(Tucson, AZ) The Sugar Skulls fresh off their thrilling come from behind triple overtime victory over rival the Arizona Rattlers last week were ready to strap it up again with another team from the State, the Northern Arizona Wranglers.
Tucson (4-6) was still behind the eight ball trying to qualify for playoff position in the Western Division. The Sugar Skulls are a game and a half behind the Vegas Knight Hawks (6-5) for that fourth and final spot.
With Arizona’s loss to the Sugar Skulls, the middle of the Division is bunched up with the Rattlers and San Diego Strike Force at (7-4). Bay Area (8-2) is the class of the West with five games to go and six games left for Tucson.
Both teams tonight were at the lower end of the stats. Tucson is ranked twelfth and Northern Arizona at thirteenth in offensive production.
The Sugar Skulls had the advantage on defense with eleven sacks thus far and several key defensive stops last week that would carry over into this game.
First Quarter
Tucson won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half. After a touchback kickoff, NAZ didn’t have much success in the first two plays, but converted a 14 yard pass on the far sidelines to get the initial first down. Brion Murray stepped in front of a Kaleb Lowe pass and picked it off to give Tucosn a big turnover to start the game.
Former Sabino Sabrecat and Arizona Wildcat Drew Dixon got the ball on the first three plays for Tucson as they moved down near the Wrangler goal line. Things got tougher temporarily, as Northern Arizona bottled up things forcing a third down. Davonte Sapp-Lynch finally got the ball into the end zone to put the Sugar Skulls up 7-0 with 5:08 left in the opening quarter.
Things didn’t go any better for the Wranglers on their second go around as the Tucson defense stepped up and forced another turnover, this time on downs.
The Sugar Skulls also got great field position off the turnover as they took over on the NAZ 17 yard line. Jorge Reyna kept the ball on the ground the entire possession resulting in a Jamyest Wiliams 6 yard blast to end the quarter and put Tucson up 14-0.
Photo – Ray Tapia/520 Sports Talk
Second Quarter
Arland Bruce got the Wranglers going with a long kickoff return to the Tucson 11 yard line. The Sugar Skulls defense didn’t take kindly to the big special teams play as they forced a 26 yard field goal to salvage the possession and a 14-3 deficit.
The Skulls returned the favor as Jerome Buckner took the kickoff up the sidelines over midfield as Northern Arizona was also called for a facemask penalty which placed the ball at the Wrangler 12 yard line. Reyna had issues moving the ball in the red zone. Instead of a chip shot field goal attempt, Coach Billy Back decided to roll the dice and got the first down by inches. The next play, Larry Tripp-Harrington had a four lane highway into the end zone for the touchdown and the Sugar Skulls looked good on offense up 21-3 at the 8:48 mark.
With an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty from the previous possession, NAZ found themselves at their own 2 yard line. A near safety on the first play put the ball at the half yard line. The next play with no receivers open, Lowe scrambled at the back of the end zone as the Tucson defense converged forcing a fumble and defensive lineman John McMullen fell on the ball for another Sugar Skulls touchdown. Tucson continued their dominance now up 27-3. The only negative thing so far was the missed extra point.
Northern Arizona got a pass interference call to put them into Sugar Skulls territory at the 17 yard line. On a third and four from the 10 yard line, Nolan Susel was wide open on a dump off pass and waltzed into score the Wranglers first touchdown. Tucson up 27-10 with under four minutes till the half.
Northern Arizona needing to grab some momentum, called timeout and came out in a four down lineman set hoping to stop the run, Tripp-Harrington got wide quickly to get inside the 5 yard line at the one minute warning. Tripp-Harrington took the direct snap and scored easily to avenge the Wrangler touchdown and a 34-10 lead with :57 seconds left.
A big completion after nearly getting sacked, Lowe found a wide open receiver after the Tucson defense let up thinking they got the sack put the ball down all the way to the Skulls 4 yard line. With :09 seconds left and facing a third and goal from the 2 yard line, with everyone in motion, Lowe found DeShon Stoudamire in the back of the end zone for the score.
The first half was over yet, more fireworks as the Sugar Skulls blocked the extra point and McMullen ran it back the length of the field for a two point score for Tucson and 36-16 lead at the half.
Photo – Ray Tapia/520 Sports Talk
Halftime
Northern Arizona found themselves in a big hole down by 20 points. Everything that could have gone wrong did and the Sugar Skulls defense was a big part of the problem.
The advantage was still with Tucson as they got first crack at the ball in the second half. Coach Back still wanted his team to play aggressive and keep that first half passion going.
Photo Ray Tapia/520 Sports Talk
Third Quarter
Out of the locker room, the Skulls and Reyna was sacked back at the 4 yard line. Things didn’t go any better the next play as Reyna’s pass was tipped by Dixon and Dayvia Gbor snagged it in midair for the pick. A couple of play later, the Wranglers were in the end zone and converted the two point conversion as well. Sugar Skulls up 36-24 with only three and half minutes into the quarter.
Wiliams bobbled the kickoff in the end zone and could only get out to the 9 yard line. Dixon bailed the team out with a nice 16 yard catch. Feeling vindicated, Reyna went long and threw his second pick of the quarter but a defensive penalty kept the ball with Tucson. It didn’t take long to capitalize on the penalty as Williams redeemed himself and blew past the front line and into score from 16 yards out. What could have beeen a disaster, turned out to give the Skulls their mojo back up 43-24.
NAZ tried opening up their offense by going up top and drove the ball to the Tucson 19 yard line. That’s where their luck ran out. After a penalty and an incompletion in the end zone, the Wranglers faced a fourth down and seven. Not wanting to fall further behind, Coach Ron Jones called a timeout. After the timeout, the Wranglers were whistled for a false start and now it was twelve. With blanket coverage downfield, Lowe threw a prayer into the end zone which fell incomplete and another turnover on downs.
The Sugar Skulls wasted little time as Sapp-Lynch ran it into score from the 9 yard line extending the Tucson lead 50-24 at the 3:32 left in the quarter.
Tucson was firing on all cylinders as the kickoff team tacked the Wranglers inside the 5 yard line.
After a first down, Northern Arizona faced a third and twelve and only gained 3 yards to bring up fourth and nine ending the quarter.
Photo – Ray Tapia/520 Sports Talk
Fourth Quarter
Stoudamire made a clutch reception to gain the first down and kept the drive going. The Wranglers shot themselves in the foot with a holding call than took the ball back into their own territory. Arland Bruce with curl route on the near sidelines scored to keep a glimmer of hope alive. The Sugar Skulls now up 50-32 and 11:44 left in the contest.
Williams with back to back runs got the offense down to the three yard line. Two plays later, Alphonso Taylor caught the ball off his shoe tops for the touchdown and a 56-32 lead at the midway point of the quarter.
Kevin Macias drilled a deuce to add two more points on the board for the Skulls and up 59-32.
Three plays was all it took for the Wranglers to score with Tucson playing a soft prevent defense. With only 2:09 left, Northern Arizona faced the inevitable and had nothing more.
Tucson ran the clock down to the one minute warning with a first down reception to Dixon for 16 yards. Northern Arizona used its remaining timeouts but this game was all Sugar Skulls 59-38.
Photo – Ray Tapia/520 Sports Talk
Wrap Up
This was also a fan friendly game with the Sugar Skulls mascot Bones celebrating his birthday. Mascots from the Diamondbacks, Fiesta Bowl, Rattler’s, Suns and others.
Photo – Bill McCulloch/520 Sports Talk
This game was a must win for the Sugar Skulls to keep pace for that #4 Playoff Seed. Coach Billy Back had a very meticulous game plan and both offense and defense ran it to near perfection.
The Vegas Knight Hawks (7-5) breezed past the Iowa Barnstormers tonight 82-46 at Lee’s Family Forum to set up next Sunday’s matchup with Tucson (5-6) at the Boneyard. Game time is 3 p.m.
Both Arizona and San Diego play tomorrow. The Rattlers face first place Bay Area in a rematch in San Jose and the Strike Force hosts the San Antonio Gunslingers in Oceanside.
All teams are jockeying for position going down the stretch drive of the regular season with just a few games left.
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