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AFL I Arizona Rattlers

Rattlers shut down SaberCats, 54-44

by Andrew Nordmeier
May 17, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Arizona Rattlers


The Arizona Rattlers continued to play the spoiler role in the Arena Football League playoff picture with their 54-44 win over the San Jose SaberCats Saturday night at America West Arena.

The 6-9 Rattlers came up big in the second and third quarters when they held the 8-7 SaberCats to a total of seven points over those two quarters. San Jose was stopped four straight times and that led to their loss.

Randy Gatewood picked off San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb twice to end drives. A fumble killed another drive and a miss on fourth-and-goal from the Rattlers' two-yard line at the end of the half hurt San Jose.

"We didn't capitalize at the end of the first half," Grieb said, "You do things like that and you don't really give yourself much of a chance."

The two teams started out with their offenses flying. Gatewood caught the first of his two touchdowns from Rattlers' quarterback Sherdrick Bonner to put Arizona ahead 7-0 3:40 in. Grieb hooked up with Rashied Davis with 2:42 left in the first quarter on a six-yard touchdown pass to tie the score. Bonner came back with a 36-yard bomb to Tom Pace to put the Rattlers up by a touchdown.

That's when the fireworks started.

Davis found a seam in the blocking, shook a couple of Arizona defenders and ran the ensuing kickoff back 56 yards to tie the game at 14-14. Not to be outdone, Pace took the ensuing kickoff back 55 yards to put Arizona ahead again and kill the SaberCats' momentum.

Gatewood's second touchdown catch of the game and the first of Siaha Burley's two scores helped distance Arizona, putting them ahead 34-14 with 10:42 left in the third quarter.

San Jose tried to come back but each of their touchdown was met with a Rattler reply.

After Rodney Davis caught a touchdown pass with 11:00 left to make it 41-28, San Jose tried an onside kick. It failed when Pace recovered it at the SaberCats' 11-yard line. It became San Jose's death knell when he ran it back for a touchdown, his second kick return for a score on the night.

At that point, Arizona was up by 20 and San Jose wouldn't get any closer than the final margin of 10.

"We made too many mistakes. It's been the same thing all year, "Davis said, "Whenever we're in the position to put a team away or go ahead or stay in the game we throw a pick or fumble the ball."

"That's not SaberCat football. Those close games that we usually win, we haven't won this year."

Bonner finished 18-of-29 passing for 228 yards and six touchdowns while Grieb hit on 29-of-44 passed for 289 yards and four scores but was picked off twice. Davis led all players with 11 catches and 96 yards while James Roe added seven grabs for 83 yards in the losing effort. Orshawante Bryant paced Arizona with six catches and 73 yards.

"Even though we aren't in the playoffs, we hope to get a couple wins and maybe spoil it for a couple of other teams," Gatewood said, "I think the last two weeks we have played like we are capable of playing. it was just unfortunate that we didn't do it early enough to put ourselves in position to make the playoffs."

Arizona ends its regular season at Las Vegas while San Jose hooks up with the Georgia Force in week 16.

Notes:San Jose kicker Dan Frantz was injured on Pace's fourth-quarter touchdown return. His leg was rolled up on from behind during the return and he was seen limping around for the rest of the game. Because of the injury, he only kicked off twice after the hit and the SaberCats went for two-point conversions on each touchdown after that...Gatewood suffered a gash over his right eye after making his first touchdown catch. He was stitched up and came back...San Jose outgained Arizona 286-235 and ran 14 more offensive plays (49-35)...Yellow flags were flying as the teams combined for 24 penalties and 133 yards in assessments...Arizona defensive specialist Clarence Lawson led all players with eight tackles...Rattlers' lineman Wendell Gaines racked up two tackles for losses including a seven-ayrd sack of Grieb...Attendance was 12,265.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 17, 2005


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