First Preseason Tune-up a Moderate Success for Rattlers
Patrick Daly
Saturday March 31, 2001
The Rush lived up to their name on the opening play from scrimmage, when fullback/linebacker Jamie McGourty ran a toss sweep to the right for a gain of three yards. However, it’s the next play that should have Chicago fans cheering often this season. Rush quarterback Jeff Loots hit a wide-open Cornelius Bonner for a 38-yard touchdown, the first of four touchdown catches by the Chicago rookie. Unfortunately for Chicago fans, it was the only time that the Rush held the lead.
Arizona certainly had their bright spots during the evening after only a few full days of practice. The defensive line kept pressure on the Chicago quarterbacks all night, highlighted by a safety midway through the first quarter where Rattlers lineman Wendell Gaines broke through the Chicago line and threw Jeff Loots to the turf. However, the pressure was wasted on a few occasions when coverage broke down and allowed big pass plays. In fact, all five of the Chicago passing touchdowns came from over 30 yards out.
Arizona quarterback Sherdrick Bonner was sharp and showed mid-season form, completing seven of nine attempts for 103 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter. Chad May followed Bonner and led the Rattlers for the second and third quarters, completing 14 of 20 attempts for 98 yards and three touchdowns, while Chad DeGrenier finished the fourth quarter with 105 yards and three touchdowns.
Offensive specialist Calvin Schexnayder didn’t see playing time until the second half, but certainly made the most of it with eight catches, 98 yards and three touchdowns. Rookie wide receiver/linebacker Chris Horn and second-year offensive specialist Corey McCoy each shined, with four catches and one touchdown apiece.
With both defenses beaten deep, a number of penalties and a few errant passes, the most obvious preseason breakdown was a puzzling non-play which came at the end of the first half. With the ball deep in Arizona territory and down 30-25, Chicago allowed the clock to run out with two timeouts still remaining and :15 seconds still on the board after the previous play.
Overall, there’s no way to mistake this game for anything other than what it was -- a preseason contest. Both teams traded touchdowns late into the final quarter and it took a 45-yard touchdown catch by Schexnayder and an interception in the endzone by defensive specialist Jerrick Bledsoe in the final seconds to shut the door.
For Arizona, the ultimate goal was to evaluate their players in a game situation and come out healthy, a goal that was accomplished. The Rattlers did have a minor scare when lineman Stacy Evans went down after attempting to block a Chicago field goal try in the third quarter. Evans walked off under his own power, thankfully.
Looking to next week, Chicago moves on to host their first home game in their final preseason contest on April 6th against Detroit. Arizona will practice with the Los Angeles Avengers next week prior to facing off with the Avengers in their final tune-up on April 5th in Bakersfield, California.
Patrick Daly has been an Arena Football League enthusiast since he first stumbled across the late-night ESPN broadcasts and has followed the Arizona Rattlers since their inaugural season in 1992. He graduated from Arizona State University with an engineering degree and is currently a member of a web development team for Direct Alliance in Tempe. Patrick currently resides in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, Arizona with his beautiful wife, son and a very large football helmet collection.
