Arizona Wranglers

Playoffs Round 1 Game Preview

July 20, 2023 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Northern Arizona Wranglers News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Northern Arizona Wranglers will be heading back to Phoenix, Ariz., this Saturday evening, to take on the Arizona Rattlers for the first round of the Indoor Football League Playoffs.

The Wranglers finished their regular season, inside Footprint Center, in Phoenix, against the Arizona Rattlers less than one week ago. The Wranglers fell to the Arizona Rattlers and finished the season with a 7-8 record. The Rattlers enter the playoffs currently with a 11-4 record and the number one seed in the Western Conference. The Wranglers have proven that they can go toe-to-toe with the Rattlers, and any of the IFL's top teams. The Wranglers are down 0-3 in the 2023 series against the Rattlers, however, a win this Saturday would eliminate any recent memory of regular season woes against the in-state foe. The winner of this contest will advance to the Western Conference Championship Game.

During the first meeting between the Rattlers and Wranglers, the Wranglers lost in enemy territory by a lopsided score of 60-34. The Wranglers played the Rattlers extremely tough in their next meeting, losing by one point. The Wranglers fell to the Rattlers in double overtime, at home, on Pinnacle Bank Field at the Findlay Toyota Center, by a score of 63-62. In last week's matchup between the Wranglers and Rattlers, the Wranglers marched back from down 24 points and pulled within five during the third quarter. The Wranglers ultimately fell short, losing to the Rattlers by a score of 55-39.

The Wranglers will be bringing much more intensity for this first round playoff showdown. The Wranglers opted to rest their best offensive weapon last weekend, in wide receiver Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman. The Wranglers offense will be at full force with Chiaokhiao-Bowman (RCB) back in the lineup. RCB will be catching passes from the quarterback who receives the starting nod from coach Les Moss. Will the Wranglers start quarterback Garrett Kettle or quarterback Nick Watson? Kettle has had the reins for the majority of the 2023 season, until the Wranglers last few games when Watson saw an uptick in playing time. Watson was named the starter for the last two games of the 2023 season after seeing some second half snaps in the two games prior.

The Wranglers offense has showed flashes under both quarterbacks, and will need to continue to make plays with more consistency. The Wranglers fell behind the Rattlers by 27 points during the second quarter last week and will be looking to start fast in the playoffs. The Rattlers enter the playoffs red hot, notching eight consecutive victories. This streak for the Rattlers began on May 20th, when the Rattlers took down the Wranglers for the first time this season. The Wranglers defense will be looking to slow down Rattlers quarterback Drew Powell, who has been dominant as of late. With the Wranglers entering the battle as the fourth seed in the Western Conference, they will be significant underdogs in enemy territory. The Wranglers will need a complete performance in all three phases of the game, but have shown the ability to beat any team in the IFL when they do just that. A close and extremely intense battle is to be expected when these two teams meet in the playoffs.

Will the Wranglers defeat the Rattlers and advance to the Western Conference Championship Game? If you can't make the trip to Phoenix, join us at the Hideout Bar in Prescott Valley, Ariz., for the Wranglers streaming party to find out! Enjoy food and drinks at the bar and watch the game with other Wranglers fans! Be sure to wear your Wranglers gear for some drink discounts throughout the game! Details for purchasing tickets to the game, at Footprint Center, are also listed below.

Season Tickets for the 2024 season are on sale now! Contact us using the details below.

You can check our website, nazwranglers.com, for a seating map of the Findlay Toyota Center, and pricing breakdown. This is located under the Season Tickets tab on the homepage.

For any Season Ticket inquiries, call us at 928-379-5581

You can also email ticketdirector@nazwranglers.com

Playoff game tickets are available NOW! Purchase Playoff game tickets through the link below. (This Saturday's game is in Phoenix, Ariz. at Footprint Center)

https://www.ticketmaster.com/arizona-rattlers-vs-naz-wranglers-phoenix-arizona-07-22-2023/event/19005EED75941400

Written by: Tucker Welch Edited by: Ed Cole



Indoor Football League Stories from July 20, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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