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By DAN VATCH
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Arizona Rattlers (14-4) are looking to do something not yet accomplished in the AFL: win their fourth straight ArenaBowl. The team standing in their way in the first round is none other than the Spokane Shock (7-11). Arizona will be hosting the Shock in the teams’ fourth meeting of the season. Although Arizona has the better seed, don’t let that fool you. Spokane just may have the blueprint to beat the three-time defending champs.
On July 17th, the Rattlers traveled to Spokane and were given all they could handle in a 52-45. The deciding factor in that game was something commonly overlooked in the AFL. Spokane compiled three touchdowns on the ground while the Rattlers didn’t get into the end zone once through the running game.
Nick Davila, the two-time League MVP, has thrown for 11 touchdowns in two meetings with Spokane this season, missing one matchup due to injury. However, in the Week 17 loss to the Shock, Davila was picked off twice by rookie Mike McMillan. Having gone 2-2 in their last four games was definitely not the finish that Head Coach Kevin Guy had in mind. Although they had a rocky end to the regular season, there is no sense of panic in Arizona. Their 14-4 final record is still one win more than they had in 2012 when they started their run of three straight titles.
Guy has been at the helm of the Arizona Rattlers since 2008 and hasn’t looked back. Already a storied AFL franchise, Guy has taken them to heights never reached before. On the other side of the coaching matchup is Andy Olson. Although he’s been in charge for just four seasons, he has coached the Shock to a 36-21 career record, including one playoff win and a conference championship appearance in 2013.
On the field, Spokane is led by quarterback Arvell Nelson who has some legitimate threats to throw to. Anthony Amos leads the team with 110 catches, 1205 yards, and 19 touchdowns. But when the shifty six-footer is covered, Nelson could just throw the ball up to 6-foot-7 touchdown target Nick Truesdell. The former Cincinnati Bearcat is in his second year in the AFL and has racked up a team-high 23 touchdown catches.
Defensively, Ruschard Dodd-Masters is having the best year of his career, leading the team with 70 tackles while adding four interceptions. The team lead in interceptions belongs to the rookie standout, Mike McMillan. On the defensive line, James Ruffin and Derrick Summers have combined for 24 sacks on the year and will look to pressure Arizona’s lethal air attack.
Davila has targets in Rod Windsor and Windsor Reed, who have combined for 54 receiving touchdowns on the year, plus a rushing attack from Mykel Benson which keeps defenses honest. Something that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet is experience and Davila and company have enough for a lifetime. Getting geared up for a playoff run is something that has become an expectation to every member of the Rattlers.
All the talk about defense in the National Conference has been about San Jose, but Arizona’s defense is extremely formidable as well. Only giving up 45.9 points per game and led by AFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate Jeremy Kellem, the Rattlers defense has been tough to solve for opponents, especially in the U.S. Airways Center. Only two visiting teams have scored at least 50 points in the “Snake Pit” and Kellem is looking to keep it that way. Up front, Mac linebacker Tyre Glasper and defensive end Mike McAdoo each have 11 sacks on the season. Marquis Floyd and Arkeith Brown both have added five interceptions to a defense that is incredibly balanced.
The Spokane Shock have had plenty of doubters throughout the season, but almost amazingly, so have the Arizona Rattlers. Come Sunday morning, one team will be left; either the defending champion Arizona Rattlers looking for their fourth straight title, or the Spokane Shock who haven’t seen the ArenaBowl since their inaugural season in 2010 when they took home the highest honor in the entire AFL.
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