Shannon Brooks scores 4 TDs in Rattlers rout of San Diego Strike Force

It would not appear to matter who the Rattlers placed on the sphere. They preserve rolling.

This time, rookie operating again Shannon Brooks, enjoying in solely his second recreation, broke out with 5 touchdowns in a 66-33 rout of the San Diego Strike Power earlier than 8,935 followers at Footprint Heart.

Brooks ran for 105 yards on 11 carries and 4 TDs and caught an 8-yard scoring move. It was the primary time he had a 100-yard recreation since he performed on the College of Minnesota three years in the past

“I put it on my teammates,” Brooks stated. “The blocking was there. They made an excellent push. I would not have had the sport I had if not for the road and the receivers blocking on the sting.”

It has been a month because the Rattlers (5-0) performed at house. A welcoming reception with the noise and booms after touchdowns.

“I have been listening to concerning the house video games and the followers and we have the very best followers within the league,” Brooks stated. “It is wonderful to see them come out for house video games. That will get me excited. I like the noise. I like placing stress on the opposite group. It was an incredible, wonderful day at the moment. I am able to get again to work.”

The Rattlers took their dominance on the highway for 3 video games and continued that Friday evening with excellent protection and an offense that, for a second recreation in a row, was buzzing with quarterback Drew Powell enjoying at his greatest.

San Diego (1-4) was coming off its first win, a 67-66 victory at Tucson, rallying from 17 factors down within the last quarter.

The Strike Power by no means threatened Friday, after the Rattlers constructed a 27-0 lead halfway by the second quarter. Nevertheless it was the primary time an opponent scored greater than 30 factors in opposition to them this yr.

Powell threw three landing passes and ran for a rating within the first half when the Rattlers constructed a 33-7 lead.

“We needed to create a nightmare for our opponent,” coach Kevin Man stated. “We form of jumped on them early. I believed protection performed very well within the first half.”

The Rattlers began the second half with an interception and had a 46-13 lead after Brooks ran 5 yards for a rating. Isaiah Huston had introduced again a kickoff 45 yards.

Kyree Woods and Dillion Winfrey intercepted passes from Steve Cluley, who was 14 of 31 for 138 yards and three TDs, a kind of going to former Arizona State receiver Rashad Ross.

The Rattlers are off subsequent week, earlier than going through more durable competitors starting April 30 once they face the 3-1 Frisco Fighters. Two weeks later, they’re at house in opposition to the unbeaten Massachusetts Pirates in a rematch of final yr’s United Bowl.

There is not a lot to scrub up apart from getting the factors after touchdowns corrected. Kicker Ernesto Lacayo missed on three extra-point tries and had one other blocked. However that wasn’t all on him. The snaps had been errant, the blocking wasn’t nice, and the holds weren’t crisp.

However these are little issues that may very well be necessary in shut battles in opposition to the Indoor Soccer League’s higher echelon.

The Rattlers additionally had been penalized eight instances.

“We had been form of relaxed,” Man stated. “We had been transferring guys out and in. Numerous penalties. We bought a bit of sluggish. We’ll attempt to put a greater product on the sphere. However we completed sturdy. We bought a cease on the finish.”

Brooks began the yr on injured reserve.

In three quarters of labor, Brooks ran eight instances for 75 yards and three TDs and caught an 8-yard scoring move from Drew.

Drew sat out the fourth quarter with the Rattlers forward 46-19, giving approach to backup Demry Croft, who threw two TD passes. Powell was 8 of 15 for 98 yards and three scores. He ran for an 8-yard rating within the Rattlers’ 33-point first half.

Powell hasn’t run as a lot within the first 5 video games this season like he did final yr. However there hasn’t been a lot want for him to make performs together with his legs with so many proficient receivers and Brooks now going sturdy.

“I haven’t got to,” Powell stated. “All people is there open. The performs labored. We did a quarterback draw. I used to be stunned that we known as it, as a result of we hadn’t run a quarterback draw all season, which is cool. We at all times speak about nonetheless you need it.”

The Rattlers got here into the sport outscoring their first 4 opponents by a mean margin of 33 factors and giving up simply 19 factors a recreation.

To recommend human-interest story concepts and different information, attain Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Comply with him on Twitter @azc_obert.

Help native journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com at the moment