Rattlers Lose to the Storm, 63-56

May 29,2016

Tampa Bay - The five time World Champion Arizona Rattlers (6-3) lost to the Tampa Bay Storm (1-7) by a score of 63-56 at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Florida in front of 8,298 fans.
The Rattlers led by 13 points going into the fourth quarter, but the Storm scored 21 unanswered points and would eventually hold on for the victory.
Wide receivers Rod Windsor and Chase Deadder made up the bulk of the Rattlers offense, combining for 235 yards receiving and seven touchdowns. Quarterback Nick Davila had a good night statistically, completing 22 of 36 passes for 341 yards and seven touchdowns. He did, however, throw one interception, and was sacked twice.
On the other side of the ball, defensive back Keiron Jones led the Rattlers defense with 7.5 tackles and one pass breakup, in only his second game. Defensive backs KJ Morton and Al Phillips each broke up two passes as well. Unfortunately, it was not enough to earn the win.
The first quarter was a see-saw battle, with each team scoring twice. The Rattlers scored with 36-yard and 37-yard touchdown passes respectively from Davila, the first to wide receiver Rod Windsor, the second to wide receiver / linebacker Chase Deadder. The Storm responded to each score with a one-yard run from quarterback Jason Boltus, and a 25-yard touchdown pass from Boltus to wide receiver Gerald Young. The quarter ended 14-all.


The Rattlers scored first in the second, with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Davila to Deadder. The Storm responded with Young returning the ensuing kickoff 56-yards for the score.
Arizona countered with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Davila to Deadder, then after a Tampa Bay four-and-out, the Rattlers scored again on a 2-yard rush by fullback Mykel Benson. The Storm would score one more time before the half with a four-yard rush by backup quarterback Adam Kennedy.
The half ended with a pair of turnovers, the first, an interception thrown by Davila to defensive back Cortez Stubbs, the second, a botched snap by Bolt us, recovered by defensive end Cliff Dukes. The Rattlers led 35-28 at halftime.
The third quarter began with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Boltus to wide receiver Phillip Barnett to tie the game. The Rattlers answered with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Davila to Deadder. After Arizona forced another four-and-out on the Storm, the Rattlers scored again with a six-yard touchdown pass from Davila to Windsor. The Rattlers led 48-35 after three.
The Storm began the fourth quarter scoring 21-straight points, with three touchdown passes from Boltus, two to Barnett, the third to wide receiver T.T. Tolliver.
The Rattlers would tie the game with 21 seconds left on the clock with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Davila to Windsor, but the Storm would respond with a quick 28-yard touchdown pass from Boltus to Toliver, leaving three seconds left on the clock.
Davila threw one last pass attempt to wide receiver Joe Matthews, but the ball would sail wide out of bounds with no time left on the clock.
The Rattlers will again travel east next Friday, June 3rd when they face their conference foe, the Cleveland Gladiators (5-4). The Gladiators are coming off a 14-point victory over the league-leading Philadelphia Soul (7-2). The matchup will take place at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio at 4:00 p.m. PDT, and can be seen on ESPN3.com or the WatchESPN app on a tablet, smartphone, or streaming device.
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score
Arizona 14 21 13 0 56
Tampa Bay 14 14 7 21 63

AFL's Release: AFL's Inside the Numbers: Week 9

More Accolades Coming for Tampa Bay's T.T. Toliver
May 26,2016

By Adam Markowitz
LAS VEGAS - One could write a book on veteran wide receiver T.T. Toliver and his place in Arena Football League history. Depending upon how things go the rest of the season for the Storm wide out, he could surpass all of the receiving records currently held by Damian Harrell to become known as the greatest receiver by statistical measures the League has ever seen. With Tampa Bay set to host Arizona this week, Toliver will almost surely be writing some more history to add to his legacy as one of the top receivers in the history of the AFL.
With 15,000 in Sight, Toliver Set To Become Member of 100/100 Club
There are not all that many players – AFL or otherwise – who have had 15,000 receiving yards in their careers. Tampa Bay's T.T. Toliver is 224 yards shy of that mark as it sits heading into Week 9. Though it would be a lofty goal for Toliver to get to that point this week against Arizona, one mark which definitely is reachable is the 100-touchdown plateau for his career as a member of the Storm.
Plenty of receivers can say they have had 100 touchdowns in their careers with one team, but there is only one right now who can say that he's done it with two. Chris Jackson had 100+ receiving touchdowns as a member of both the Los Angeles Avengers and the Georgia Force. No receiver has done so since, though Toliver will get there on Sunday with his first touchdown grab versus the Rattlers.
The 39-year old receiver had 148 receiving touchdowns as a member of the Predators from 2007-2013.
Week 9 Milestone Watch
Any time you can be mentioned in the same breath as the great Barry Wagner, you know you are in elite company. Jacksonville's Tiger Jones needs just three receptions to tie and four to pass Wagner for fifth all-time in catches in League history. Twelve catches for Jones against Orlando on Friday night would get him to 1,000 for his career, a mark only four others have reached.
LA's Donovan Morgan is within sight of the Top 10 in all-time receptions as well. He is sitting on 835 catches heading into Week 9. Just in front of him are Siaha Burley (843) and Cory Fleming (846). If Morgan can haul in a dozen passes this week, he will move from 12th to 10th all-time in League history in receptions.
Only one man in AFL history has ever caught a touchdown pass in 60 straight games. Damian Harrell's epic streak of 78 games with a receiving touchdown will stand as a record for at least one more season, but Jacksonville's Joe Hills can become the second to ever reach the 60-game plateau if he finds the end zone at least once against the Predators in Week 9.
Tommy Grady could be on the verge of some history in Week 9 as well. He will likely need at least one more game after this to get to 30,000 passing yards in his career, but a 440-yard effort against the Predators would make him the ninth man in AFL history to get to 30k.
Last week was a relatively slow one for Shaun Kauleinamoku, as he had just five catches for 55 yards in the win over Orlando. One of Philadelphia's top targets should get to 400 receptions for his career this week against Cleveland. SK needs just two catches to reach that mark. He also is 57 yards of reaching 5,000 yards and four touchdowns short of 100 scores in his career.
Week 8 Quick Hitters
KISS wide receiver Donovan Morgan moved into seventh place all-time in League history in receiving touchdowns last week, surpassing Barry Wagner with his 266th TD grab in the win over Portland.
Arizona's Rod Windsor had one of the great streaks in the AFL come to an end last week. Windsor was held without a touchdown for the first time after 36 regular season games in a row with a trip to the end zone.
The Gladiators needed overtime to dispose of Tampa Bay last Monday night. It was their second straight overtime game after they beat Portland in the extra frame the week prior. Cleveland became the eighth team to play overtime games in back-to-back weeks in League history and just the second to win in OT in consecutive weeks. The only prior team to pull off the feat was Arizona in 2003. The Gladiators also joined the Chicago Rush with six overtime victories in their franchise history, third-most in League history behind the Rattlers and Predators.
Cleveland's victory against Tampa Bay was the 86th in the coaching career of Steve Thonn, tying him with Hall of Fame coach, Perry Moss for the eighth most in League history. Thonn can surpass Moss with a win this week at home versus the Soul.
Clevan Thomas intercepted his first pass in the AFL way back in 2002. Now, 14 years later, LA's veteran DB has snared his 80th pick for his career. With his interception of Shane Austin last week, Thomas joined Kenny McEntyre as the only players in League history to reach the milestone of 80 interceptions.

Sharks, Predators in Conference Battle

Rivalry Matchup Between Cleveland, Philly Featured on CBS Sports Network

May 25,2016
LAS VEGAS - The Arena Football League spotlight shines brightly on the state of Florida when traditional rivals -- the Jacksonville Sharks (3-4) and Orlando Predators (7-1) -- in an American Conference battle at Amway Center on Friday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET on WatchESPN. A matchup of two of the AFL's top quarterbacks will highlight the contest when Orlando's Randy Hippeard (65.1 Comp. %, 2,196 passing yards and 50 TDs) battles 2012 AFL MVP Tommy Grady (68.0 Comp. %, 2,071 passing yards and 40 TDs). Elsewhere, the American Conference-leading Philadelphia Soul (7-1) and 2015 AFL MVP QB Dan Raudabaugh go to Quicken Loans Arena to play the red-hot Cleveland Gladiators (4-4), winners of three straight games, and QB Arvell Nelson, who is 3-1 as a starter, on Saturday, May 28 at 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. WR Donovan Morgan (41 receptions and 17 TDs) and the Los Angeles KISS (3-4) host QB Shane Austin and the Portland Steel at Honda Center on Saturday, May 28 at 10 p.m. ET on WatchESPN. The final game of the weekend puts two-time AFL MVP (2011 and 2014) QB Nick Davila and the Arizona Rattlers (6-2) against QB Jason Boltus (15 TD passes in three games) and the Tampa Bay Storm at Amalie Arena on Sunday, May 29 at 2 p.m. ET on WatchESPN.

WEEK 9 MATCHUPS

Jacksonville Sharks (3-4) AT Orlando Predators (7-1)
Friday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET (WatchESPN)
	JACKSONVILLE	ORLANDO
SERIES LEADER	Jacksonville leads 8-7
STREAKS	W1	L1
LAST WEEK	W 65-34 vs. Steel	L 62-54 at Soul
LAST REG SEASON MEETING	4/18/16 Predators 63 at Sharks 56
TOTAL OFFENSE (RANK)	324.3 (1)	284.9 (3)
TOTAL DEFENSE (RANK)	312.6 (8)	266.4 (4)
POINTS SCORED (RANK)	51.4 (4)	60.5 (2)
POINTS ALLOWED (RANK)	49.3 (5)	48.5 (4)
TURNOVER MARGIN (RANK)	+4 (4)	+9 (1)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: SHARKS: QB Tommy Grady completed 22-of-27 passes for 288 yards and 8 TDs in last week's 65-34 win over the Steel at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena earning him the Under Armour Offensive Player of the Week... The seventh-year veteran, leads the AFL in passing yards per game (295.9) and in pass efficiency (125.8)... The 2012 AFL MVP is 416 yards shy of becoming the 9th player in AFL history to pass for 30,000 yards... WR Joe Hills hauled in eight catches for 114 yards and four TDs making it the sixth game this season he has scored multiple TDs and extending his streak to 59 consecutive regular-season games with a TD reception... WR Anthony `Tiger' Jones has hauled in 51 receptions for 648 yards and ten TDs this season... The former Cardinal is 12 receptions shy of reaching 1,000 receptions for his career and would become the 5th player in the AFL to reach this milestone ... FB Derrick Ross continues to dominate the running game in the AFL... Ross' five carries for 40 yards and two TDs in last week's outing helped him become the first player in AFL history to rush for over 3,000 yards (3,028)...The five-time First Team All-Arena selection is 14 career rushing TDs shy of breaking 200 where he would become the first player to reach this milestone... On defense, the Sharks have the dynamic duo of DBs Greg Reid and LaRoche Jackson... Reid leads the League in total tackles (52.0) and is tied for No. 4 in INTs (4)... Jackson is No. 4 in the League in total tackles (40.5) and tied for No. 2 in INTs (5)... PREDATORS: Under center for Orlando, is fourth-year veteran QB Randy Hippeard... Hippeard threw for 276 yards, while completing 26-of-41 passes and eight TDs in Saturday's 62-54 loss against the Soul... The former Cavalier is the League leader in three categories: total offense TDs (55), passing yards (2,196), and total offense (2,253)...WR Brandon Thompkins is the offensive weapon that has helped the Predators get to a 7-1 record... Thompkins hauled in 13 receptions for 144 yards and 5 TDs last week... The All-Arena Second Team selection ranks No. 1 in the AFL in scoring TDs (26), kickoff return yards (972), and all-purpose yards (1,769)... DB Varmah Sonie is a defensive power for the Predators... The third-year veteran tacked on 6.0 total tackles in his last outing... The former Panther ranks No. 2 in the League in tackles (49.5) and tied for No. 2 in interceptions (5)... K Mark Lewis has cemented his status as one of the best kickers in AFL history... The 12-year veteran is the all-time career leader in PATs made with 1,123 and only one of seven kickers to make more than 100 FGs in his career...The two-time All-Arena selection currently is ranked No. 1 in scoring (kicking) with 64 total points, in PAT attempts (69) and PATs made (61) this season.

Philadelphia Soul (7-1) AT Cleveland Gladiators (4-4)
Saturday, May 28 at 7 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network) Play-by-play: Brent Stover; Color: Sherdrick Bonner; Sideline: Cassie McKinney
	PHILADELPHIA	CLEVELAND
SERIES LEADER	Philadelphia leads 9-6
STREAKS	W6	W3
LAST WEEK	W 62-54 vs. Predators	W 70-63 at Sharks
LAST REG SEASON MEETING	4/23/16 Soul 67 vs. Gladiators 50
TOTAL OFFENSE (RANK)	269.8 (5)	252.9 (7)
TOTAL DEFENSE (RANK)	246.8 (1)	292.4 (7)
POINTS SCORED (RANK)	59.6 (3)	49.5 (5)
POINTS ALLOWED (RANK)	54.9 (7)
TURNOVER MARGIN (RANK)	+7 (3)	-6 (7)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: SOUL: DB Dwayne Hollis leads the league in INTs so far this season. Hollis has recorded six INTs for 109 yards and two defensive TDs, 32.0 tackles, eight pass breakups and 12 passes defended... WR Darius Reynolds is continuing his success here in Philadelphia, with 59 catches for 680 yards, 18 receiving TDs and one rushing TD in seven games. So far this season, he has been awarded Cutter's Catch of the Week in Weeks 4 and 7, he was also awarded the J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Week in Week 5... QB Dan Raudabaugh was awarded the AFL MVP, First Team All-Arena, and Russell Offensive Player of the Year award. So far this season, he has completed 164-of-237 passes for 1,914 yards and 46 TDs and was awarded Under Armour Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Weeks 4 and 7... DL Teddy Jennings is No. 2 in the AFL with 4.0 sacks, while adding 14.0 total tackles, three blocked kicks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery... GLADIATORS: QB Arvell Nelson's six total TDs (five passing/one rushing) including 259 passing yards and 19 rushing yards led the way on Monday night as the Gladiators outlasted the Tampa Bay Storm in overtime, 70-63... Since taking over as the starting quarterback one month ago in the home loss to Orlando, Nelson has completed 86 of 156 passes for 1,150 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, while also rushing for 102 yards and six more scores... WR Collin Taylor was named J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Week for his performance in Week 8's win over the Tampa Bay Storm. For the game, Taylor caught eight passes for 96 yards and three TDs in helping the Gladiators outlast the Storm in overtime... `CT' has picked up where he left off from his breakout season in 2014. To date, Taylor has hauled in 59 passes for 710 yards and 18 TDs... WR Quentin Sims caught a career-high 11 passes for 111 yards and two TDs in the win. Meanwhile, WR Larry Beavers caught the game-winning TD in overtime. He finished the game with three catches for 47 yards and a passing TD early in the first quarter.

PORTLAND STEEL (0-7) AT LOS ANGELES KISS (3-4)
Saturday, May 28 at 10 p.m. ET (WatchESPN)
	PORTLAND	LOS ANGELES
SERIES LEADER	Los Angeles leads 4-3
STREAKS	L7	L1
LAST WEEK	L 65-34 at Sharks	L 47-34 at Rattlers
LAST REG SEASON MEETING	5/9/16 KISS 66 vs. Steel 27
TOTAL OFFENSE (RANK)	273.6 (4)	257.9 (6)
TOTAL DEFENSE (RANK)	257.7 (2)	270.3 (5)
POINTS SCORED (RANK)	34.3 (7)	44.6 (6)
POINTS ALLOWED (RANK)	65.3 (8)	46.1 (3)
TURNOVER MARGIN (RANK)	-18 (8)	+0 (5)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: STEEL: WR Tom Gilson enters Week 9 near the top of every AFL receiving category, tied for No. 1 in the AFL with 10.1 receptions per game, No. 2 with 71 receptions and 3rd in receiving yards per game with 98.3. He leads the team in every receiving category; receptions (71), receiving yards (688) and receiving TDs (9). All are career season highs... Gilson also has an active streak of three straight games with at least 10 receptions... WR Tyrone Goard was acquired on April 13, since that time he's played in five games for the Steel and racked up 38 catches for 334 yards and seven TDs... After playing in only 11 games in 2015, DL Robert Hayes was able to tally a half-sack against the LA KISS (5/16/15). In Week 6 against LA, he racked in a career-high 2.0 sacks against Nathan Stanley. Giving Hayes, the 2.5 sacks for his career... Former All-Arena QB Shane Austin has completed 59.6% of his passes for 596 yards and nine TDs in two starts... KISS: DB Clevan Thomas became the second player in AFL history to tally 80 INTs last week. He needs 18 INTs to become the AFL's all-time INT leader (Kenny McEntyre, 97 INTs)... Newly acquired DL Mike Lewis was traded to the LA KISS from the Orland Predators on May 24th. The seven-year player is No. 2 on the all-time AFL sacks leaderboard (57.0)... WR DJ Stephens is ranked No. 6 in the AFL with 119.1 all-purpose yards per game. In addition, he is No. 9 in receptions (6.7/game) and No. 10 in receiving yards (11.5/game)... WR Donovan Morgan is tied for No. 5 in the AFL with 16.3 points scored per game and is No. 7 in yards per catch (12.8). The "Captain" has also caught a TD in 16 straight games and at least two scores in each of his last four contests... DB Josh Victorian has recovered two fumbles, which leads the league. Additionally, he is tied for No. 5 with 49 INT return yards and is just outside the Top 20 players with 3.8 tackles per game.

Arizona Rattlers (6-2) AT Tampa Bay Storm (0-7)
Sunday, May 29 at 2 p.m. ET (WatchESPN)
	ARIZONA	TAMPA BAY
SERIES LEADER	Tampa Bay leads 8-6
STREAKS	W1	L7
LAST WEEK	W 47-34 vs. KISS	L 70-63 vs. Gladiators
LAST REG SEASON MEETING	4/16/16 Rattlers 60 vs. Storm 27
TOTAL OFFENSE (RANK)	295.2 (2)	228.7 (8)
TOTAL DEFENSE (RANK)	278.6 (6)	265.1 (3)
POINTS SCORED (RANK)	64.5 (1)	32.6 (8)
POINTS ALLOWED (RANK)	43.5 (2)	52.7 (6)
TURNOVER MARGIN (RANK)	+8 (2)	-4 (6)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: RATTLERS: QB Nick Davila, who is a two-time AFL MVP (2011 and 2014), two-time ArenaBowl MVP (ArenaBowl XXV, Aren­aBowl XXVII) and perennial All-Arena selection, currently leads the AFL with 52 passing TDs and has completed 176-of-258 passes (68.2%) for 2,078 yards... The Rattlers have the second best rushing offense averaging 23 yards per game... Arizona is No. 3 in passing offense averaging 272 yards per game... The Rattlers lead the league with 18 sacks... WR Rod Windsor is No. 1 in the AFL for receiving yards and No. 1 for receiving TDs this season. He has a total of 968 yards and 23 TDs for the Rattlers... The Arizona Rattlers have three players in the Top 5 for total sacks this season with DL Dimetrio Tyson lead­ing the way with 5.0 sacks... The Rattlers defense has combined for 10 INTs (5 for TDs) for 154 total yards which is No. 6 in the AFL... FB Mykel Benson this season, is No. 2 in rushing TDs (9) and is tied for No. 3 in rushing yards (90)... STORM: The Storm have the No. 3 best rushing defense only allowing 13.7 yards per game... Tampa Bay has the No. 3 passing defense only allowing 251 yards per game... WR T.T. Toliver has played in 10 games versus the Rattlers. He's recorded 62 receptions for 825 yards and 18 TDs. He needs just 213 receiving yards to surpass AFL Hall of Famer, George LaFrance (5,392), for third all-time in franchise history. On May 9, versus the Orlando Predators, Toliver surpassed LaFrance for third all-time in Storm history with 400 receptions... WR Julius Gregory has played in one game versus Arizona. He has caught six passes for 109 yards and four TDs... WR Phillip Barnett's third game against the Rattlers and has caught eight passes for 130 yards and three TDs... WR Mike Washington last game against Arizona he caught 10 passes for 152 yards and three TDs.

Portland Steel Take a Tough Loss Against the LA KISS, 54-42

Goard hauls in four touchdowns; two-key kickoffs late in the 4th quarter hand game to LA
May 29,2016

Anaheim - The Portland Steel lost a tough game against the LA KISS, 54-42, in front of 7,150 at Honda Center on Saturday night. The loss extends the Portland losing streak to eight games to start the season.
Quarterback Shane Austin got the start under center for the Steel (0-8) and completed 23-of-42 passes for 223 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He added one touchdown rushing. Steel wide receiver Tyrone Goard hauled in nine passes for a game-high 103 yards and a career-game high four touchdowns.
Goard hauled in a 31-yard touchdown from Austin to open the Portland scoring in the 1st quarter. At the end of one, the KISS led 14-7.
Austin would rush for a touchdown early in the 2nd quarter. A barrage of touchdowns by Goard and KISS wide receiver Donovan Morgan would close out the half. Each would catch two touchdowns to end the half. The game was knotted at 28.
Goard scored the only touchdown in the third quarter when he hauled in an 8-yard touchdown. His fourth touchdown of the game set a new career-game high. At the end of the 3rd quarter the Steel led 35-28.
Morgan, the J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the game, would catch his fourth touchdown of the game to open the final quarter. Steel wide receiver Gilson would catch his lone touchdown of the game on a 21-yard touchdown as he streaked down the sideline and into the crowd. He held on to the football and gave Portland a 42-35 lead.
KISS fullback Rory Nixon would rush for a touchdown with less than four minutes remaining, a missed extra point gave the Steel a one-point lead. A mishandled kickoff return in the end zone by Steel kick returner Christian Wise would end up in the hands of Jamil Merrell to give the KISS the lead. On the ensuing kickoff, KISS place kicker Joey Cejudo was able to send the football off the cross bar and was recovered by LA’s Fredrick Obi. The KISS would convert that turnover into another touchdown and gave them a 54-42 advantage.


Portland suffered two injuries on the night, newly activated wide receiver Darryl Thompson suffered a hamstring injury during warmups. Defensive back Tim Shelley II slammed into the wall during the final LA KISS touchdown before the half and was ruled out for the rest of the game with a hip injury.
The Steel will return to Moda Center on Friday, June 3 to face the Tampa Bay Storm. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. For all ticket information and for the most updated information on the Portland Steel, head to www.pdxsteel.com.

Soul Fall to Gladiators, 63-49

Kauleinamoku reaches milestone in tough loss in Cleveland
May 29,2016

Cleveland - The Philadelphia Soul (7-2) suffered their first loss on the road, falling to the Cleveland Gladiators (5-4) in front of 11,278 fans at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH on Saturday night.

“Cleveland came out to win tonight and they were the stronger team,” said Soul head coach Clint Dolezel. “We made too many mistakes tonight but we have to correct them and prepare for Jacksonville next week.”
Soul WR Darius Reynolds led the receivers with nine receptions for 144 yards and three touchdowns. Ryan McDaniel tallied eight catches for 97 yards and three touchdowns. Shaun Kauleinamoku reached two major career milestones tonight, completing his 400th pass and reaching 5,000 receiving yards with seven receptions for 99 yards and one touchdown. Gladiators’ WR and J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Game, Quentin Sims led the offense with 10 receptions for 114 yards and three touchdowns.

Philadelphia QB Dan Raudabaugh completed 25-of-44 passes for 342 yards and seven touchdowns. Cleveland QB and Under Armour Offensive Player of the Game Arvell Nelson completed 22-of-36 passes for 307 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Soul lost the coin toss and Gladiators kicked off to start the game. The Soul were unable to complete a first down, turning over the ball to the Gladiators. Nelson quickly found Collin Taylor for the Gladiators’ first touchdown of the night. Trevino’s kick was good and the Gladiators took the lead 7-0 with 7:56 left in the quarter. Raudabaugh fired back with a 26-yard pass to McDaniel, putting the Soul on the board 7-7 with 4:56 remaining. Another quick turn around for the Gladiators as Nelson found Larry Beavers for a 49-yard touchdown. Kick was good and with 2:08 left in the quarter, the Gladiators took back the lead 14-7. Money Reynolds helped tie up the game with a 29-yard catch with 2:08 remaining. A Gladiators’ fumble on the kick return gave the Soul possession and Raudabaugh capitalized with an 11-yard pass to SK for a touchdown. At the end of the first quarter, the Soul led 21-14.



The Gladiators started the second quarter off strong with a quick touchdown by Quentin Sims, bring the game back to a 21-21 tie. The Soul were again unable to complete a first down, turning over the ball. Nelson connected with Sims again for a 4-yard touchdown. The kick was good and with 8:25 to play in the half, the Soul trailed 28-21. Raudabaugh found Money with a 37-yard touchdown pass and with 7:10 to play in the half, the Soul tied back up 28-28. The Gladiators responded with a 14-yard pass to Sims for his second touchdown of the night. The kick was good, and at the end of the first half, the Soul trailed 35-28.

Another strong start by the Gladiators’ with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Beavers, giving Cleveland the lead 42-28. McDaniel found his second touchdown of the night with a 10-yard pass by Raudabaugh. Kick was good and with 10:19 left in the quarter, the Soul still trailed 42-35. On their next possession, Nelson handed off to Phillip-Keith Manley for his first rushing touchdown of the night. The Soul responded with a 10-yard touchdown pass to McDaniel. With 5:29 to play in the quarter, the Soul trailed 49-42. In the final minute Nelson connected with Taylor and the Gladiators remained in the lead 56-42 to end the third quarter.

With a slow start to the fourth quarter, Raudabaugh passed to Reynolds for a 4-yard touchdown. The kick was good and with 9:23 left in the game, the Soul trailed 56-49. The Soul began to see a light of hope when the Gladiators turned over the ball with under eight minutes of play. Raudabaugh’s pass was intercepted by Marvin Ross, giving the Gladiators’ their final touchdown of the night. The final score was Gladiators 63, Soul 49.

Next week, the Soul travel to Jacksonville to take on the Sharks on Saturday, June 4 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports, 97.5 The Fanatic. Kick-off set for 7 p.m.

Under Armour Offensive Player: Cleveland QB Arvell Nelson
Riddell Defensive Player: Cleveland DB Marvin Ross
J Lewis Small AFL Playmaker: Cleveland WR Quentin Sims
Cutter’s Catch of the Game: Cleveland WR Quentin Sims’ second quarter one-handed touchdown
AFL Highlight of the Game: Cleveland DB Marvin Ross’s fourth quarter interception for touchdown

Randy Hippeard: The Evolution of a Gunslinger

Randy Hippeard: The Evolution of a Gunslinger

May 25,2016
By Tyler Graddy Randy Hippeard has set Arena Football ablaze this season, positioning himself for a run at the league MVP with 2196 yards, 50 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions. He has shown the qualities demanded from true leaders by making those around him better, even turning two offensive linemen into dangerous scoring threats while steadying the Predators’ season through eight weeks and seven wins.
It’s apparent that the gunslinger has improved in many ways since his most productive campaign in Tampa Bay, now on pace to top his career best season of 4,406 yards, 93 touchdowns, 23 interceptions and a 58.6 completion percentage. If he keeps on it, Hippeard will post an MVP caliber stat line of 4392/100/10.
“When I was playing for Tampa it was my first year as a starter so they didn’t really open up the playbook to me. It was a lot of ‘we’re going to try to keep things real simple and just kind of go at it.’,” he explained.
No Predators quarterback has ever passed for triple-digit touchdowns, making the Virginia native an exclusive member of the 100 touchdown club. For his part, Hippeard hasn’t kept watch on any record books.
“I didn’t even know anything about it until today, until you guys said something about it. It’s just one of those things, like I told you, if we do reach it that means we’ve done things offensively to give ourselves the opportunity to win football games. I’m one of those guys, I’d rather throw one touchdown and win the game than nine or ten and lose,” said Hippeard.
Success is not a newfound reality in his world. Making the move from collegiate football in 2009, Hippeard left campus with the knowledge that his name was firmly stamped on almost every single career passing record in the history of the Virginia-Wise Highland Cavaliers.
Transitioning to the AFL wasn’t easy at all. Athletes make plays and football instinct is almost an unteachable sixth sense, but for a quarterback the changes can be vast. Angles, throw power, adjustments and game speed are completely new entities in comparison to the traditional game.
“It’s a big adjustment,” the veteran of the game analyzed. “[Outside] there’s more field to play with, you can kind of use your arm a little bit more, in this league you’ve got to get rid of the ball a little bit quicker, you’ve got to make your reads a little bit faster and it’s a lot more touch use in this league than in the outdoor game, [where] you can kinda put things on a line a little bit more, you can kind of show your arm off; throw the ball 75 yards down the field.”
His first season in Orlando opened up a whole new world of the game. Hippeard was given the keys to a brand new Ferrari by the Predators’ coaching staff – full access and command of the playbook.
“When I came to Orlando the first thing [former offensive coordinator Siaha Burley] told me was ‘we’re going to open the playbook up, it’s yours – let’s run with it.’ Just to have somebody to have that confidence in you to say, “This is your offense, this is your team. We’re going to go as you go.” It’s a big confidence builder in myself and it’s the same when Sauk came in when he first got here. ‘The playbook is open, I’m going to call the plays, you read it, you execute it. It’s all on you,’.”
Offensive Coordinator Matthew Sauk has been in lockstep with his quarterback since arrival this season, bringing with him the knowledge that ranked his 2012 squad as the most productive in Arena Football League History.
Clearly the offense is now humming as Hippeard’s command of the scheme grows in his second year with the throttle wide open. Continuity with his receiving corps has helped, and a deeper understanding of passing in this league is on display every week.
Talented receivers Greg Carr and Brandon Thompkins have certainly played a role in Hippeard’s explosion onto the scene. The duo have experienced benchmark years themselves, pacing the AFL’s best receiving corps with a combined 1457 yards, 36 touchdowns and 107 receptions.
“These guys, they really make plays for you out there. I’m the middle man from the center to them; I’m the guy who delivers the ball to the athletes, that’s what I tell them all the time. You just throw the ball up and let these guys be athletes,” he humbly attested.
Praise continued for his skill players, crediting the offense’s prowess completely to their ability to make plays when it matters. It’s no surprise that Hippeard can be so humble with his own accomplishments or so ready to dole out credit to his teammates when you consider the chemistry of this team.
“You’ve got to be close,” Hippeard stated about his teammates. “When you have 24 guys on a roster you can’t help but get to know the man next to you or get to know the guys on the defensive side of the ball. These outdoor teams, these NFL teams you have 53-man rosters you may not know that 53rd guy. It’s just one of those things where we’re so close as a group. We go out to eat, we bring breakfast every now and then for each other. It’s just a really close family and for a lot of us to be here for the second year together it just builds that relationship stronger.”
All of the lessons are finally culminating for Hippeard. His team is on a warpath to the ArenaBowl, his offense is firing on all cylinders and there is almost a certainty that MVP candidacy is already locked in.

AFL Scoreboard for the games of Week 7-9 and Schedule for Weeks 10-12 of the 2016 regular season from ARENAFOOTBALL.COM

Week 7
05/13/16	Orlando 42, Tampa Bay 40	Orlando, Fla.	7:30 p.m.
05/14/16	Philadelphia 65, Arizona 58	Philadelphia, Pa	6:30 p.m.
05/16/16	Cleveland 55, Portland 48 ( OT )	Cleveland, Ohio	8:00 p.m.
Week 8
05/21/16	Jacksonville 65, Portland 34	Jacksonville, Fla.	7:00 p.m.
	Philadelphia 62, Orlando 54	Philadelphia, Pa	7:30 p.m.
	Arizona 47, Los Angeles 34	Phoenix, Ariz.	9:00 p.m.
05/23/16	Cleveland 70, Tampa Bay 63 ( OT )	Tampa Bay, Fla.	7:30 p.m.
Week 9
05/27/16	Jacksonville 59, Orlando 56	Orlando, Fla.	7:30 p.m.
05/28/16	Cleveland 63, Philadelphia 49	Cleveland, Ohio	7:00 p.m.
	Los Angeles 54, Portland 42	Anaheim, Calif.	10:00 p.m.
05/29/16	Arizona at Tampa Bay	Tampa, Fla.	2:00 p.m. ET
Week 10
06/03/16	Arizona at Cleveland	Cleveland, Ohio	7:00 p.m. ET
	Tampa Bay at Portland	Portland, Ore.	10:30 p.m. ET
06/04/16	Philadelphia at Jacksonville	Jacksonville, Fla.	7:00 p.m. ET
06/05/16	Orlando at Los Angeles	Anaheim, Calif.	6:00 p.m. ET
Week 11
06/11/16	Los Angeles at Philadelphia	Philadelphia, Pa	3:00 p.m. ET
	Jacksonville at Tampa Bay	Tampa, Fla.	5:00 p.m. ET
	Cleveland at Orlando	Orlando, Fla.	7:30 p.m. ET
	Portland at Arizona	Phoenix, Ariz.	9:00 p.m. ET
Week 12
06/17/16	Philadelphia at Arizona	Phoenix, Ariz.	10:00 p.m. ET
06/18/16	Orlando at Jacksonville	Jacksonville, Fla.	7:00 p.m. ET
	Los Angeles at Tampa Bay	Tampa, Fla.	7:30 p.m. ET
	Cleveland at Portland	Portland, Ore.	10:00 p.m. ET

Current AFL Standings as of the games of Week 9 of the 2016 regular season from ARENALEAGUEFOOTBALL.COM

Standings

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Team	Overall	Points	Pct.	Division	Pct.	Home	Away	Streak
Arizona Rattlers	6-2-0	516-348	0.750	4-0-0	1.000	3-0	3-2	Won 1
Cleveland Gladiators	5-4-0	459-488	0.556	0-1-0	0.000	4-3	1-1	Won 4
LA KISS	4-4-0	366-365	0.500	3-2-0	0.600	3-2	1-2	Won 1
Portland Steel	0-8-0	282-511	0.000	0-4-0	0.000	0-1	0-7	Lost 8

(Updated May 29)
AMERICAN CONFERENCE

Team	Overall	Points	Pct.	Division	Pct.	Home	Away	Streak
Philadelphia Soul	7-2-0	526-407	0.778	2-1-0	0.667	5-1	2-1	Lost 1
Orlando Predators	7-2-0	540-447	0.778	3-2-0	0.600	4-1	3-1	Lost 2
Jacksonville Sharks	4-4-0	419-401	0.500	3-1-0	0.750	1-2	3-2	Won 2
Tampa Bay Storm	0-7-0	228-369	0.000	0-4-0	0.000	0-3	0-4	Lost 7

(Updated May 29)

LA KISS Suffer Costly Injuries and Lose to the Arizona Rattlers, 47-34

May 22,2016

Phoenix - The LA KISS (3-4) weren’t able to overcome key injuries and lose to the Arizona Rattlers (6-2) in front of a crowd of 14,519 fans at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, AZ on Saturday night.
After replacing Nathan Stanley, who suffered an injury in the second quarter, quarterback Pete Thomas completed 13 of 27 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns. Brandon Collins had a stellar performance, recording eight catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns. Donovan Morgan added four receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns and DJ Stephens tallied four receptions for 43 yards.
Arizona Rattlers quarterback Nick Davila threw for 265 yards and five touchdowns, completing 20 of 35 pass attempts. Chase Deadder led the Rattlers receivers with eight receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Joe Matthews had five receptions for 84 yards and three scores, while Rod Windsor added 51 receiving yards on five receptions. Fredrick Obi led the LA KISS defense with seven solo tackles. Clevan Thomas recorded the LA KISS’ only interception of the game, which was his 80th career interception. He is only the second player in AFL history to reach this milestone. For the Rattlers, Chase Deadder led the team with seven tackles and a 10-yard interception return touchdown. Allen Chapman added three tackles and an interception.


After the LA KISS won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, Joey Cujedo kicked off to the Rattlers. On the first offensive possession of the game, Thomas intercepted a Davila pass in the end zone, giving the LA KISS the possession. Then the LA KISS were within one-yard from scoring but could not find the end zone and turned the ball over on downs. On the ensuing possession, Davila found Mathews for a 22-yard touchdown. Alex Zendejas missed the kick and the score was 6-0 with 5:12 left in the quarter. On the next possession, Morgan caught a 40-yard touchdown form Stanley. The Cujedo point after attempt was good, which gave the LA KISS a one-point lead with 1:03 remaining left in the quarter. At the end of the first, the LA KISS led by a score of 7-6.
On the first possession of the second quarter, the Rattlers, on fourth down, regained the lead when Davila hit Matthews for a 22-yard touchdown. The Zendejas kick was good and the Rattlers led by a score of 13-7. A Stanley pass, which was intended for Morgan, was intercepted by Chapman and returned 48 yards for a touchdown. Zendejas was successful of the point after and the score was 20-7 with 9:40 left in the half. Two plays later, Stanley found Collins for a 20-yard touchdown. After a successful PAT, the score was 20-14. The Arizona Rattlers turned the ball over on downs, and the LA KISS regained possession with 59 seconds left in the half. On the third play of the drive, Deadder intercepted a Stanley pass and returned it 10-yards for a touchdown. Zendejas found the uprights, which gave the Rattlers a 13-point lead. Stanley suffered an injury and was replaced by Pete Thomas at quarterback. The LA KISS cut the lead to one possession when Thomas hit Morgan for a nine-yard touchdown. Cujedo’s kick was no good and the score was 27-20. As time expired in the half, Matthews caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Davila to extend the Rattlers’ halftime lead to 34-20.
On the first play of the second half, Thomas connected with Collins for a 47-yard touchdown. Cujedo make the point after and the Rattlers led by a score of 34-27. Deadder scored on a 20-yard pass from Davila, which, after a successful PAT, made the score 41-27 with 10:15 left in the quarter. On the following possession, Thomas hit Collins for a 25-yard touchdown. The kick found the uprights and Rattlers led by seven points. The Rattlers countered, and retook at two-score lead, with an eight-yard Davila-to-Deadder touchdown. The score at the end of the third quarter was 47-34.
After back-to-back fumbles by both the LA KISS and the Rattlers, the LA KISS were unable to convert a red zone possession and turned the ball over on downs. Then the Rattlers kept possession and ran out the clock. The LA KISS suffered their second loss of the season to the Rattlers by a score of 47 to 34.
Next week, the LA KISS will return home to the Honda Center to host the Portland Steel on Saturday, May 28th. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the game will be available to be streamed live on ESPN3 and WatchESPN.
Postgame Awards:
Under Armour Offensive Player of the Game: Joe Matthews (AZ)
Riddell Defensive Player of the Game: Allen Chapman (AZ)
J. Lewis Small Player of the Game: Chase Deadder (AZ)
Cutters Catch of the Game: Joe Matthews (AZ) 2Q 31-yard TD Catch AFL Highlight of the Game: Allen Chapman (AZ) 48 yard INT in 2nd quarter

Comeback Falls Short in Philadelphia as Predators Suffer First Loss

May 21,2016

Philadelphia - The Orlando Predators (7-1) suffered their first of the season on Saturday evening, falling on the road 62-54 to the Philadelphia Soul (7-1). Orlando battled back from a 28-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but was unable to complete the comeback attempt.

QB Randy Hippeard threw for 276 yards and eight touchdowns with one interception on the night, hooking up with WR Brandon Thompkins for five scores as the wideout hauled in a game-high 13 passes for 144 yards. WR Greg Carr caught six passes for 87 yards and a score, while WR Larry Brackins and OL Chad Anderson each added short touchdown grabs.

The first quarter ended in a 7-7 tie as FB Jeramie Richardson scored on a one-yard run for the Soul before Hippeard responded with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Carr.

Philadelphia went ahead early in the second quarter off a scoring reception by WR Darius Reynolds, but a missed PAT by the Soul allowed the Predators to take a 14-13 lead on a nine-yard touchdown grab by Thompkins.

Reynolds caught another score from seven yards out for the Soul, but Orlando would need only one play to regain the lead. After recovering Philadelphia’s onside kick attempt, the Predators quickly converted the great field position into points as Thompkins caught a short pass and took it 10 yards to the end zone for a 21-20 advantage.



WR Ryan McDaniel caught a five-yard touchdown pass for Philadelphia and the Predators responded with an eight-yard scoring toss from Hippeard to Brackins. However, a missed PAT by Orlando left the game tied 27-27 with under a minute remaining in the half. Richardson would score on a one-yard run for Soul as time expired in the half, leaving the Predators trailing 34-27 at the midway point.

Philadelphia built a 55-27 lead off of three unanswered scores in the third quarter. Orlando received the kick to start the second half, but Hippeard was intercepted by DB Dwayne Hollis on the first play of the drive and Richardson scored again on a short run for the Soul. Philadelphia then scored off a five-yard reception by Reynolds after the Predators turned the ball over on downs. Moments later, the ensuing kickoff bounced off the uprights and the Soul managed to recover the loose ball in the end zone for another score.

Orlando ended the scoring drought and rattled off three unanswered scores of its own to start the final quarter, beginning with an 11-yard touchdown toss from Hippeard to Thompkins. DE Darryl Cato-Bishop recovered a fumble for the Predators after sacking Soul QB Dan Raudabaugh on the ensuing series and Orlando converted the turnover into points off a two-yard scoring toss from Hippeard to OL Chad Anderson. Moments later, DB Kent Richardson recovered an onside kick for Orlando and Thompkins hauled in a 34-yard touchdown to cut the deficit, 54-47.

Philadelphia managed to put Orlando back in a two-score hole following a three-yard touchdown run by Reynolds, but the Predators battled back with a 15-yard scoring catch by Thompkins. However, the Soul managed to recover Orlando’s onside attempt on the ensuing kickoff and ran out the clock to seal the loss, 62-54.

The Predators return to the Amway Center in Week 9 to take on the Jacksonville Sharks on Friday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on ESPN3/Watch ESPN and heard on FM 96.9 The Game. Tickets are available for purchase by calling 407-355-2200 or online at OrlandoPredators.com.

UNDER ARMOUR OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Philadelphia QB Dan Raudabaugh
RIDDELL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Philadelphia DB Dwayne Hollis
J.LEWIS SMALL PLAYMAKER OF THE GAME: Orlando WR Brandon Thompkins
CUTTERS CATCH OF THE GAME: Philadelphia WR Darius Reynolds
AFL HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME: Kickoff recovered in end zone by Philadelphia DB LaRico Stevenson (Q3 | 2:14)

Score By Quarters 1 2 3 4 Total
Orlando Predators 7 20 0 27 54
Philadelphia Soul 7 27 21 7 62
1st Quarter
PHL – Richardson 1 yd run (Frevert kick) 12:22.
ORL – Carr 16 yd pass from Hippeard (Lewis kick) 6:10.

2nd Quarter
PHL – Reynolds 4 yd pass from Raudabaugh (Frevert kick failed) 14:56.
ORL – B.Thompkins 9 yd pass from Hippeard (Lewis kick) 9:55.
PHL – Reynolds 7 yd pass from Raudabaugh (Frevert kick) 7:30.
ORL – B.Thompkins 10 yd pass from Hippeard (Lewis kick) 6:20.
PHL – McDaniel 5 yd pass from Raudabaugh (Frevert kick) 5:06.
ORL – Brackins 8 yd pass from Hippeard (Lewis kick failed) 0:52.
PHL – Richardson 1 yd run (Frevert kick) 0:00.

3rd Quarter
PHL – Richardson 1 yd run (Frevert kick) 9:05.
PHL – Reynolds 5 yd pass from Raudabaugh (Frevert kick) 3:19.
PHL – Stevenson 1 yd fumble recovery on kickoff (Frevert kick) 2:14.

4th Quarter
ORL – B.Thompkins 11 yd pass from Hippeard (Lewis kick) 10:36.
ORL – Anderson 2 yd pass from Hippeard (Hippeard pass failed) 5:14.
ORL – B.Thompkins 34 yd pass from Hippeard (Lewis kick) 2:55.
PHL – Reynolds 3 yd run (Frevert kick) 0:56.
ORL – B.Thompkins 15 yd pass from Hippeard (Lewis kick) 0:26

Portland Steel Fall to the Jacksonville Sharks, 65-34 Injuries pile up against the Steel; Sharks offense is flawless

May 21,2016

Jacksonville - The Portland Steel lost to the Jacksonville Sharks, 65-34 in front of 10,208 at Sea Best Field at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena Saturday night. The loss extends the Steel losing streak to seven games in a row, a Portland AFL record.
Quarterback Shane Austin got the start under center for the Steel and completed 23-of-43 passes for 233 yards, 3 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He would add two touchdowns rushing, as he carried the ball four times gaining 11 yards. A mixture of untimely injuries and the Sharks league-leading passing attack, would eventually hand Jacksonville (3-4) the victory.
Austin opened the scoring when he found Jabin Sambrano for a 20-yard touchdown, the Steel led 6-0 early in the first. The Sharks tacked on the next two touchdowns before Austin found Tom Gilson for a long 28-yard touchdown to cap the scoring for the period. The Sharks led 14-13 at the end of the first quarter.
The 2nd quarter began as the 1st did, Austin found Sambrano on a 19-yard scoring strike to open the scoring in the quarter. With the score 20-20, the Sharks would outscore the Steel 20-7 aided by Austin’s first interception of the contest. The Sharks led 40-27 at the half.
The Sharks were able to add to their lead by scoring three touchdowns in the third quarter. Down by 25 points, Austin was able to rush for his second touchdown of the game before the Sharks tacked on their ninth touchdown of the night. At the end of the 3rd quarter, Jacksonville led 58-27.
Sharks quarterback Tommy Grady would complete his ninth touchdown of the night when he found Joe Hills for a 3-yard touchdown to give Jacksonville a 65-27 lead. Hills was named the Under Armour Offensive Player of the Game after hauling in 8 catches for 114 yards and four touchdown performance.


A week after setting Portland AFL game highs, Gilson led the Steel receiving corps with 13 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown. The second quarter would prove costly to the Steel as they lost both WR Sambrano (hamstring) and WR/DB Christian Wise (stinger) to injury.
The Portland Steel will continue their seven game road trip as they take on the LA KISS at Honda Center on Saturday, May 28 with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. (PST). The game will be streamed online at ESPN3 and can be heard on Freedom 970AM with Ron Callan and Brian Perkins.
The Steel will return to Moda Center on Friday, June 3 to face the Tampa Bay Storm. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. For all ticket information and for the most updated information on the Portland Steel, head to www.pdxsteel.com.

Soul Shake Rattlers 65-58

Philadelphia Defeats Arizona for First Time in Soul History

Soul celebrate a touchdown

May 14,2016
PHILADELPHIA -The Philadelphia Soul (6-1) snapped their 0-6 series record against the Arizona Rattlers (5-2) with a 65-58 win in front of 8,505 fans at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday night.
"Arizona is a good team and a good football organization, so we will take that win anyway we can get it," said Soul head coach Clint Dolezel. "We protected well, the receivers got open and it was a seven-point game, but it felt much bigger than that."
J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Game and Soul WR Shaun Kauleinamoku caught three passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Soul WR Darius Reynolds added eight receptions for 126 yards and three touchdowns. Arizona WR Rod Windsor had 12 receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns.
Philadelphia QB and Under Armour Offensive Player of the Game, Dan Raudabaugh completed 14-of-21 passes for 223 yards and six touchdowns. Arizona QB Nick Davila completed 26-of-42 passes for 316 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Soul lost the coin toss and Rattlers kicked off to start the game. Raudabaugh connected quickly with Money Reynolds for a 9-yard touchdown. Frevert's extra point was good and with 12:33 left in the quarter, the Soul took the lead 7-0. Arizona's Mykel Benson fumbled on a play and the ball was recovered by Sean Daniels. The Soul capitalized on this and Raudabaugh found SK for a 4-yard rushing touchdown. Kick was good and with 5:40 remaining in the first quarter, the Soul led 14-0. The Rattlers responded when Davila passed to Maurice Purify for the team's first touchdown of the night. Zendejas' kick was good and at the end of the first half, the Soul led 14-7.


The Soul started the second half strong when Raudabaugh found SK again for a 25-yard touchdown. The extra point was good and the Soul kept the lead, 21-7 with 14:32 left in the half. Davila and the Rattlers were unable to complete the first down, giving the ball back to the Soul. Frevert's field goal attempt was good and with 6:43 left in the first half, the Soul widened the lead, 24-7. The Rattlers found their second touchdown of the night when Davila connected with Purify again for an 8-yard touchdown. With 2:13 left in the half, the Soul led 24-14. McDaniel caught his first touchdown of the night, the kick was good and with one minute remaining in the half, the Soul led 31-14. Davila quickly responded with an 11-yard pass to Rod Windsor. Kick was good and at the end of the half, Soul led 31-21.
With a slow start to the third quarter, the Rattlers scored when Davila connected with Purify for his third touchdown of the night. Kick was good and with 9:37 left in the third quarter, the Soul remained in the lead 31-28. Raudabaugh instantly connected with SK for a touchdown and the kick was good, stretching the Soul's lead 38-28. Davila passed to Mykel Benson for a 28-yard Rattler touchdown. Extra point was good and with 5:35 left in the third, Soul kept the lead 38-35. An on-side kick attempt by Arizona was recovered by Soul's Daniels and returned for a touchdown. Kick was no good and with 4:31 left in the third quarter, the Soul were winning 44-35. The Rattlers fumbled the ball off the kick-off and it was recovered by Tracy Belton. Raudabaugh capitalized on this, handed off to Jeramie Richardson for a 4-yard rushing touchdown. At the end of the third quarter, the Soul led 51-35.
To start the fourth quarter, Davila passed to Purify for a touchdown. Arizona's two-point conversion attempt was good and with 13:26 left in the game, the Soul led 51-43. Raudabaugh answered by connecting with Reynolds for a Soul touchdown with 10:42 left in game, to make the score 58-43. On Arizona's next drive, Davila connected with Windsor for a touchdown. Their two-point conversion was successful again, making the game a close 58-51. Shortly after, Raudabaugh found ‘Money' Reynolds in the end zone for his third touchdown of the night, adding to their lead, 65-51. With less than five minutes left in the game, Davila passed the ball to Amos for another Rattlers touchdown. The Soul came out on top, winning the game with a final score of 65-58.
Next week, the Soul host the Orlando Predators on Saturday, May 21 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports, 97.5 The Fanatic. Kick-off set for 7:30 p.m.
Under Armour Offensive Player: Philadelphia QB Dan Raudabaugh Riddell Defensive Player: Philadelphia DB Tracy Belton J Lewis Small AFL Playmaker: Philadelphia WR Shaun Kauleinamoku Cutter's Catch of the Game: Philadelphia WR Darius Reynolds' 48-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter AFL Highlight of the Game: Philadelphia DL Sean Daniels's onside kick recovery for a touchdown.

AFL Scoreboard for the games of Week 7 and Schedule for Weeks 8-12 of the 2016 regular season from ARENAFOOTBALL.COM

Week 7
05/13/16	Orlando 42, Tampa Bay 40	Orlando, Fla.	7:30 p.m.
05/14/16	Philadelphia 65, Arizona 58	Philadelphia, Pa	6:30 p.m.
05/16/16	Cleveland 55, Portland 48 ( OT )	Cleveland, Ohio	8:00 p.m.
Week 8
05/21/16	Portland at Jacksonville	Jacksonville, Fla.	7:00 p.m. ET
	Orlando at Philadelphia	Philadelphia, Pa	7:30 p.m. ET
	Los Angeles at Arizona	Phoenix, Ariz.	9:00 p.m. ET
05/23/16	Cleveland at Tampa Bay	Tampa Bay, Fla.	7:30 p.m. ET
Week 9
05/27/16	Jacksonville at Orlando	Orlando, Fla.	7:30 p.m. ET
05/28/16	Philadelphia at Cleveland	Cleveland, Ohio	7:00 p.m. ET
	Portland at Los Angeles	Anaheim, Calif.	10:00 p.m. ET
05/29/16	Arizona at Tampa Bay	Tampa, Fla.	2:00 p.m. ET
Week 10
06/03/16	Arizona at Cleveland	Cleveland, Ohio	7:00 p.m. ET
	Tampa Bay at Portland	Portland, Ore.	10:30 p.m. ET
06/04/16	Philadelphia at Jacksonville	Jacksonville, Fla.	7:00 p.m. ET
06/05/16	Orlando at Los Angeles	Anaheim, Calif.	6:00 p.m. ET
Week 11
06/11/16	Los Angeles at Philadelphia	Philadelphia, Pa	3:00 p.m. ET
	Jacksonville at Tampa Bay	Tampa, Fla.	5:00 p.m. ET
	Cleveland at Orlando	Orlando, Fla.	7:30 p.m. ET
	Portland at Arizona	Phoenix, Ariz.	9:00 p.m. ET
Week 12
06/17/16	Philadelphia at Arizona	Phoenix, Ariz.	10:00 p.m. ET
06/18/16	Orlando at Jacksonville	Jacksonville, Fla.	7:00 p.m. ET
	Los Angeles at Tampa Bay	Tampa, Fla.	7:30 p.m. ET
	Cleveland at Portland	Portland, Ore.	10:00 p.m. ET