Reigning MVP Drew Powell accounted for nine touchdowns as the Arizona Rattlers outlasted the Bay Area Panthers in a 70-63 shootout at the Footprint Center in Phoenix.  

Dalton Sneed's fourth down pass glanced off the outstretched fingers of JT Stokes at the 3-yard line with 29 seconds left to preserve the win for Arizona.  

Both the Panthers and Rattlers are 7-4 to share the top spot in the Western Conference after splitting the regular season series. Bay Area won the first meeting 47-46 in the Panthers' season opener at the SAP Center,  

The Panthers struck first on a 37-yard scoring pass from Sneed to Nih Jackson. It was the third time in four games that Sneed and Jackson connected on the first play from scrimmage.  

The game took the form of a defensive struggle with the Panthers taking a 7-0 into the second quarter. The Rattlers turned the ball over on downs on their first series and were turned away on their second possession when Powell floated a pass to the right corner of the end zone for Isaiah Huston and was picked off by Antwon Kincade. 

Bay Area could not take advantage of the extra possession and were stopped on downs. Powell's 9-yard TD pass to Jamal Miles evened the score at 7-7 with 12:51 to go in the half.  

Mistakes shifted momentum with the Rattlers scoring touchdowns following fumbles by Meek Watkins and Justin Rankin to take a 21-14 lead with 4:57 to play in the half.  

The contest soon resembled a video game when the teams combined for a dizzying 35 points in a span of 43 seconds.  

Nih Jackson caught a 20-yard TD pass from Sneed to cut the Arizona lead to 28-21. But the ensuing onside kick was returned 10 yards for a score by Arizona linebacker Cecil Cherry.  

Arizona's onside kick try was recovered by Bay Area on the Arizona 9 and Rankin scored on the next play as the Rattlers led 35-28.  

The Panthers were able to recover their next onside kick when Cherry was unable to field the ball cleanly. Sneed hooked up with Rankin from 33-yards out two plays later to even the game at 35-35 with 25 seconds left. Thirteen seconds later, Powell scored his second rushing touchdown of the half for a 42-35 lead at the half.  

After being held scoreless in the first quarter, Arizona scored 42 points in the second period. The teams combined for 70 points in the second quarter.  

On their first possession after halftime, the Panthers tied the game on Rankin's 5-yard scoring run and later the game would be tied at 49, 56 and 63. The last tie occurred when Rankin scored his third rushing TD from 26 yards out with 7:06 left. 

Powell finished the game 17-22 for 230 yards and scores. He added five rushing touchdowns, adding to his franchise record with 89 for his career.  

Sneed was 13-21 for 211 yards and five touchdowns—three to Jackson and one to Rankin and one to Cutrell Haywood.  

Rankin carried the ball 16 times for 64 yards and three touchdowns. He has scored 16 touchdowns over the last four games.  

The Panthers play at Vegas next Saturday while the Rattlers travel to Duke City.