Season-high 9,466 fans watch Arizona Rattlers take down Northern Arizona Wranglers
A season-high 9,466 fans filed into Footprint Center on Saturday night to watch the Rattlers take on the Northern Arizona Wranglers. Deafening cheers accompanied the indoor fireworks as the team was introduced, and Rattlers fans animated Arizona's offense as it took on its IFL Western Division rival.
"The energy was great tonight," Rattlers wide receiver Braxton Haley said. " ... just felt that energy before the game started."
The Arizona Rattlers average around 8,000 fans on typical nights in the downtown Phoenix venue.
The Rattlers (12-3) defeated the Wranglers (11-3), 40-28, to claim the lead in the Indoor Football League West Division. Arizona has already clinched home-field advantage in the first game of the playoffs in three weeks; the Rattlers can play in the Footprint Center throughout the playoffs, except for the IFL Championship Game, if they win next week against the Vegas Knight Hawks.
Haley saw the crowd energy firsthand when he jumped across the foam barriers to get out of bounds right before halftime.
At the time, the Rattlers were trailing, 14-13. But a few plays later, quarterback Drew Powell connected with Haley for a 2-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead.
"When I made that play, there was a critical situation where it was right before halftime, I had to get out of bounds, and I just happened to jump over the wall, went in the crowd, turned the crowd up a little bit and I just thought that created momentum, especially in big games like this," Haley said.
Haley finished as the Rattlers' leading receiver on Saturday, with nine catches for 82 yards and three touchdowns.
Powell also had an impressive night, going 17-for-21 for 175 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for two TDs.
But Powell has seen better atmospheres in his football career, including the Rattlers' June 25 game against the Tucson Sugar Skulls — although that game only had 8,292 attendees.
"If you want me to be honest, no," he said in response to a question if Saturday's game was the best atmosphere he's seen. "It was two fourth downs, and I'm looking like, nobody's standing up. Last week, everybody was standing up. This week, is was more laid back kind of deal. They were still loud, still louder than any other stadium in the league, but last week's energy was unmatched."
The Rattlers will return to Footprint Center for their final regular season game against the Vegas Knight Hawks on July 10 at 3:05 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Season-high 9,466 fans watch Arizona Rattlers take down Northern Arizona Wranglers
