Rattlers end season with playoff loss to Spokane
Saturday August 7, 2010
Spokane, Wash. – For the 2010 Arizona Rattlers, neither the greatest individual single-season performance in Arena Football history nor the greatest rookie quarterback ever could lead the Rattlers to a third Arena Bowl championship as they fell 57-49 in the first round of the playoffs to the top-seed Spokane Shock at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday night.
The Shock (14-3) accomplished one of the toughest feats in football, beating the Rattlers (10-7) in all three contests between the two teams this season. Early in the game, the Rattlers seemed to be the better team, forcing three big fourth downs, coming within inches of two onside kick recoveries, and nearly making a couple key interceptions. Unfortunately for the Rattlers, the ball seemed to bounce in Spokane’s favor each time as the Shock took a 10-point lead into the half that they would never relinquish as they advanced to the National Conference Finals for the first time in team history.
Record-breaking rookie WR ROD WINDSOR continued his onslaught of the record books, making 15 catches for 210 yards and five touchdowns to break the team record for receptions in a playoff game and tying the team mark for touchdown receptions in a game. Windsor fell just three catches and 30 yards short of setting the league mark in those categories for a single playoff game as well.
The Rattlers trailed most of the game, but had a golden opportunity to come back late in the fourth quarter. After Windsor scored his third touchdown of the final frame to bring the Rattlers to within eight points, DL ALEX GUERRERO made a monster sack on a trick play causing the Shock to fumble the ball which DL ANTTAJ HAWTHORNE recovered down the field. Momentum seemed to immediately shift back to the Rattlers as an eerie silence fell over the sellout crowd of 8,236.
However, the offense could not capitalize as QB NICK DAVILA’s fourth-down pass to Windsor fell incomplete. The Shock offense took the ball and ran the final seconds off the clock to advance to the next round. Davila finished the night 25-of-43 for 315 yards and six touchdowns and ran one in for a score as well.
Despite the loss, this season has to be considered one of the greatest in team history.
Windsor alone set 10 team and league records while Davila posted nine team and league marks of his own. The team finished among the league leaders in attendance, bringing back the raucous Snake-Pit which struck fear into the hearts of opposing teams for so many years. The offense finished as the best in team history, breaking the Rattler record for most points and yards in a season, while the defense put its own stamp on the 2010 season by setting the team mark with 20 sacks.
Throughout the year, the team seemed to keep everyone on the edge of their seats with one last second finish after another. In all, the team played in five games decided by one point and a total of eight games decided by five points or less. Who can forget Davila’s incredible 27-yard miracle to Rod Windsor with no time left to give the Rattlers a one-point win over Tulsa in Week 4 at the US Airways Center.
Despite all of the broken records and exciting finishes, the most touching and memorable moment came on July 16th as the Rattlers retired the jersey of legendary quarterback Sherdrick Bonner. Bonner, widely considered the greatest quarterback in league history, passed for a career total of 42,246 yards, 855 touchdowns, and won two Arena Bowls for the Rattlers, the first two professional championships ever in the State of Arizona.
The 2010 Arizona Rattlers would like to thank you for all your support during this remarkable season and hope to see you all back again next year as the 2011 Rattlers make another push for a third Arena Bowl title.
GAME NOTES
WR JJ MCKELVY finished with five catches for 56 yards on the night… DB TERRANCE SANDERS, who led the team in tackles on the year with 93, finished a team-high eight on the night to go along with a pass breakup… The Shock converted 2-of-3 fourth down conversions in the first half, two of which came on their first drive…
GAME STATS
Passing
Arizona – Nick Davila, 25-43, 315 yards, 6 touchdowns, 1 interception.
Spokane – Kyle Rowley, 25-37, 160 yards, 7 touchdowns.
Receiving
Arizona – Rod Windsor, 15 catches, 210 yards, 5 touchdowns.
Spokane – Greg Orton, 11 catches, 54 yards, 2 touchdowns.
Rushing
Arizona – Nick Davila, 1 rush, 1 yard, touchdown.
Spokane – Huey Whittaker, 3 rushes, 3 yards, touchdown.
Defense
Arizona – Terrance Sanders, 8 tackles, pass breakup.
Spokane – Travis Williams, 6 tackles, 3 pass breakups, interception.
