Photos by Blushing Cactus Photography
Greater Prescott’s own arena football team hosted its in-state rivals for its season opener on March 16, 2024. The Northern Arizona Wranglers held the home-field advantage at Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley against the Arizona Rattlers and fought a close game but eventually lost 50-41.
The Wranglers ended the first quarter with a 13-9 lead after quarterback Joshua Jones spun out of a receiver’s tackle to score on the opening drive and wide receiver Arsiah “RZ” McCorker landed a 55-yard touchdown after the Rattlers scored their first.
The Rattlers jumped ahead with two touchdowns at the start of the second quarter. McCorker answered with a second kickoff return turned touchdown, followed by two more Rattlers touchdowns traded with two field goals from the Rattlers, who were down 37-26 at halftime.
The third quarter was on the low-scoring end, with the Wranglers only managing a field goal against a Rattlers touchdown. McCorker scored his third touchdown of the night at the start of the fourth quarter, and won a huge stop on fourth and goal from the one-yard line, but the Rattlers forced a turnover and scored a touchdown once again. The Wranglers lost their first game of the season but won two weeks later 54-48 against the Tucson Sugar Skulls.
