(Phoenix, AZ) The pregame hype for this game centered around the two quarterbacks, Tucson’s Demory Croft and the Rattlers Drew Powell. Both signal callers were named offensive players of the week in the past two weeks.
This was also a family affair with Snake’s owner Kevin Guy facing his wife Cathy Guy who runs the Sugar Skulls. Kevin has never lost to his downstate rivals winning both times in 2019. Last season was scrubbed due to the Coronavirus.
The Rattlers didn’t take long to score and Powell avoided the late Tucson blitz and scrambled thirteen yards to the end zone on their opening drive. Snakes up 7-0 at the 12:16 mark of the opening quarter.
The Sugar Skulls went backwards on their first possession and gave up a safety and the ball back to Arizona with a 9-0 lead before the seats got warm.
Powell scored again on his own as he went eight yards to pay dirt and the Snakes made it look rather easy.
Rattlers went up 16-0 with 4:13 left in he first quarter.
The Skulls didn’t get their initial first down of the game until the 1:10 mark of the first quarter as their offense looked lethargic and out of sync. Tucson only had two possessions the entire first quarter with one resulting in two points for the Snakes.
The Sugar Skulls had only seven yards of total offense in the opening stanza.
Tucson cracked the scoreboard with a Kent Shelby TD catch from Croft, but the extra point was blocked. Arizona 16-6.
Arizona wasted no time in avenging the Skulls touchdown scoring again with Darrell Monroe taking it in from the two yard line and a 23-6 lead with a little over nine minutes left in the first half.
The Sugar Skulls offense opened things up as Croft got some running room and put the Skulls in good field position, but a mental error delay of game put them ultimately into a forth down which they converted.
On the next play, Croft again took matters into his own hands with nine yard keeper for a touchdown. Tucson got within ten at 23-13 with 4:47 left till the half.
The Skulls’ defense was back on their heels the entire first half as Arizona high powered offense kept the pressure on.
Powell found Jamal Miles open in the corner of the end zone for their fourth touchdown of the half. Snakes up 30-13 at the one minute warning time out.
A quick snap on second down, Croft zipped a pass to Mike Jones and he took it up the sidelines while the Rattlers defense was caught off guard The score was just what Tucson needed to go into the half only down 30-20.
A last second field goal attempt by Arizona was blocked to give the Sugar Skulls more momentum heading into the locker room.
The Skulls took their first half momentum and scored on a nifty pass to Jazeric Peterson and suddenly Tucson had made it a game at 30-27.
Tucson’s defense made their first stop as Arizona was stymied on a fourth down play.
Seeing a crack in the dam, Tucson marched back down the field and scored on a Mike Jones touchdown and just like that the Sugar Skulls had their first lead, 34-30 with just over two minutes left in the third quarter.
The key to the Skulls success opening up the second half was the passing game which ignited their offense.
Arizona took the lead back on the next possession with a five yard Monroe run for a touchdown and a three point lead 37-34 with thirteen and a half minutes left in the game.
Tucson tried a little trickery on a fourth down play which saw Croft pitch the ball to the running back who threw a dead bird pass incomplete to the wide out on the edge. That gave the possession back to the Snakes with seven minute left in the contest.
Arizona regained its mojo and got back on tract putting the lead back to ten 44-34 on a quarterback keeper from the one yard line.
Time was now a factor for Tucson as they needed to overcome the double digit deficit and also make defensive stops on the Rattlers.
A fly pattern down the right sideline resulted in an interception at the goal line and once again the Snakes had the ball back.
Arizona ran the clock down to the one minute warning with a penalty of an illegal defense by the Skulls resulting in a first down and that’s all they needed as they pulled out an exciting 44-34 win.
Arizona had ten more offensive plays, but only twenty five yards more in total offense 251-226.
As expected both quarterbacks led their respective teams with Arizona’s Powell gaining 84 yards on the ground and throwing for 145 yards,
The Skulls’ Croft had 70 yards rushing and 142 yards through the air. Tucson after a lackluster effort last week in their home opener showed some grit after a slow start.
So the first Battle of I-10 goes to the North Team with the rematch down in Tucson just three weeks away on July 3rd.
