San Antonio Talons (4-4) opened up Week 9 of the season with a 57-33 win over the Cleveland Gladiators (2-6) at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Talons quarterback Nick Hill finished with 239 Yds passing and 3 TDs. He also proved to be San Antonio's best offensive weapon of the night.

The Talons began the game with a quick score to take the lead 7-0, as the offense continued its dominant play of late. The Gladiators though wasted no time in responding though and came back with a score of their own, tying the game on a 12yd TD rush by QB Chris Dieker.

The Talons defense would make a big stand on the Gladiators next possession and kept the game deadlocked at seven a piece. Nick Hill would take advantage of the defensive stop, pushing his way into the end zone and giving the Talons a 14-7 lead on a one yard QB keeper.

The second quarter began and it was clear, that the Gladiators had no intension of going out without a fight in this one. The big play came on a long TD pass by Dieker and the Gladiators, were right back on the board tying the game at 14-14. The usually dominant defensive line of the Talons was suddenly being pushed on their heels by the Gladiators offensive attack.

The scoring wasn’t over though just yet. The Talons continued to roll when Xavier Lee reeled in a TD pass from Nick Hill, regaining the momentum and the lead at 21-14. Lee continues to show flashes of greatness and could be a star in the making for this team.

With less than ten minutes in the quarter, Gladiator’s starting QB Chris Dieker was injured on a big hit and QB Brian Zbydniewski was forced to come into the game.  To everybody’s surprise though he came in and somehow kept their offense rolling too, tying the game at 21-21.

A huge return on the ensuing kickoff gave the Talons great field position and a chance at extending their lead. They did just that, capitalizing on another chance in the red zone on a long TD catch by D.J. Stephens.  The talons now had the lead at 28-21 with 6 minutes left to play in the first half.  They later would extend their lead to 35-21 as things were looking up for Nick Hill and the offense.

The defense also woke up towards the end of the half and forced a huge fumble, on a sack by Jamar Ransom.The Gladiators challenged the call but the call stood and the Talons offense, was set up with great field position deep in Gladiators territory. The Talons failed to capitalize though, as kicker Stefan Demos missed a 33 yd FG attempt off of the right upright.

The Gladiators would then drive the football right back down the field with a chance to cut the lead before halftime. But Talons DL Tim McGill would not let the Gladiators get any closer, blocking a 32 yd FG attempt by Aaron Pettrey to end the half.

Nick Hill and Xavier Lee led the Talons offensive charge in the first half. Hill threw for 127 yds and 3 TD’s, one of them being to Xavier Lee who recorded his 2^nd TD in as many games with the Talons. The defense was also doing it’s job, causing the Gladiators to turn the ball over on their final two possessions of the half.

Fireworks began early in the third quarter. QB Brian Zbydniewski was pressured hard by the Talons defensive line and was called for intentional grounding in his own end zone. The result was a safety and the Talons immediately extended their lead to 37-21 to begin the second half.

The first mistake of the night for the Talons would come from QB Nick Hill, who was picked off by Gladiators DB Mario Norman looking for D.J. Stphens over the middle of the field. The Talons defense was up to the challenge on this night though, as Talons DB Fred Shaw would come back and make a huge interception on the very next play.

Talons QB Nick Hill appeared to be heading a different direction though in the second half. He was picked off for the second time in the half, this time by Gladiators DB Jackson LaRoche. The quarter ended with only two total points scored and the Talons still leading 37-21.

Heading into the final quarter, the Gladiators took advantage of Hill’s big miscue. WR Dominick Goodman caught a pass, broke a tackle and ran into the end zone, cutting the Talons lead to 37-27 early on in the 4^th quarter. The Gladiators continued to ride the momentum wave they were on the very next drive, as Thyron Lewis took it to the house  on a long pass from Zhydnlewski. Another missed extra point though by Aaron Pettrey left the game at 37-33 halfway through the 4^th quarter.

The Talons needed a TD desperately on their next drive and they got just that. The Talons put together a three play 45 yard-drive, with the score coming on a 12 yd TD touch pass by Nick Hill to OL Moqut Ruffins. The TD was the first of the season for the O-lineman and gave the Talons, a 44-33 lead with five minutes left to go.

Jamar Ransom finished the game strong for the Talons, putting an end to any hopes of a Gladiators comeback on this night. In three plays, Ransom returned two interceptions for touchdowns giving the Talons a comfortable 57-33 lead late in the 4^th quarter.  The interceptions by Ransom were three of the six interceptions that the Talons defense recorded on the night, contributing to a big victory over Cleveland 57-33.

Offensive Player of the Game:  CLE – #6 – Thyron Lewis (8 rec, 157 yds, 3 tds)
 
Defensive Player of the Game:  SAN – #44 – Jamar Ransom (8 tackles, 7 solo tackles, 1 pass def, 3 int (2 for touchdown))
 

San Antonio returns home on Friday, May 24, 2013 to take on the Spokane Shock for Military Appreciation Night. Kickoff is on at 7:30 p.m. and will celebrate our military heroes from all branches. All active and reserve members who show up in uniform will receive free admission and their guests receive 50% off of admission. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 210.227.TEAM.

 Jacksonville’s Jeff Hughley returned Demos ‘opening kickoff 14 yards before he was taken down by Pierre Turner. The Sharks completed six plays for 36 yards in their opening drive, but were unsuccessful after Morris’ pass was intercepted by Jamar Ransom in the end zone. It took the Talons only four plays to find the end zone with Hill’s 28 yard pass to Stephens.  Demos’ extra point put the Talons on top 7-0 with 7:57 left in the first quarter.

Morris favorited receiver Jeff Hughley from the start, but they failed to connect in their second drive of the game. The Talons offense came out strong in the first play of their second possession with Hill’s 27 yard sideline pass to Xavier Lee for San Antonio’s second touchdown, putting the Talons up 14-0. With less than a minute to go in the first quarter,   Defensive Lineman Justin Parrish ran a four yard touchdown, but Capozzoli’s failed extra point resulted in a 14-6 Talon lead. Only seconds remained on the clock when Talons secured possession at the end of the first quarter. The Talons continued their drive in the second quarter where Hill was sacked for a loss of 5 yards after a couple of rush attempts. Demos’ failed 64 yard field goal left the score at 14-6 Talons, but not for long.

Bernard Morris began to find his rhythm, completing passes to White and Harvey in Jacksonville’s drive. Defensive Lineman Matt Marcorelle finally found the end zone on his second rush attempt, and Capozzoli’s kick brought the Sharks within a point of the Talons lead 13-14. Hill was able to connect with Stephens and Wilson, but was eventually intercepted by Smith. Jacksonville capitalized on the interception, scoring on Morris’ pass to Harvey to give the Sharks their first lead of the game with 5:14 left in the half.

San Antonio had a rough third quarter. Hill was sacked for a loss of four yards, and was intercepted by Tracy Belton. Adding a glimmer of hope, Hisatake forced a fumble by Belton, but the Talons were unable to capitalize on the opportunity when Hill was sacked and Jacksonville recovered the fumble resulting in a 16 yard rushing touchdown by Morris. The Sharks lead quickly jumped to 27-14 with 6:09 left in the third. The last drive of the third quarter the Talons completed 8 plays and emerged victorious when Hill found Stephens with a 14 yard pass and no time left on the clock. Even with a miss kick attempt by Demos, Stephens’ touchdown brought the game within one position at the end of the third quarter.

Sharks kicker, Capozzoli completed a 24 yard field goal to secure a double digit lead at 30-20. The Talons answered back with a 28 yard touchdown catch by Wide Receiver D.J. Stephens to bring the Talons within three points and less than 9 minutes left to play. On the assuming kickoff the Sharks committed a personal foul pushing them back and shifting momentum to the home team. The Sharks went four and out, and Nick Hill answered back with three straight completions. After a personal foul on the defense the Talons converted on the very next play moving within 5 yards of the end zone. Chad “Tank” Cook rushed the ball to the one yard line and later on in the drive Xavier Lee pushed through the defensive line to give the Talons the final 34-30 lead with one minute on the clock.  As the Talons have all year, they relied on their defense to keep them in the game and they were prepared for the task at hand.

RUSSELL ATHLETIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

DJ Stephens

RIDDELL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Jerry Turner

J. LEWIS SMALL PLAYMAKER OF THE GAME

Nick Hill

CUTTERS CATCH OF THE GAME

DJ Stephens’ 4^th quarter touchdown catch

AFL HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME

DJ Stephens’ 4^th quarter touchdown catch

About the Talons

The San Antonio Talons are in their second season in the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was moved to San Antonio from Tulsa, Okla. in 2012 and won the AFL’s Central Division title, as well as

The defending National Central Division Champion San Antonio Talons (2-4) fell to the Iowa Barnstormers (3-4) at the Alamodome last Friday with a score of 48-36. In search of their first home win of the season, the Talons take on the Jacksonville Sharks who are in first place in the South Division and are tied for first in the AFL with only one loss on the season.

This will be the second meeting between the two teams since 2010 and the Talons first home matchup. Their previous encounter resulted in a last second touchdown pass from former Shark and Talon quarterback Aaron Garcia, giving Jacksonville a 62-60 victory over the Talons in Florida.

The Talons have yet to settle in at home due to a slew of unforeseen injuries dominating the quarterback position. Now 2-4, the Talons are in last place, but are determined to score their first home win on Saturday. The number two ranked defense in the league had a surprisingly quiet game against Iowa, finishing without any sacks. This marked the first time this season that the Talon defense was unable to take down the opposing team. Tim McGill and Joe Sykes are looking to maintain their dominance against Jacksonville’s offensive line which has only allowed 7 quarterback sacks this season.

Sharks quarterback Bernard Morris ranks ninth in total offense with 1,703 yards on the season. Jacksonville ranks third in the league in red zone offense, scoring 89.2% of the time they enter the red zone. San Antonio’s offense has been plagued with injuries on the season. In the last five games, four quarterbacks have hit the field for the Talons due to unforeseen injuries. Quarterback Nick Hill, who is recovering from an injury sustained in Pittsburgh looks to be the starter for the Talons on Saturday. This will be his first home game in San Antonio. Hill has completed 60 of 104 passes leading to 13 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.

Talons Wide Receiver, Burl Toler tied for first in the AFL last week with 7 receptions. He finished with 44 yards and a touchdown against Iowa. San Antonio looks to take their first home victory of the season and move up in the Central Division rankings with a win this weekend.

The San Antonio Talons are in their second season in the Arena Football League (AFL). The team moved to San Antonio from Tulsa, Okla. in 2012 and won the AFL’s Central Division title, as well as hosted their first AFL playoff game in the 2012 season. For more information or to ask about season tickets please call 210.227.TEAM.

The first quarter of play proved to be a defensive battle on Friday night with only one touchdown scored. The Talons defense showed up to play from the start. Pressure from the defensive line had Raterink looking fairly uncomfortable early on in the game. After being unsuccessful on fourth and inches, a flag on the defense resulted in an automatic first down and inches for San Antonio. After avoiding a tackle, Frazer found Burl Toler with a diving touchdown catch to put the Talons on top 7-0.

The offensive action began to create excitement in the Alamodome during the second quarter, as Frazer favorited Eley and found Cook who fought through three tackles to find the end zone. Iowa answered back when Raterink found Marco Thomas for a screen pass to put the Barnstormers on the board for the first time, cutting the Talon lead in half with a score of 14-7.

Raterink seemed to find a groove late in the second quarter as he hit receiver Marcus Harris for a 35 yard touchdown pass. The Talons gained some momentum after recovering a fumble in the end zone for a safety with only 2:26 left in the half. San Antonio’s offense fought hard on the last drive which paid off when Frazer completed a 34 yard pass to Jomo Wilson. Demos’ successful extra point ended the first half with a score of 14-29 in favor of the Talons.

There was an immediate shift in control when Iowa came out for the third quarter of play. Raterink found receivers Schmidt and Harris for back to back touchdowns putting the Barnstormers within two points of the Talon lead 27-29 with less than 40 seconds in the third quarter.

The Talons were unsuccessful in the first drive of the fourth quarter after Frazer failed to find his receivers. Raterink found Harris once again to give the Barnstormers their first lead of the game 34-29. The Talons answered back for one last attempt to regain the lead, but to no avail. Raterink’s experience proved to be too much for San Antonio to overcome after he hit most outstanding offensive player Jesse Schmidt for back-to-back touchdowns, bringing the final score to 48-36 Barnstormers.

The San Antonio Talons return to the Alamodome next Saturday, May 11^th at 8:30 PM in a nationally televised game against the Jacksonville Sharks for a very special Breast Cancer Awareness night. Tickets are available for purchase by calling 210.227.TEAM or online by visiting www.sanantoniotalons.com. Tickets as low as $7 are available by mentioning promo code “pink” at the box office, over the phone and on Ticketmaster.

RUSSELL ATHLETIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Iowa Barnstormer Wide Receiver Jesse Schmidt

RIDDELL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Iowa Barnstormer DB De’Mon Glanton

J. LEWIS SMALL PLAYMAKER OF THE GAME

Iowa Barnstormer Wide Receiver Marcus Harris

CUTTERS CATCH OF THE GAME

Dwayne Eley Jr.’s leaping one-handed catch in second quarter

AFL HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME

Opening drive touchdown pass from Frazer to Toler

About the Talons

The San Antonio Talons are in their second season in the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was moved to San Antonio from Tulsa, Okla. in 2012 and won the AFL’s Central Division title, as well as hosted their first AFL playoff game in the 2012 season. For more information or to ask about season tickets please call 210.227.TEAM.

Burl Toler led San Antonio receivers with 8 receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh on Sunday. Toler was Hill’s go-to-guy on third downs, and it worked out well for the Talons offense. Dwayne Eley Jr. also had a great game with 4 catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns. Talons quarterback, Nick Hill connected on 17 of 29 passes for 180 yards and 5 touchdowns.

The Talons defense made a big statement by attacking Power quarterback quickly in the first quarter when Turner sacked Jefferson for a loss of 10 yards. Despite the aggressive defensive effort, the Power put three points on the board first with a 36-yard field goal by Czajkowski. San Antonio answered back quickly when Hill found Eley with a 23 yard Touchdown pass with 3:50 left in the first quarter. Demos’ successful extra point put the Talons on top 7-3.

Power’s Jordan Jefferson completed 20 of 36 attempts for 209 yards and three touchdowns before coming out of the game in the fourth quarter. Jefferson favorited Wide Receiver Mike Washington who had 13 receptions for 133 yards and four touchdowns. The Talons struggled to stop Washington in Sunday’s matchup.

After a fairly uneventful first quarter, the Talons showed up strong in the second quarter looking to make a statement. Just 6 seconds in, Hill hit Wide Receiver Jomo Wilson with a 9 yard touchdown pass. Demos’ kick attempt was good to up the Talons lead to 14-3 over the Power.

Jefferson responded by completing a 10 yard pass to Washington for a touchdown cutting the Talons lead to 14-10. Pittsburgh began to give San Antonio lots of yardage in the second quarter. Hill completed a five yard touchdown pass to Wilson with less than five minutes left in the half. Demos remained perfect for the game hitting another extra point expanding San Antonio’s lead to 21-10.

With 1:20 left in the second quarter, Jefferson hit Washington with a 15 yard touchdown pass going into halftime; the Power trailed the Talons by just 4 points at 21-17. The Talons capitalized on turnovers and penalties in the first half. The competition was fairly even with both teams having 1 turnover and 6 first downs. San Antonio led in the rushing category with 14 yards over Powers 4.

Power’s opening drive of the third quarter resulted in a 32 yard touchdown pass to Washington once again; Czajkowski’s kick was good, putting the Power on top of the Talons for the first time since their first drive of the game with a score of 21-24.

With just under three minutes left in the third quarter, Nick Hill found Dwayne Eley Jr. in the end zone for a 20 yard touchdown pass and with Demos’ kick the Talons reclaim their lead 28-24 over the Power. Pittsburgh attempted to neutralize the Talons’ pass rush with quick passes which put more pressure on the defensive backs, but they were ultimately unsuccessful

The Power, trailing by four points going into the fourth quarter struggled to put anything together. Talons defensive lineman Joe Sykes took down Jefferson for a big loss of 6 yards at the start of the fourth. Nick Hill continued to find Toler, allowing him to showcase his speed where he ran it in for a 21 yard touchdown with 13:14 left to play. Demos’ extra point increased the Talons lead 35-24. Chad Tank Cook after several rush attempts, found the end zone for a 1 yard Touchdown bringing the Talons lead to 42-24. Attempting to shake things up, Shane Austin came in the quarterback spot for Pittsburgh. Austin quickly ran in a 17 yard touchdown cutting the Talons lead 42-31. Austin added one last heroic attempt to chase the Talons lead with a Touchdown pass to Washington, but fell short with a final score of 42-37.

The Talons now boast a (2-3) record on the season, causing the Power to fall to (1-4) after a heartbreaking loss on their home turf. The Talons return to action this Friday May 3 against the Iowa Barnstormers at the Alamodome for Los Talons night. Kickoff is at 7:30 PM CST and a post-game concert by Stefani Montiel will take place in the Coors Light lounge immediately following the game.

Score by Quarters

Team                     1^st           2^nd          3^rd           4^th           Final

Pittsburgh           3              14           7              13           37 

San Antonio       7              14           7              14           42

Media Awards

Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game: Mike Washington – Pittsburgh

Riddell Defensive Player of the Game: Chris LeFlore – Pittsburgh

J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Game: Dwayne Eley, Jr. – San Antonio

Cutters Catch of the Game: Pittsburgh’s Mike Washington’s 32-yard touchdown catch in the 3^rd quarter

AFL Highlight of the Game: San Antonio’s Burl Toler’s 21-yard Touchdown Catch in the 4^th Quarter

About the San Antonio Talons

The San Antonio Talons are in their second season in the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was moved to San Antonio from Tulsa, Okla. in 2012 and won the AFL’s Central Division title, as well as hosted their first AFL playoff game in the 2012 season. For more information or to inquire about season tickets please call 210.227.TEAM.

Photo Credit: Jeff Gamza

Both teams are looking to improve their record of 1-3 on the season as both offenses have gotten off to a slow start. The Talons defense has 10 sacks for 33 yards, ranking 2nd in the AFL. Joe Sykes has generously contributed to this ranking with 4.5 sacks on the season. Sykes leads the team and is tied for first in the Arena Football League with 2 forced fumbles. The number of sacks will play an important role on Sunday especially when going after Power's rushing quarterback Jordan Jefferson. Last year, the Talons successfully took down the Power in a 66-52 victory at the Alamodome, but the team feels great heading to the CONSOL Energy Center looking back to their last visit in 2011 when the Talons dominated the Power 45-22 on their home turf.

The Power ranks first in the Arena Football League in passing and total defense allowing only 219.2 yards per game. San Antonio ranks 3rd allowing 258.5 yards per game. Power quarterback Jordan Jefferson, in his first season of Arena Football, leads the team in rushing. He is second in the AFL in league rushing and yards per rush. Through 4 games, he has 20 attempts for 138 yards, averaging 6.9 yards a carry, and 13 rushing touchdowns. Jefferson has completed 68 passes out of 122 attempts for 8 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.

Talons’ Jamar Ransom, who is tied for 1st in the league with 2 fumbles received, will be a key defensive leader in week 6. He is tied with Carlton Brown to lead the team with 17 total tackles. Preventing the ball from reaching receivers Mike Washington and P.J. Berry's hands will dramatically reduce the Power's offensive efficiency. Washington is the Power's leading receiver with 36 catches and 4 touchdowns leading to 24 points. Berry is the leading scorer for the Power with 6 touchdowns for 36 points.

The Talons offense will face a challenge going up against the #1 ranked Power defense.. The Talons are ranked 12th in total offense averaging only 43.8 points per game. Pittsburgh has been outscored 213-128 through their first four games and rank second to last in AFL offense. Pittsburgh also ranks 14th in first downs.

Talons quarterback Nick Hill will look to improve on passing efficiency from last weekend for the offense to be successful. He went 20-40 for 293 yards and 4 touchdowns last week in a lopsided loss to the Arizona Rattlers. In his first two games with the Talons, Hill has thrown for 8 touchdowns, 480 yards and 3 interceptions. The offensive line will also need to slow down Pittsburgh's Sergio Gilliam to succeed offensively. Sergio Gilliam, a 3 year AFL veteran, is leading the Power at defensive back.

Hill's favorite target, receiver Jomo Wilson, looks to maintain his momentum from last week. Wilson finished the game with 10 catches for 164 yards and 3 touchdowns. As a 4 year veteran, Wilson shines as the bright spot on the offense leading the team with 7 touchdowns for 42 points. He has 28 catches for 389 yards on the season.

The San Antonio Talons are in their second season in the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was moved to San Antonio from Tulsa, Okla. in 2012 and won the AFL’s Central Division title, as well as hosted their first AFL playoff game in the 2012 season. For more information or to inquire about season tickets please call 210.227.TEAM.

Postgame concert in partnership with Univision, EnV Productions

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Talons and EnV Productions are partnering with Univision to host Los Talons Night at the Alamodome on May 3. As part of the Talons post-game entertainment series, the six-time Grammy nominated artist Stefani Montiel will perform.

Montiel – an Albuquerque, N.M. native who moved to San Antonio almost two decades ago to pursue her singing career – is one of the hottest artists in today’s Latin American music scene. The four-time Tejano Music Award Female Vocalist of the Year will perform a post-game concert in the Coors Light Lounge immediately following the Talons game against the Iowa Barnstormers.

“Bringing high-caliber and renowned entertainment like Stefani to San Antonio Talons fans is something we are very proud of,” said Talons’ owner A. David Lynd. “Our goal through the partnering with EnV is to build a concert series giving fans a chance for inexpensive, high quality, fast paced, accelerated entertainment.”

Los Talons Night is an evening to recognize San Antonio’s diverse culture strong Hispanic heritage and kick-off Cinco de Mayo. Univision’s Marycarmen Lopez will serve as the master of ceremonies for the night.

Tickets are available starting at $7 when mentioning “Los Talons” over the phone or at the box office. When ordering through Ticketmaster, customers can use LOSTALONS as the promotion code. In addition, there is a family pack promotion of four tickets, four sodas, four hot dogs and four bags of chips for $64. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3.

EnV Productions is a San Antonio-based nightlife, sports, and entertainment promotions and productions company.

The San Antonio Talons are in their second season in the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was moved to San Antonio from Tulsa, Okla. in 2012 and won the AFL’s Central Division title, as well as hosted their first AFL playoff game in the 2012 season. For more information or to inquire about season tickets please call 210.227.TEAM.

Prior to joining the Talons, Hill competed in the Green Bay Packers’ camp last summer and was a stand out on the Orlando Predators – throwing for 9,037 yards and 176 touchdowns in 2010 and 2011. Hill joined the Tampa Bay Storm in 2012 where he suffered an ankle injury. The 6’3”, 210-pound former Southern Illinois University star is expected to start in place of Dutton at the Talons game Friday at Tampa Bay.

“Hill’s experience and expertise is going to be a huge asset to the Talons,” said Talons head coach Lee Johnson. “His performances over the past few years in the AFL speak for itself. We are very excited to welcome Hill to the team and can’t wait to get him in a Talons uniform.”

The San Antonio Talons are in their second season in the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was moved to San Antonio from Tulsa, OK in 2012 and won the AFL’s Central Division title, as well as hosted their first AFL playoff game in the 2012 season. For more information or to inquire about season tickets please call 210.227.TEAM.

On the opening drive of the first quarter, Talons QB Hill found Jomo Wilson for the first touchdown of the game. The Rattlers immediately respond on their opening drive with a touchdown pass to Windsor. With 6:29 left, Rattlers QB Davila found Windsor again for his second touchdown of the night. The Talons were unable to respond, giving the ball back to the Rattlers. Davila found Windsor once again for his third touchdown to close out the first quarter with a score of 21-7.

Talons were unsuccessful with an onside kick which was recovered by the Rattlers. Rattlers went 4 and out and Hill strikes first in the second quarter with a 43 yard touchdown pass to Wilson. Davila connected a wide open pass to Perry with 12:24 left in the first half, Talons block the extra point making the score 27-14. Davila wasted no time and found Reed for a touchdown making the score 34-14. Eley returned the kickoff to the Talons 15. Hill attempted a deep pass to Eley but was picked off on the Rattlers one yard line, fortunately, a roughing the passer penalty saved the interception. Hill then found a hole in the Rattlers defense for a touchdown pass to Wilson, Rattlers block the extra point. With 4:42 left in the first half, Davila found Perry for his second touchdown pass to give Arizona a 41-20 lead. With four minutes left, Talons found them facing a holding penalty, a sack, and delay of game and now fourth down. The Talons strategically attempted a 55 yard field goal miss. Davila and Windsor found each other for their fourth touchdown of the night to close the half 48-20.

Hill closed out the first half 10/19, 140 yards, 3 TD’s and 1 Interceptions. Davila, 14/16, 187 yards, 7 touchdowns and no interceptions. Talons WR, Wilson ended the first half with 6 receptions for 117 yards and 3 touchdowns. Rattler’s leading WR, Windsor ended the first half with 7 receptions for 113 yards and 4 touchdowns. The third quarter began with a kickoff to the Rattlers. Davila, at ease in the pocket, despite the Talons unstoppable defense found Reed for his second touchdown of the night. Hill found his go-to man from last week, Burl Toler III for his first catch of the night. Hill finally connected with Eley in the left corner of the end zone to make the score 55-27.

Defensive lineman of the year, Joe Sykes put the pressure on Davila for the first time of the night forcing him to throw the ball away; Rattlers were flagged for intentional grounding. After forcing the Rattlers to throw away the ball, Joe Sykes was done for the night due to a second off sides penalty. Victor Degrate then joined Joe Sykes on the bench for his second off sides penalty of the night. Duo of the night, Davila found Windsor for his fifth touchdown of the night, extending their lead 62-27. Hill picked off in the end zone by Virgil Gray, gave Jason Murrietta his shot at QB for the Rattlers to end the third quarter.

Davila finished the night 22/26, 278 yds and 9 TD’s. Murietta strikes his first touchdown of the night to Reed stretching the lead 69-27 to start off the fourth quarter. Talons quarterback, Nick Hill ran it into the end zone untouched with 6:52 left in the game. Rattlers wasted no time responding with a rushing touchdown by Odie Armstrong. With less than two minutes of play, Davila found Perry again to give the Rattlers a 50 point lead. In the last minute of play, Hill finds Eley, who battled to the 1 yd line and Hill finished with his second rushing touchdown of the night.

Talons fall to the Rattlers 83-40 on their middle leg of a three game road trip. San Antonio continues their road trip as they take on the Pittsburgh Power Sunday, April 28 at 1:00 p.m. CST. The following week, the Talons return to the Alamodome to compete against the Iowa Barnstormers for Los Talons night. Los Talons night is on Friday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m. and will celebrate Hispanic culture with a concert featuring Stefani Montiel immediately following the game as a tribute to Jenni Rivera. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 210.227.TEAM.