Avengers Can’t Shake Rattlers in a 70-63 Loss

The Avengers showed Arena Football League fans a team on the rise this season, establishing franchise records for victories and attendance.

But Sunday, the Avengers were reminded that they have a ways to go to rank among the league’s elite.

The Avengers committed four costly turnovers in a 70-63 quarterfinal playoff loss to the Arizona Rattlers before a season-low 11,215 at Staples Center.

The Avengers, who had earned a first-round bye, failed to win a playoff game for the second year in a row.

“I thought this year we had a better opportunity to go further than we did last year,” second-year Coach Ed Hodgkiss said. “But you have to come out and get it done -- and we didn’t.”

Sunday’s struggles continued a late-season trend for the Avengers (11-6). On May 10 they defeated Colorado without a touchdown from the offense in the second half. The following week, San Jose intercepted four passes by quarterback Tony Graziani and knocked the Avengers from first to fourth in the playoff seedings.

Hodgkiss thought the problems were corrected during a bye week.

But just as they did last season in a 66-41 first-round playoff loss to Tampa Bay, the Avengers hurt themselves.

The Rattlers (12-6), who played error-free while improving to 5-0 at Staples Center, turned a pass interception and three fumbles into 19 points on their way to a semifinal matchup against defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose.

“Turnover margin usually tells the tale of the game -- and we had some costly ones today,” Avenger receiver Greg Hopkins said.

Said Graziani, who completed 23 of 37 passes for 361 yards and six touchdowns: “Those turnovers killed us.”

Ricky Parker intercepted a pass by Graziani on the game’s first possession and the Rattlers turned it into a 42-yard field goal by Nelson Garner.

Late in the second quarter, Graziani fumbled a snap on third and 10 at the Arizona 18. The Rattlers recovered and Garner eventually kicked a 46-yard field goal with 1:37 left in the first half for 14-13 lead.

With 8:18 left in the third quarter, Graziani lost the ball when he was sacked by defensive lineman Tim Croff. Hunkie Cooper recovered for the Rattlers, who scored a touchdown three plays later on an eight-yard pass from Sherdrick Bonner to Tom Pace for a 34-28 lead.

Cooper, in his 11th AFL season, also figured prominently at the end of the quarter when receiver Jahine Arnold returned his first kickoff for the Avengers.

Arnold was in the game because Siaha Burley suffered a strained calf in the first half. Arnold fielded Garner’s kick off the net five yards deep in the end zone and brought it out to the four-yard line where he was smacked by Orshawante Bryant. Arnold fumbled and Cooper pounced on the ball in the end zone for a 47-35 lead.

“It’s the playoffs, you have to make every play count,” said Cooper, who also caught two touchdown passes and set up another score with a spectacular 33-yard reception.

The Avengers pulled within 62-56 on a one-yard run by Lonnie Ford with 4:04 left.

But on the ensuing onsides kick, the Avengers were penalized for touching the ball before it traveled 10 yards.

Arizona got the ball at the Avenger eight, and Cooper turned a swing pass from Bonner into a touchdown. The Rattlers added a two-point conversion to go ahead, 70-56, with 2:40 remaining.

The Avengers got within seven on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Graziani to Chris Jackson, but Arizona ran out the clock for its eighth victory in nine games.

Bonner completed 16 of 30 passes for 275 yards and seven touchdowns.

Hodgkiss does not anticipate any major personnel moves as the Avengers try to take the next step toward the ArenaBowl.

“Those types of things that we succeeded with early, we need to sustain through the whole year, and I think we have enough people here to be able to do that,” Hodgkiss said.