San Diego clinched a spot in the Indoor Football League 2025 playoffs back on July 7th, so their last three games were all about position. And with it being announced shortly before kickoff that they’d face the 2024 IFL Champions Arizona in the first round, Sunday night became an important test for who would advance to the Conference Championship.
If you were a San Diego fan—and a record number of them were in attendance at Frontwave Arena—it was a very promising look ahead.
If you were an Arizona fan, not so much.
The Strike Force kicked things off, literally, by converting the opening kickoff for 2 points, taking advantage of an IFL rule that allows you to score off any free kick.
The start continued to go against Arizona, as on their opening drive from their own 5, the handoff to Rob Brown Jr. was stopped by Jackson Cravens for a 4-yard loss.
Undeterred, and working from his own 1, Rattlers QB Dalton Sneed put together an 8-play drive that got them down to the SD 20, before he hit YoHeinz Tyler in the end zone for six. But Ethan Caselberry failed to convert the PAT, leaving SD up by 4.
That would be the only time Arizona found the scoreboard for the remainder of the first half.
San Diego tried their hand at running on the next series, and quickly came to regret it. Rudy Johnson took his first carry for three yards, but on the follow-up, Jalen Campbell forced a fumble. A mad scramble for the ball ensued, but San Diego ultimately recovered.
Two plays later, Nate Davis connected with Shane Hooks for a diving catch that put Hooks over the boards and into the audience, but he held onto the ball for the first Strike Force TD of the game.
Arizona went four-and-out on their next series, while Davis took five plays to find Hooks again for a second TD.
Things went from bad to worse for Arizona, as they fumbled the handoff to Shannon Brooks and San Diego recovered. This time, Davis found Arthur Jackson III in the end zone, putting San Diego up 23-6.
The Strike Force upped that to 30 when Wallace Cowins recovered yet another fumble in the endzone.
With 3:23 left on the clock, the Rattlers struggled to claw back points before the half, but even after getting a first down on penalties, couldn’t advance the ball past the SD 17 before time ran out.
San Diego received the ball to start the second half, but after three incomplete passes went for—and missed—a field goal. Isaish Huff had a return opportunity on the attempt, taking it back to the Arizona 14. Facing fourth and 1 after a run and two short passes, Sneed went deep to Jordin Parker and got the first Arizona TD since their opening drive.
The PAT closed the gap 13-30, but a botched Caselberry kickoff put Strike Force on the Arizona 18. It only took three plays to get that gap back to 24 points, with Johnson carrying it in from the 2.
The teams traded TDs for the next two series, but with Caselberry missing a PAT, the Rattlers ended the third quarter one point farther back than they started it.
Despite being down, Arizona started the fourth quarter on the ground. And it worked. Three carries by Brooks put them at the SDSF 5, and Brown Jr. sealed the deal, bringing them to within 18. A failed San Diego field goal attempt gave them an opening, but that window immediately slammed shut when Brown Jr. was taken down in the end zone for a Strike Force safety.
Up 46-26, San Diego ran out the clock to earn the win. Davis ended the night with 217 yards and three touchdowns, two to Hooks. Despite the rushing effort from Brooks, Arizona only managed to put together 183 yards of total offense.
Regardless of the result, Arizona remains the number 2 seed, and will be hosting San Diego on Monday, August 4th at Desert Diamond Arena. This showing doubtless has Rattler fans worrying about defending their title.
San Diego fans, on the other hand, are doubtless champing at the bit for the rematch. Strike Force made the post-season for the first time in 2024, getting past the first round before losing the Western Conference Championship—to the Arizona Rattlers.
Kickoff is at 7PM Pacific. Tickets available through Ticketmaster, or the game can be streamed on the IFL Network—iflnetwork.com
