Rattlers Hold Off Avengers, 42-38

An Avenger offense that was nearly unstoppable in the last two games looked ordinary Saturday night against the Arizona Rattlers.

The Avengers were stopped on their first possessions of the first and second halves and, more critically, on the final possession of the game, and lost, 42-38 before 13,322 at Staples Center.

The inconsistent Avengers (7-5) wasted a chance to create some breathing room in the race for one of the Arena league’s eight playoff spots.

Arizona (8-5) extended its winning streak to five games. The Rattlers also improved to 6-0 at Staples Center.

“On offense, we just made too many mistakes, whether it was dropped passes or penalties,” Avenger Coach Ed Hodgkiss said. “At the end, we were in the situation we wanted to be in and we couldn’t get it done.”

The Avengers entered the game having scored on 22 of their last 24 possessions.

But Arizona defensive back Randy Gatewood immediately slowed the Avengers when he intercepted a tipped pass thrown by quarterback Tony Graziani on the Avengers’ first possession. Graziani had only one interception in 343 attempts.

After producing a franchise-record 50 points during the first half of their 71-35 victory at Chicago last week, the Avengers on Saturday were held scoreless in the first quarter and managed only two touchdowns and a field goal in the second. They trailed, 21-16, at halftime.

The Avengers came back and led, 31-29, with 11:43 left.

After two more lead changes, the Rattlers then scored the game-winning touchdown on a one-yard sneak by Sherdrick Bonner with 2:47 left.

The Avengers had a second-and-goal situation with 14 seconds left. But after an incomplete pass, a holding penalty pushed them back to the 13-yard line. Graziani’s final third-down pass was intended for Chris Jackson, but Rattler defensive back Ricky Parker knocked the ball to the ground.

Graziani completed 28 of 44 passes for 322 yards and a season-low three touchdowns.

Bonner, who had four passes intercepted in a 51-32 season-opening defeat against the Avengers, was 22 of 29 for 270 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.

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John Dutton was 23 of 33 for 263 yards and five touchdowns in the Colorado Crush’s 58-40 victory over the Philadelphia Soul (5-7) before 16,055 at Denver. The Crush is 9-4.... Corey Johnson tied the franchise record with three interceptions in the New York Dragons’ 44-20 victory over Dallas (6-6) before 9,234 at Dallas. The Dragons are 7-5.

John Kaleo threw four touchdown passes to help the Austin Wranglers (7-5) defeat the Grand Rapids Rampage, 40-27, before 5,878 at Grand Rapids, Mich. The Rampage is a league-worst 1-11.... Sedrick Robinson threw a TD pass, caught two scoring passes and ran for a score in the Columbus Destroyers’ 60-52 victory over Carolina before 6,265 at Charlotte, N.C. The Destroyers improved to 4-8.

Associated Press contributed to this report.