View source for ArenaBowl XI

{{Short description|Annual league championship game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox gridiron football single game
| type          = ab
| name          = XI
| image         = [[File:ArenaBowl XI.png|200px|center]]
| visitor       = [[New York Dragons|Iowa Barnstormers]]
| visitor_abbr  = IOWA
| visitor_conf  = 2nd
| home          = [[Arizona Rattlers]]
| home_abbr     = ARI
| home_conf     = 1st
| visitor_qtr1  = 7
| visitor_qtr2  = 6
| visitor_qtr3  = 7
| visitor_qtr4  = 13
| home_qtr1     = 3
| home_qtr2     = 21
| home_qtr3     = 21
| home_qtr4     = 10
| date          = August 25, 1997
| arena         = US Airways Center
| city          = Phoenix, Arizona
| attendance    = 17,436
| MVP           = [[Donnie Davis]], QB, Arizona
* [[Hunkie Cooper]], WR/LB, Arizona (Ironman of the Game)
| wincoach   = [[Danny White]]
| losecoach  = [[John Gregory (coach)|John Gregory]]
| network    = [[ESPN]]
| announcers = [[Mike Adamle]], [[Mike Golic]], [[Adrian Karsten]]
| last       = X
| next       = XII
}}
'''ArenaBowl XI''' was the [[Arena Football League (1987–2008)|Arena Football League]]'s eleventh ArenaBowl. The game featured two American Conference teams, the #2 [[New York Dragons|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.

==Game summary==
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 (American football)|Bob McMillen]] getting a one-yard touchdown run, while Iowa kicker [[Mike Black (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]].

In the fourth quarter, the Barnstormers tried to fight back with WR/DB [[Willis Jacox]] getting a one-yard touchdown run, yet Arizona wrapped the game up with Davis and Schexnayder hooking up with each other again on a 28-yard touchdown pass, while Brenner would put on the finishing touches with a 44-yard field goal. All that was left of Iowa's attack was Warner completing a nine-yard touchdown pass to WR/LB Leonard Conley.

With the win, the Rattlers got their second Arena Bowl title in franchise history.

==Scoring summary==
'''1st Quarter'''
* ARI – 19-yard FG Brenner
* IOW – Cooper 30-yard pass from Warner (Black kick)
'''2nd Quarter'''
* ARI – McMillen 1-yard run (Brenner kick)
* IOW – 25-yard FG Black
* ARI – Cooper 4-yard pass from Davis (Brenner kick)
* IOW – 20-yard FG Black
* ARI – Cooper 56-yard Kickoff Return (Brenner kick)
'''3rd Quarter'''
* ARI – Davis 1-yard run (Brenner kick)
* ARI – Cooper 30-yard Interception Return (Brenner kick)
* IOW – Cooper 30-yard pass from Warner (Black kick)
* ARI – Schexnayder 49-yard pass from Davis (Brenner kick)
'''4th Quarter'''
* IOW – Jacox 1-yard run (Black kick)
* ARI – Schexnayder 28-yard pass from Davis (Brenner kick)
* ARI – 44-yard FG Brenner
* IOW – Conley 9-yard pass from Warner (Warner pass failed)

==External links==
* [http://www.arenafan.com/statistics/?page=boxscore&gameid=644 ArenaFan box score]

{{ArenaBowl}}
{{1997 Arena Football League}}
{{ArenaBowl XI}}
{{Arizona Rattlers}}
{{Iowa Barnstormers}}
{{New York Dragons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arenabowl Xi}}
[[Category:ArenaBowl|011]]
[[Category:1997 Arena Football League season]]
[[Category:Iowa Barnstormers]]
[[Category:Arizona Rattlers]]
[[Category:New York Dragons]]
[[Category:1997 in sports in Arizona]]
[[Category:American football competitions in Phoenix, Arizona]]
[[Category:1997 in American television]]
[[Category:August 1997 sports events in the United States]]
[[Category:1990s in Phoenix, Arizona]]