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Date | August 25, 1997 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Arena | US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona | ||||||||||||||||||
MVP |
Donnie Davis, QB, Arizona
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Attendance | 17,436 | ||||||||||||||||||
Winning coach | Danny White | ||||||||||||||||||
Losing coach | John Gregory | ||||||||||||||||||
TV in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
Network | ESPN | ||||||||||||||||||
Announcers | Mike Adamle, Mike Golic, Adrian Karsten | ||||||||||||||||||
Donnie Davis, QB, Arizona
ArenaBowl XI was the Arena Football League's eleventh ArenaBowl. The game featured two American Conference teams, the #2 Iowa Barnstormers (11-3) against the #1 Arizona Rattlers (12-2). Iowa was coming from losing ArenaBowl X to the Tampa Bay Storm and were still looking for their first championship title, while Arizona was making its second appearance after winning ArenaBowl VIII against the Orlando Predators three seasons ago. Now, they were trying to acquire their second league title.
In the first quarter, the Rattlers slithered first with Kicker Anthony Brenner getting a 19-yard Field Goal, yet the Barnstormers responded with Quarterback Kurt Warner completing a 30-yard touchdown pass to OS Lamont Cooper.
In the second quarter, Arizona lead off the period with FB/LB Bob McMillen getting a one-yard touchdown run, while Iowa kicker Mike Black nailed a 25-yard field goal. The Rattlers would begin to take command with QB Donnie Davis (who was filling in for an injured Sherdrick Bonner) completing a 4-yard touchdown pass to WR/LB Hunkie Cooper, while the Barnstormers' only response was Black kicking a 20-yard field goal. Immediately afterwards, the Rattlers continued striking as Hunkie Cooper would return the kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown to end the half.
In the third quarter, Arizona continued its domination as Davis got a one-yard Quarterback sneak run for a touchdown, while Hunkie Cooper returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown. Iowa's only response from the period was Warner completing another 30-yard touchdown pass to Lamont Cooper. Afterwards, the Rattlers wrapped up the period with Davis completing a 49-yard touchdown pass to WR/LB Calvin Schexnayder.