The San Diego Strike Force took a 14-7 lead after a big, over-the-boards touchdown grab from Victor Dean early in the second quarter in Monday’s Week 9 finale in the Indoor Football League.
From then on, it was all Arizona Rattlers as the 2017 league champions propelled themselves to their seventh win of the season.
Rattlers rout San Diego to end hectic Week 9 in IFL
Arizona scored 45 unanswered points to prove that the Strike Force (1-7) were no match for themselves.
Roland Genesy Jr. went off for 75 yards and three touchdowns while filling in for the injured Jabre Lolley at running back.
On the defensive side, Dillion Winfrey took home two interceptions, including a pick-six to bring the win home for the Rattlers.
It put a bow on a wild Week 9 in the league that saw four teams losing games they were expected to win as the season makes the turn to the back end of the regular season stretch.
A week to be remembered
Aside from Monday’s blowout, it was anyone’s game in the other four bouts.
The Sioux Falls Storm took down the Iowa Barnstormers with a tipped-ball touchdown with one second remaining on the clock to avenge their 2018 United Bowl loss.
The result knocked the Barnstormers from the top of the standings.
In a rematch from just a week before, Nebraska managed to get past the Green Bay Blizzard, giving this year’s surprise team its first loss since March 9.
The win kept the Danger in the playoffs in what has become a tight race for the last two spots – all are separated by half a game.
Two of the teams in that race battled on Saturday as well, when Quad City picked up its first win since March 15, beating the Tucson Sugar Skulls in Moline.
For now, that result is the difference between a playoff spot.
The pair of teams will face off again in the season finale on June 15.
To top it all off, the Bismarck Bucks defeated the Cedar Rapids River Kings to earn their first win of the season – becoming the second team to accomplish the feat after San Diego did it a week ago, as well.
Luckily for Cedar Rapids, it can’t happen again as the result ensured no teams will finish the 2019 season without a win.
Below is a visual look at the league’s current standings.
| 2019 Indoor Football League Standings | ||||
| Position | Team | Record | GB | |
| 1 | Arizona | 7-0 | ||
| 2 | Sioux Falls | 6-1 | 1 | |
| 3 | Iowa | 6-1 | 1 | |
| 4 | Green Bay | 5-3 | 2.5 | |
| 5 | Nebraska | 4-4 | 3.5 | |
| 6 | Quad City | 3-4 | 4 | |
| Playoff Cutoff | ||||
| 7 | Tucson | 3-4 | 4 | |
| 8 | Bismarck | 1-6 | 6 | |
| 9 | San Diego | 1-7 | 6.5 | |
| 10 | Cedar Rapids | 1-7 | 6.5 | |
More Intrigue Ahead
Who’s to say that the unpredictability stops there?
Week 10 promises to be action packed with a four-game slate headlined by Arizona and Sioux Falls facing off in the Denny Sanford Premier Center.
Add on a hungry Bismarck team trying to keep things rolling as well as a Cedar Rapids team that’s in need of a big win, and the standings could be shook up even more this week.
Week 10 Schedule
Friday, April 26
7:05pm CT | Cedar Rapids @ Nebraska
Saturday, April 27
7:05pm CT | Arizona @ Sioux Falls
8:00pm CT | Iowa @ Tucson
Sunday, April 28
2:05pm CT | Quad City @ Bismarck
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