Box Score PHOENIX - The Arizona Rattlers secured their fifth straight win on Sunday afternoon in Albuquerque as they defeated the Gladiators by a count of 57-34.

This game was all Arizona from the beginning, they will leave Albuquerque with a 57-34 victory and a season sweep over the Gladiators and improve to 8-4 on the season. 

FIRST HALF

The Gladiators would return the ball on the opening kick-off. The Rattlers' defense came to play early in the game, forcing a fourth down turnover on the Gladiators' first set of downs. Arizona will start their possession with great field position on the Duke City side of the field. The Rattlers would strike first on a 5-yard touchdown run from Jager Gardner. K Shane McInerney would miss the extra point giving Arizona a 6-0 lead.

A terrific return from the Gladiators would set their offense up near midfield. They would not be able to take advantage of this field position as the Rattlers' defense would make a statement once again forcing another fourth down turnover. The Rattlers would score once again as Drew Powell would find Isiah Scott in the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown pass. The McInerney extra-point is good to extend the Rattler lead to 13. 

The Rattlers defense would attempt to get another fourth-down turnover in their next shift on the field but a pressured fourth-down pass from QB Charles McCullum 34 yards to Xavier Amey would result in a Gladiators touchdown. With a successful extra-point, the Rattlers' lead was cut to 6. The Rattlers would get the ball back for their next possession. Although the Gladiators defense put up a fight, forcing the Rattlers' defense into a tough fourth and long. The Rattlers' offense would push forward, getting in the endzone on a 3-yard Drew Powell keeper. McInerney would complete the extra point, extending the lead back to 13. 

The Gladiators would return the ball within their own 10-yard line, setting themselves up for a long field to go. The Rattlers' defense would not give them much room, where big plays including a tackle for loss by Chris Terell would bring up fourth down for the Gladiators. K Ernesto Lacayo would miss a 50-yard field goal, giving the Rattlers the ball back. They would begin possession on their own 5 yard line. The Rattlers would have little issue marching down the field. They would score with another short run by Jager Gardner for six. With a successful McInerney extra-point, the Rattlers' lead would become 27-7. 

Duke City would march down the field on their possession bringing the game within the last minute of the first half. Duke City would find the endzone after this long possession, getting a much needed touchdown to cut into the Rattlers' lead. Ernesto Lacayo would be good on the extra point bringing the game within 13. The Rattlers would gain possession once more to end the half. Lacayo would attempt a deuce, which would not go in giving the Rattlers the ball at mid-field. The Rattlers would get their first turnover of the game, being picked off on the first play of the drive.

This turnover would not help much as on the first Gladiator play DB Jermaine Doubs would intercept the ball with 15 seconds to go. The Rattlers would get the ball within the Duke City five with two seconds to go for one more play. Drew Powell would end up short of the endzone endings the half leading, 27-14. 

SECOND HALF

The Gladiators kick off to the Rattlers to begin the second half. Lacayo would connect on the Deuce attempt bringing the game within 11. The Rattlers would not take long to get on the board however. Within only three plays Powell would find Isaiah Huston running down the field 40 yards for a touchdown. McInerney would be successful on the extra point making the score 34-16. On the kickoff, a long return by the Rattlers and a penalty would set the Gladiators up within the Rattlers' 15-yard line. The Gladiators would not be able to convert on this opportunity as a fumble on a snap was recovered by the Rattlers. 

After recovering the fumble, the Rattlers would move down the field, and after four plays Drew Powell would find the endzone on a 12-yard run. With McInerney's extra-point good, the Rattlers lead 41-16. The next Duke City possession would not take long as QB Demry Croft would step in and after only two plays he would find his own way into the endzone. The Gladiators would attempt a two-point conversion and would be unsuccessful. The Rattlers' lead is down to 19. 

On their next possession, the Gladiators' defense would force a fourth down turnover from the Rattlers, giving Duke City an opportunity to cut deeper into the lead. Arizona would return the favor on their next drive bringing up another Duke City turnover on downs. 

The third quarter would end with the Rattlers leading 41-22. Two penalties on the Gladiators would help the Rattlers move the ball into the red zone and scoring position. This would not stop the Gladiators' defense as a few stops would create another fourth-down turnover. They would gain possession at their own one-yard line. The Rattlers would put pressure on the Gladiators' offense forcing a safety caused by Connor Taylor to add two more points on the board. 

The Rattlers would continue to impose their dominance in this game, with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Miles. The extra-point attempt would be good, the Rattlers now lead 50-22. The Rattlers would hold the Gladiators to another fourth down, where a missed field goal from 59 yards was returned 50 yards by Jamal Miles for another Rattlers touchdown. The Rattlers are up 57-22. The Gladiators would score shortly after the 1-minute warning making it a 29-point game.

On the next kickoff, Jamal Miles would fumble the return, recovered and returned by Duke City for a touchdown. 

The Rattlers would be able to run out the clock on a 57-34 victory in New Mexico.

KEY PLAYERS

• QB Drew Powell - 192 passing yards, 42 rushing yards, 5 Total Touchdowns
• RB Jager Gardner - 51 yards, 2 Touchdowns
• WR Isaiah Huston - 118 yards, 1 touchdown
• LB Connor Taylor - 10 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery

NEXT WEEK

The Arizona Rattlers will return home on Saturday, June 24, for a matchup with the San Diego Strike Force. The game will be played at Footprint Center and Kickoff is set for 6:05 pm. This will be their only matchup of the regular season.