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PHOENIX (Ticker) -- The Oklahoma Wranglers made more news off the field than on it this week, and they hope to make some noise between the lines when they travel to the desert to battle the Arizona Rattlers. Oklahoma beat Wednesday's trading deadline by re-acquiring quarterback Jeff Loots, who left Oklahoma for the expansion Chicago Rush as a free agent over this past off-season. Loots, who separated his left shoulder and lost his starting job, will provide a capable backup for starter Ron Lopez. In exchange for Loots, the Wranglers parted ways with Carlos Johnson, the league's leading receiver last season with 122 catches. Johnson, who has caught just four passes in an injury-plagued season thus far, was dealt from Chicago to Toronto in a separate deal. The Wranglers hope that Loots' presence will not be needed down the stretch. Last week, Lopez took home Game MVP honors after completing 24 of 38 passes for 246 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-38 victory over still-winless Milwaukee. Lopez, who guided Oklahoma to its highest single-season point total, was not intercepted last week. Bobby McGowens hauled in a team-high 72 receiving yards and was one of four Wranglers with a touchdown catch and Travis McDonald rushed for a pair of scores as Oklahoma snapped its five-game losing streak. Arizona, losers of two of its last three games, looks to keep pace with San Jose in the tight Western Division. Last week, the Rattlers traveled to the northeast and were downed by New York, 59-41. Arizona's defense, still ranked second in the league at 37.9 points per game, allowed 50+ points for the first time all season. Rattler quarterback Sherdrick Bonner, who is still recovering from knee surgery, threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns on 18-of-31 passing in the loss. Offensive specialist Calvin Schexnayder led all receivers with a game-high 10 catches, 184 yards and four scores. Arizona has won all three games in the series, the latest being a 50-42 victory over the Wranglers in Oklahoma on May 12.
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