SALT LAKE CITY – In a game that saw five lead changes and two ties, quarterback Sherdrick Bonner recorded his 100th victory, while wide receiver/defensive back Randy Gatewood scored a career-high seven touchdowns in a 64-52 Arizona victory over the Utah Blaze in front of 14,651 at the Delta Center.
The win gave the Rattlers (6-5) a half game lead over Las Vegas for first place in the Western Division, while the Blaze dropped to 3-8.
Bonner, who is the first-ever AFL quarterback to record 100 wins, finished 25-of-49 for 345 yards and eight touchdowns. Gatewood earned "Offensive Player of the Game" honors with 13 catches for 149 yards. His seven touchdowns tied a Rattler single-game record which was held by Calvin Schexnayder.
"I couldn't have accomplished this feat without guys like Randy around me," said the 12-year veteran Bonner. "I am truly blessed to be able to play this long and have the guys I have had around me."
Down by six with under a minute left, the Blaze faced a fourth-and-goal. They attempted a trick play when quarterback Jason Gesser threw a pass to wide receiver/defensive back Orshawante Braynt behind the line of scrimmage. Braynt tried to throw the ball back to Gesser, but it fell incomplete.
"We knew all week that they were going to try some trickery," said Rattler head coach Gene Nudo. "It wasn't a pretty game, but I'm glad we hung in there to win it."
The Blaze struck first when Gesser found wide receiver/linebacker Tom Pace for a 23-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.
The Rattlers responded on their second play from scrimmage, when wide receiver/defensive back Randy Gatewood caught a 33-yard score to tie the game at seven, less than three minutes into the contest.
Pace scored again on Utah's next series, this time on a run from three yards out to give the Blaze a 14-7 lead. The Blaze extended their lead to 14 when wide receiver/defensive back Justin Taplin, who spent training camp with Arizona this season, intercepted a Bonner pass and took it into the endzone from 13 yards out.
After the turnover, Arizona countered with 22 consecutive points to take a 29-21 lead with 12:40 left in the first half.
The run started when Bonner found Gatewood a second time from nine yards out to cut the Blaze lead to eight, 21-13, after Gary Kral's extra point attempt failed.
On the ensuing possession, the Rattlers forced Utah into a 58-yard field goal attempt that Rattler offensive defensive/lineman Kelvin Ingram blocked in the endzone. After the ball deflected off of Ingram's arm, it hit the back wall for a Rattler safety.
Following the safety, Bonner was able to find Gatewood for a third touchdown, this time from six yards out, to give the Rattlers their first lead, 22-21.
The Rattlers scored for a fourth-straight time when wide receiver/linebacker Wilson Thomas recovered Kral's kickoff that bounced off the net and through the hands of Utah offensive specialist Siaha Burley in the endzone to put the Rattlers up eight, 29-21.
The Blaze answered with a touchdown and a stop, but was unable to take the lead when fullback/linebacker Kautai Olevao attempted a short run inside the Rattler 10-yard line. On the play, Olevao tried to push a stopped pile forward, but Rattler defensive specialist Clarence Lawson alertly stripped the ball out of his hands to give Arizona the ball back.
The Rattlers could not capitalize on the turnover, as Kral attempted a 54-yard field goal that was blocked. The ball squirted forward to the Arizona eight-yard line when Utah recovered it. On the next play, Olevao redeemed himself by rushing in a touchdown from eight yards out to give the Blaze the lead back, 34-29, with under a minute left in the second quarter.
The points proved to be the final ones of the half, as Kral attempted a 40-yard field goal that missed as the second quarter expired.
Utah recorded their third stop in a row at the start of the second half, forcing the Rattlers to go four-and-out. They upped their lead to eight, 37-29, when kicker Steve Vietich connected on an 18-yard field goal.
Gatewood's fourth touchdown of the game was a spectacular 27-yard catch to bring Arizona within one with seven minutes left in the third. After the score, the Rattlers defense came to life, recording their second safety when fullback/linebacker tackled Gesser in the endzone to give Arizona the lead back, 38-37.
Despite getting possession back, the Rattlers couldn't build on their lead, as Bonner was intercepted by wide receiver/defensive back Sale Key. The Blaze wasted no time to take advantage of the turnover, as Gesser found Burley for a 14-yard score to give Utah the lead back. Key capped the possession by pulling in a two-point conversion to put the Blaze up 45-38.
Bonner and Gatewood hooked up for a fifth time to start the fourth quarter in which the Rattlers scored 26 points. The touchdown tied the game at 45.
The Rattlers took the lead for a second time when Gatewood caught his sixth touchdown pass after a Lawson interception.
The two teams would trade scores on the next two possessions, but the Rattlers could only extend their lead to six after a touchdown by offensive specialist Damien Groce, as Kral missed his second extra point to keep the Rattler lead at 58-52 with 3:20 left in the game.
After the Rattlers stopped Utah on the fourth-and-goal, Bonner sealed the victory with a seven-yard touchdown to Gatewood for his seventh one of the night.
"It was a night that I won't forget," said Gatewood. "Thankfully we were able to win. We need to keep this kind of momentum going."
Lawson, who filled in for Joe Todd, took "Defensive Player of the Game" honors and Thomas was named the game's "Ironman".
The Rattlers return home this week to take on the Chicago Rush on Saturday, April 15. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m . and tickets can be purchased by calling 602-514-TDTD.
