(Glendale, AZ) It has been a long month with the Rattlers on the road for the last three games. The last game at the Snake Pit was May 17th against Vegas. Arizona lost two of the three while on the road, only winning in Prescott Valley on May 24th.
While on the road, the Snakes (7-3) have dropped to second place behind Bay Area with five games left in the regular season.
On the other side, the Tucson Sugar Skulls (3-6) have had a disappointing season so far, but still have an outside chance of making the IFL Playoffs.
The Skulls last game in the Boneyard saw a shootout with the San Diego Strike Force that Tucson had a chance to pull it out after getting the score close in the third quarter. That’s been their Achilles heel in not being able to finish strong. Ironically, their last win was against the Rattlers in Tucson back on May 3rd.
First Quarter
Tucson won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. They got the ball at the 23 yard line after a good return.
The Rattlers sacked Jorge Reyna on third down forcing a 43 yard field goal attempt that sailed wide left.
Arizona came out swinging by attempting a fly pattern to Isaiah Huston which was just a tad overthrown.
The Sugar Skulls on defense forced a third and nine and subsequent fourth down after the incomplete pass. Corey Reed Jr. bailed out the offense with a catch for 11 yards and a first down.
Dalton Sneed went to the short pass moving the team down the field and into Tucson territory. Huston’s reception got the ball to the 2 yard line. From there, Ron Brown Jr. took it in for the score and a 7-0 lead.
Tucson converted a third down and got the ball to the Rattlers 13 yard line. Reyna threaded the needle to a well covered Alphonso Taylor from 8 yards out. The extra point failed and the Snakes held a one point lead 7-6 on the last play of the quarter.
Second Quarter
Rattlers opened the second quarter with a holding call on the kickoff that put the ball at their own 5 yard line.
Sneed got Arizona out of the dungeon with a 11 yard run. With both teams playing good defense, it was a struggle early to gain yardage consistently often facing third or fourth downs. Huston gained 4 yards to move the sticks. The next play Huston fumbled but Brown Jr. fell on the loose ball and another first down at the Sugar Skulls 17 yard line.
Sneed and company began to solve the Tucson defense as Brown Jr. weaved his way into score and a 14-6 Rattlers lead.
Reyna tried to cross up the Arizona defense with a fly pattern to Tripp-Harrington to lessen up the defense. A pass interference penalty bailed out the play for the Sugar Skulls.
Jalen Campbell battled through the blocks and sacked Reyna for a seven yard loss. Tucson gained the yardage back on the next play.
With Tucson deep in Rattlers territory at the 5 yard line, the Arizona defense forced a fourth down play. The Skulls elected to go for it instead of a chip shot field goal and Reyna’s pass to the front corner of the end zone was knocked away by Omari Alexander to turn the ball over on downs.
Sneed found Huston wide open in the middle of the field for a 16 yard gain and into Tucson territory at the one minute warning.
After the timeout, Reed Jr. hauled in a 17 yard pass on a post pattern to put the ball at the 1 yard line. Coach Kevin Guy used a timeout with 10.3 seconds left. Brown Jr. scored with :07 left till the half.
The Sugar Skulls had one play and made the most of it when Kevin Macias booted a 37 yard field goal.
Arizona took a 21-9 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Halftime
Both teams began slow, as defense was the story in the first quarter. Tucson’s Reyna and Arziona’s Sneed were pressured into third and fourth down and long situations early.
The second quarter, Arizona opened things up on offense and their defense was still stout not letting Tucson establish a running game and blanket coverage in the secondary.
Third Quarter
The third quarter started off with a bang as Huston fumbled the kickoff return that ricocheted off two Sugar Skulls and eventually ended up in the hands of Merriweather deep in Tucson territory at the 15 yard line. Two plays later, Brown Jr. scored from the 3 yard line to extend the Rattlers lead 27-9 before the fans were back from the concession stands.
The Rattlers were still being stingy on defense as Tucson had no running game, and another fourth down. Instead of going for the 5 yards needed to keep the drive alive, Reyna went deep and incomplete to again turn the ball back to Arizona on downs.
Lightning struck quickly as Reed flew past his defender to score on the Snakes first play from scrimmage to add to their lead 34-9.
The Sugar Skulls still searching for their offense found success when Tripp-Harrington hauled in a 24 yard Reyna pass for Tucson’s only second touchdown. The two point conversion was good to cut the deficit to 34-17 just past the midway point in the quarter. Macias followed the extra point up with a Deuce and Tucson scored a quick ten points.
On the kickoff, Tucson’s Brion Murray was called for an “embellishment” penalty when he flopped along the sidelines, it was his second unsportsmanlike penalty that removed him from the game.
Things continued to be “chippy” as Arizona was whistled for an unsportsmanlike penalty and the Sugar Skulls had the ball inside the Rattlers 5 yard line. On third down Reyna’s pass was batted down. Same scenario as in the first half on fourth down, but Taylor pinballed into score. Tripp-Harrington converted the two point conversion and suddenly the Skulls were back in the game with a 18 point quarter 34-27.
Fourth Quarter
With the momentum swung over to Tucson, Sneed got the Snakes down field to the Sugar Skulls ten yard line.
Sneed was sacked by Murray and fumbled which was recovered by Tre Henry and a missed opportunity.
It didn’t take long for Tucson to capitalize as the Reyna to Sapp-Lynch twelve yard score tied the game at 34-34 with 9:32 left.
Sneed got on track moving the offense down to the Tucson 9 yard line after converting a big third down.
Another big third down saw Sneed only gain two yards. On fourth down, Dawson Evitts booted a go ahead 24 yard field goal to give the Rattlers the lead 37-34 and 4:06 remaining.
Tucson unfazed came back quickly to the Rattlers six yard line after a Drew Dixon reception along the sidelines.
Reyna threw a jump ball to Tripp-Harrington for an apparent touchdown but a holding call nullified the play.
Isaiah Coe bolted into the Sugar Skulls backfield and sacked Reyna for a huge loss which made it third and twenty five. Tripp- Harrington’s clutch catch for 21 yards made it fourth and goal with 42 seconds left. Reyna again threw a jump ball to Tripp-Harrington for the touchdown but Macias again missed the point after. Tucson up 40-37 and 38.5 seconds left.
Things looked grim for Arizona as Huston fumbled the kickoff return and Kendrick Gladney pounced on the ball for the Skulls.
Using his timeouts, Coach Guy needed to make stops. Macias missed a 40 yard field goal tug that would have won the game.
Snakes got a big reprieve but just a few seconds left. A roughing the passer penalty on Tucson was just what the Rattlers needed as they had the ball within range of a game tying field goal.
On the final play of the game, Evitts from 27 yards out tied the score 40-40 and into overtime they went.
Overtime
Tucson won the toss and elected to play defense. IFL overtime rules are similar to college football.
Rattlers Reed fumbled on the first play, recovered by Tucson to end the possession.
Now the Sugar Skulls had the ball on their 20 yard line. Three plays and one yard gained forced a 34 yard field goal. Macias just missed and extra point and a field goal in regulation. His kick wasn’t even close.
Second Overtime
The Sugar Skulls got the ball first. From the 5 yard line, Sapp-Lynch took a swing pass from Reyna and stretched the ball over the goal line for a touchdown. Tucson up 47-40.
After a battled down pass, Reed Jr, caught a Sneed pass at the 12 yard line. Reed Jr. followed that up with an apparent touchdown catch which was challenged by Tucson Coach Billy Back claiming the ball hit the ground. The challenge sto0d and the pass was ruled incomplete.
Ron Brown’s clutch reception on third down got the ball to the 2 yard line. Reed Jr. went downstairs to catch a sidearm pass by Reyna to send the game to a third overtime.
Third Overtime
Just as in College Football, the teams will have to go for a two point conversion after a touchdown. Tucson chose to play defense first.
On the second Rattlers play, Sneed was picked off by Jamyest Williams in the end zone to end another possession.
Tucson again playing with fire was forced on third to move the chains. Dixon got just enough to keep the drive alive. Another third down play, Reyna kept it in the middle of the field. Macias redeemed himself and the Sugar Skulls on a 20 yard boot to win the game 50-47.
Wrap Up
The Sugar Skulls had a chance to win in regulation and another opportunity to win in the first overtime.
Arizona was an eyelash from taking the game in the second overtime. The Rattlers meltdown came in the third quarter when the Skulls scored 10 points in a matter of seconds and and 18 for the entire quarter. Up until then, the game appeared to be slipping away from Tucson down 34-9.
The Sugar Skulls got the win they needed breaking a three game skid. Now at (4-7), they have very winnable games next week against the Northern Arizona Wranglers followed by a game with Las Vegas both at home. They still face an uphill battle to get that fourth and final playoff spot.
Coach Guy, will have to figure out why things went south along with a plan to get back on the winning side. After going (7-1), the Snakes now have dropped three consecutive games and slipped to (7-4). After just spending an extended period on the road, they find themselves again away from the Snake Pit as they face the Western Division leader Panthers in San Jose next week. Not an easy task saddled with their losing streak.
Again, the Rattlers had to go head to head with the crosstown Diamondbacks for fans. Tonight’s attendance was a respectable 8,873.
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