(Tucson, AZ) The Sugar Skulls entered the game today AT (7-5) with an opportunity to clinch a IFL Playoff berth.
A win over the Las Vegas Knight Hawks (4-9) would make their third playoff appearance in the team’s history.
Vegas was looking for their first win over Tucson (0–3) in their second season in the IFL.
Tucson’s stingy defense has been the key to this year’s success as they’ve only allowed 40.6 points per game. This ranks them second to their rivals up in Prescott, the Northern Arizona Wranglers who they defeated last week.
The Sugar Skulls got the ball to start the contest and three Mike Jones runs put the ball in the end zone for a quick 7-0 lead in under two minutes.
It didn’t take long for the Knight Hawks to tie the score as former Sugar Skull Daquan Neal found a wide open Caleb Holley for thirty five yards on a busted coverage and this game was set for a high scoring affair early.
On the ensuing kickoff, Tucson couldn’t get the ball out of the end zone for a one point safety, Vegas up 8-7. In the IFL, the scoring team doesn’t get the ball back as in traditional football.
The Skulls came back and all they were initially bottled up on the run, the pass was there for the taking and they were back in the Red Zone. Ramone Atkins strolled into the end zone from four yards out, but the extra point was missed. Tucson up 13-8 at the 6:09 mark of the first quarter.
Vegas, scored on a one yard run by Sapp-Lynch after a key fourth and two conversion to keep the drive going. The Knight Hawks also missed their extra point as the quarter came to a close with Vegas holding a one point lead 14-13.
Atkins with a run off a fake handoff to Mike Jones went untouched to put the Sugar Skulls back on top 20-14 and still 10:38 left in the half.
Once again, Las Vegas had a crucial fourth and one at the Sugar Skulls eight yard line. A Neal pass sent the receiver over the wall and was called incomplete. Tucson had their defensive stop as they took over on downs.
It didn’t take long as the Sugar Skulls scored on a twisting turning eight yard run by Mike Jones and Las Vegas became the chaser now down thirteen 27-14 and 3:06 left till halftime.
The Skulls defense stiffened again and created a third down and eight with the ball on the nine yard line. An incomplete pass made things worse and forced a field goal attempt from the eighteen. The kick had no chance as the rush came straight up the middle to block the it and turn away the Knight Hawks for a second consecutive time.
Tucson had to hurry with under a minute left but missed a thirty yard field goal attempt that sailed wide off a bad snap.
Halftime score 27-14.
The Skulls had double the yards rushing 84-41 and held Las Vegas to 1-4 on third downs and 1-2 on fourth down attempts. That was a big key in the Sugar Skulls being on top at halftime.
The Knight Hawks came out of the locker room and scored the first touchdown of the second half, but not before having to convert another fourth down before Neal took it in from the one yard line. Sugar Skull still in the lead 27-21.
Atkins took his team down inside the ten yard line, but things went south from there as three rushing attempts were thwarted by the Knight Hawks defense and Vegas got the ball back on downs and only down by six points.
Keeping it a one possession game was key for Vegas and a dangerous position for Tucson trying to lock up the playoff spot.
The Knight Hawks had difficulty moving the ball but were bailed out on a pass interference penalty in the end zone on Tucson.
The Sugar Skulls defense continued to play well, but Las Vegas would find a way to get things done as they drew even 27-27 on the last play of the third quarter off a Neal one yard run. The extra point to give them the lead was blocked by Zachary Blackinston who shot the gap up the middle for Tucson.
Vegas rolled the dice on an onside kick and recovered to begin the final quarter. This gave the Knight Hawks the advantage at the time.
Once again, the Skulls defense forced a crucial third down and twelve from the twenty four, but Neal found his man on a diving backwards catch for the first down and now at the Tucson nine yard line. Vegas caught another break on an illegal defense that forwarded the ball to the five yard line.
Neal again saved the Knight Hawks with his legs as he converted a third and goal from the Tucson eight yard line on a quarterback delayed run to the front corner of the end zone. Now Vegas was back in the lead with 6:42 left in regulation.
The inability of the Sugar Skulls to score on their previous possession now had them switching roles to the chaser and less than half a quarter left.
In the shadow of their own goal line, Atkins found Carrington Thompson twice and had them now at the Vegas eleven yard line.
The Skulls were in a tough situation with a fourth down and from the five yard line and Atkins with a lot of time found Mike Jones in the back of the end zone to tie it 34-34 with just 2:02 left.
An unsportsmanlike penalty on Thompson after the touchdown really hurt Tucson as they were assessed the yardage after the Vegas return and put ball inside the twenty at the fourteen yard line.
Tucson used a timeout to regroup, but the Knight Hawks had a first down and goal at the four yard line with just :48 seconds left.
The Sugar Skulls used their final timeout after a quarterback sneak that kept the clock moving.
All Las Vegas needed was to run the ball and used up what precious time was left. A jet sweep to the left dashed what little hope the Skulls had. Vegas missed the extra point again to make it 40-34.
With seven seconds left and no timeouts for Tucson, they had two plays to try to score. An illegal defense call on the Knight Hawks gave the Tucson and untimed down but Atkins Hail Mary pass fell helplessly to the ground and once again, the Sugar Skulls lost at home again.
Tonight’s Military Appreciation Night attendance was 3,679.
It’s on the road next week at Duke City with another chance to get into the playoffs. The opportunity to host a first round playoff game in the Boneyard all but deteriorated with tonight’s loss.
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