JACKSONVILLE -- The Arizona Rattlers continued their winning ways Saturday night, outlasting the Jacksonville Sharks 70-61 to finish a sweep of the two-game season series in front of 9,732 fans at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.
Arizona (7-0), off to its best start in the 22-year history of the franchise, has won 11 straight games dating back to July 27 of last year. That streak includes a lopsided 63-38 win over Jacksonville on April 5 at US Airways Center. The Rattlers have won every regular-season matchup with the Sharks (5-0), but they never have forgotten the one loss that came in a much bigger game -- ArenaBowl XXIV in 2011.
Rattlers quarterback Nick Davila had another dominant performance, throwing 10 touchdown passes, including four to wide receiver Kerry Reed, who was taking the place of Tysson Poots in the lineup after Poots was placed on inactive reserve earlier in the week.
In addition to the four touchdown catches, Reed's play on defense late in the fourth quarter turned out to be a decisive one. With 3:52 left and Arizona leading 63-55, Reed broke up an R.J. Archer pass on fourth down that was intended for wide receiver London Crawford. After taking over on downs, the Rattlers went on a six-play drive that was capped by wide receiver Rod Windsor's 10-yard touchdown catch from Davila with 51 seconds left to effectively put the game away.
Archer connected with wide receiver Jeron Havey on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 25 seconds left, and after the Sharks (2-5) failed on their two-point conversion attempt, the onside kick attempt was recovered by Reed.
It was the third straight loss for San Jose.
Davila finished 24 of 31 for 389 yards to go along with his 10 scoring passes. After throwing nine touchdown passes in each of his last two games, the fifth-year standout came within one TD pass of tying his single-game career high of 11.
In his last three games, Davila has thrown 28 touchdown passes and only one interception. He now has 57 on the season and 499 for his career, moving into ninth place on the Arena Football League's all-time passing touchdowns list ahead of Tony Graziani (494).
Archer went 22 of 40 for 341 yards and eight touchdowns, including four to Crawford, who caught nine passes for 178 yards.
