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AFL I Arizona Rattlers

Rattlers Snake Bit in LA 64-45

April 7, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Arizona Rattlers News Release


LOS ANGELES - Four fumbles and a furious fourth quarter Avengers rally were too much for the Rattlers (1-5) to overcome as Los Angeles (3-2) downed Arizona 64-45 Friday night at the Staples Center.

The Rattlers held a 38-37 lead entering the final quarter before the Avengers bounced back, opening the final quarter with three consecutive touchdowns in a five-minute stretch. The rally featured a net recovery in the end zone and an interception as Los Angeles ultimately outscored Arizona 27-7 to end the game.

For the Rattlers, who had five turnovers in the game, the bad bounces were all too familiar.

"It's been that crucial time in the game when we're going back and forth with a team and they score and then get a ball off the net," Sherdrick Bonner said. "We've got to be the most snake bit team I've seen."

The game's early moments held promise for Arizona as the team recovered Gary Kral's opening kickoff off the net at the Los Angeles 5-yard line. The drive stalled, however, as the Rattlers were stopped on downs when Bonner's fourth-down pass under duress to Trandon Harvey went incomplete.

The Avengers took advantage of their second chance as Sonny Cumbie connected with former Arizona State receiver Lenzie Jackson (failed extra point) for a 6-0 lead. It would be the only points of the first quarter as the high-octane offense of the Rattlers was held scoreless in a quarter for the first time this season.

"It happens," Bonner said. "It's Arena Football and you're supposed to score, but that happens every now and then. The effort was there by everybody, but we just couldn't get it going. They were slow to get going as well. It's just one of those things that we couldn't get it rolling."

The Rattlers found their groove late in the first half as a Kral 23-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter brought Arizona to within a score at 23-17. The Rattlers struck first in the third quarter on a 37-yard touchdown reception by Trandon Harvey that gave Arizona their first lead of the game at 24-23. The clubs traded touchdowns throughout the third quarter prior to Los Angeles' fourth quarter rally.

"We didn't take care of the ball," Defensive Coordinator Michael Church said. "We let them score on an onside kick. We just don't protect the ball. You can't play that way and beat a team. Nobody can."

The Rattlers will look to rebound on Saturday, Apr. 14 when they host the Nashville Kats at the U.S. Airways Center.

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