Last time out, the Rattlers (7-3) beat their in-state rivals the Northern Arizona Wranglers 56-32 giving them a little momentum heading in the bye week.
The Rattlers were looking to make it two wins in a row, against Indiana’s Fishers Freight (5-6).
Fishers Freight took the first matchup in Indiana, so the Rattlers were looking to avoid the season sweep.
The Rattlers struck first as quarterback Drew Powell found wide receiver Arlan Bruce over the middle for a six-yard touchdown, making it 7-0 Rattlers.
Fishers Freight came back with a long drive of their own, ending with a handoff up the middle to running back Dominic Roberto for a 1-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7.
After the Fishers Freight’s defense forced a long field goal miss, their offense came right back, as quarterback Felix Harper found wide receiver Jordan Davis on a hitch route, before Davis broke one tackle, and was off to the races for a 33-yard touchdown making it 14-7.
On the kickoff, Fisher’s kicker Calum Sutherland split the uprights for a deuce making it 16-7.
The Rattlers offense came right back as Powell threw up a 50/50 ball for wide receiver Trey Odoms-Dukes, and he came down with it for a 27-yard touchdown making 16-14 with 1:20 left in the half.
Fishers Freight was able to get into field goal range, but Sutherlands’ kick was no good, keeping it 16-14 heading into half.
The Rattlers opened the second half with a bang, as running back Ron Brown Jr. took the opening kickoff 58 yards to the house; the PAT was blocked, so the return made it 20-16 to the Rattlers.
Fishers Freight took the lead right back as Harper connected with Davis again this one from eight yards out, giving Fishers Freight a three-point lead.
On the next drive, the Rattlers called a toss play to running back Kymani Clarke, who juked a defender and broke a tackle for a 7-yard touchdown, giving the Rattlers a 27-23.
Another lead change happened later as running back Josiah King took a 2-yard run up the middle for a touchdown, while the PAT missed wide left, giving the Fishers Freight lead 29-27.
The Rattlers’ next drive went all the way down to the 2-yard line, and Rattler’s head coach Kevin Guy elected to kick an 18-yarder on 4th down, as kicker Matthew Cook’s try split the uprights, putting the Rattlers up by 1.
Fishers Freight takes the lead right back as on fourth and two; King was left wide open in the flats for a 2-yard touchdown. On the two-point conversation, Harper’s pass fell incomplete making it 35-30.
On the kickoff Sutherland drilled another deuce making it 37-30 with 4:10 left.
The Rattlers were able to score on their next drive, as Powell took it himself from 2 yards out for a touchdown.
However, after the first PAT got called back for holding, the second PAT attempt was missed, making it 37-36 Fishers Freight with 46 seconds left.
The Rattlers still had three timeouts, so the game was still not over.
Arizona’s defense forced a three and out, giving them the ball with 30 seconds left to go down and win the game.
With 10 seconds left Powell took off to towards right side and into the endzone for a touchdown, however, it was called back for holding, setting up a field goal from the 11-yard line.
Cook’s attempt missed wide right, and the Rattlers lost.
“We were undisciplined and at times we are mentally weak. You know we got to execute the plays, and so, it’s technique and fundamentals,” Guy said.
The Arizona Rattlers will visit the Tucson Sugar Skulls on Saturday.
