Daily League News & Notes

Arena Football League

Rattlers Hold On To Defeat Rush

The Chicago Rush (4-5) tried to muster some fourth quarter heroics but were unable to catch the Arizona Rattlers (8-1), who picked up their fifth consecutive victory, with a 56-49 win in front of 4,859 at the Allstate Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Just 1:40 into the game, Rattlers QB Nick Davila connected with a wide open Kerry Reed on a 25-yard pass to put Arizona on top. The Rush answered on their possession but back came Davila, this time to Rod Windsor with a 15-yard touchdown pass. For the second consecutive week, Chicago WR Rodney Wright returned a kickoff into the end zone, this time going 57-yards to knot the game at 14. But the Rattlers capped off the half with another TD from Davila to Reed.

Chicago got the ball to start eh second half but their possession didn't last long as Rush QB Luke Drone was picked off by Virgil Gray. The Rattlers capitalized as Davila found Trandon Harvey, making it 28-14. After Reggie Gray scored his second of the afternoon, Arizona got the ball back and on fourth and goal Davila was able to find former Rush WR Jared Perry.

Chicago downed the ball intentionally at the 1-yard line in hopes to run down the clock, but two tackles from Anttaj Hawthorne, a blocked pass by Cliff Dukes and a QB rush from Tyre Glasper stifled the Rush offense and Arizona took a 35-21 lead into the break.

After the Rush scored on the opening drive of the half, Davila found Windsor on 3rd and long to give the Rattlers a 42-28 advantage. Chicago fumbled on the opening play of the next drive. It was recovered by Virgil gray to make it 1st and goal at the 1-yard line. Armstrong rushed it in, giving the Rattlers their largest lead of the game at 21.

The two teams traded scores before things got interesting. Up 56-42, Arizona was called for two false starts and offsides, negating a touchdown and forcing a 62-yard field goal attempt. The FG came up short giving Chicago the ball. Drone capitalized, hitting Reggie Gray on a 32-yard pass and making it a one touchdown game at 56-49.

The kickoff hit the bracket and the Rush recovered with five minutes to play. Defensive pass interference on fourth down gave Chicago a fresh set of downs but the Rush were unable to convert giving Arizona the ball back with 32 seconds to play and sealing the victory.

Davila finished the game 18-for-31 for 301 yards and seven touchdowns, running his streak to five games without an interception. Windsor led the way with 10 catches for 186 yards and three TDS, while Perry had two receptions, both resulting in scores against his former team.

Drone was 14-for-34 in the game for 261 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. Reggie Gray posted a game-high four touchdowns on eight catches for 194 yards.

The Rattlers return to the Snake Pit next Saturday, May 25, to take on the Iowa Barnstormers on Military Appreciation Night.

VooDoo To Host Military Appreciation Night

The New Orleans VooDoo will host their annual Military Appreciation Night on Saturday, May 25 at 8 p.m. against the Chicago Rush inside the Mercedes Benz Superdome.

The New Orleans VooDoo has teamed up with the WWII Museum, NOLA Patriots and members of the United States Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard to honor our current military and their families, military veterans and gold star families throughout the state of Louisiana.

The Honorary Captain of the Game will be Medal of Valor Recipient John Piel.

Come out and support our military and receive a special ticket price of 4 tickets for $40. To reserve your tickets, CALL NOW 504-875-3900 or 888-277-5526Veterans.

Any active military personnel, veterans and family members who have a loved one currently serving, please contact Cherry Blackwell at cherry@aflvoodoo.com to receive your tickets.

Champions Professional Indoor Football League

Haymakers Fall to Sioux City

The Lincoln Haymakers came up just a few yards shy of taking the Sioux City Bandits to overtime Saturday Night. Lincoln falls to 3-6 on the season as penalties continue to hamper the squad on both sides of the ball. Going into the fourth quarter Lincoln had 9 penalties for 71 yards as the Bandits had 3 for 15 yards but the game was tied at 14.

The night's scoring started with the Bandits taking a 7-0 lead on a run by Sean Treasure. The Haymakers offense was jumpstarted late in the first as Safety Jon Banks recovered a fumbled exchange and returned it inside the Bandits 5 yard line. Running back David Ferris was able to punch the ball in for six to tie up the game. Cortney Grixby also stepped up big again this week with an interception late in the 1st quarter.

Penalties killed two Haymakers offensive drives forcing long field goal attempts in the 2nd that were no good. Marcus Miles had the highlight of the 2nd quarter with a big sack to hold the Bandits at bay until Quarterback Scott Jensen found Damon Mothershead in the back of the endzone for a score just before the half. The Haymakers dominated the time of possession but trailed 7-14 at the half.

The second half offensive reigns were handed over to backup Quarterback David Knighton who late in the 3rd found Nick Rhodes for a 28 yard score to tie the ball game up. Lincoln's inability to slow the run in the 4th allowed a long Bandits drive that took time off the clock and also gave Mothershead his second TD grab for the night. Both teams exchanged field goals to take the score to 17-24.

With 3:35 left on the clock in the 4th the Haymakers offense struggled to get just two plays off in 2 minutes and 5 seconds. On 3rd and long at the 90 second mark Knighton found Rhodes for 23 yards and then two Knighton scrambles had the Haymakers at the Bandits 5 yard line with 7 seconds left in regulation. The first attempt, offensive line play broke down and Knighton wisely tossed the ball out of the endzone. The last play of the game was a mishandled snap followed by a dropped pass as the Haymakers fall for the sixth time in their inaugural season.

Next Saturday night the Haymakers are back on the road in Salina, Kansas to take on the Bombers trying to avenge an early season loss. With three games left in the regular season, Lincoln looks to win out and finish in the middle of the CPIFL in just their first season of play.