PHOENIX -- The defending National Conference champion Arizona Rattlers opened the home portion of their schedule Saturday night with a thrilling 71-65 win over the Milwaukee Mustangs.
Rattlers quarterback Nick Davila finished 25 of 36 for 342 yards and nine touchdowns as the Rattlers demonstrated the offensive prowess that got them to the Arena Bowl last year.
Things started slowly, as the quarter came to an end with a score of 14-13 Rattlers. Fullback Odie Armstrong scored first for the Rattlers on a 1-yard run, and receiver Maurice Purify followed with a 21-yard scoring reception from Davila. Purify had a huge night, finishing with nine catches for 120 yards and four touchdowns.
Each team scored on its first-quarter possessions, but the story of the night started to take shape right after the Mustangs' first touchdown. Rattlers defensive lineman Marcus Pittman blocked newly acquired Mustangs kicker Lindsey Wolfe’s PAT, and that would end up being a consistent problem for Milwaukee.
The offenses started to take off in the second quarter, as Davila threw three touchdowns in the quarter, all to different receivers: a 29-yarder to Glen Fox (who finished with seven catches for 115 yards and two TDs), a 24-yarder to Andrae Thurman (three catches for 53 yards and one TD) and the last to Purify for a 9-yard score. The Mustangs scored four times in the second quarter, but they continued to struggle on PATs. There were two missed kicks and one failed two-point conversion, although they did convert one two-point conversion to make the score to 39-35 Mustangs at the half.
Davila continued his strong play in the third quarter, hitting Fox for a 6-yard score that put the Rattlers on top 42-39. Linebacker Kevin McCullough then intercepted Mustangs QB Gino Guidugli, leading to another TD pass from Davila to Purify.
The Rattlers took a chance on the ensuing kickoff by attempting an onside kick, but they failed to recover due to an illegal touch. The Mustangs scored on the short field but again failed to convert on the two-point conversion. The third quarter ended with the Rattlers on top 48-45.
The Mustangs went back on top with a touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter, but once again it was followed by a missed PAT. Davila responded by throwing a strike to wideout Kerry Reed (five receptions for 46 yards and two TDs) for a 6-yard touchdown. The Mustangs responded but once again fail to convert the PAT, and they tried an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff. The ball was illegally touched, though, and the Rattlers went back on top with another Davila-to-Reed touchdown that made it 63-57 with 3:09 left in the fourth.
The Mustangs answered again on the ensuing possession to take a 65-63 with just 27 seconds left on the clock. Once agai,n the game was in Davila’s hands and he came through in the clutch by hitting his favorite target on the night, Maurice Purify, for a 1-yard touchdown that gave the Rattlers the win.
Guidugli finished 28 of 38 for 364 yards with five touchdowns and an interception
Davila reached a notable milestone by passing Kurt Warner on the AFL's all-time yardage list, moving from 30th to 28th in league history.
Purify was the offensive player of the game was Purify, Da'mon Merkerson was the defensive player of the game and Virgil Gray was the Ironman.
