(Tucson, AZ) The Sugar Skulls (1-1) returned home after a narrow 45-40 over New Mexico in Albuquerque for their first win of the season.
Enter the San Diego Strike Force (1-1), losing in Week 1 up the road in Glendale to the Rattlers 49-27. Their lone win was against Northern Arizona Wranglers 42-40.
They’d face San Diego’s Nate Davis who was one of the better quarterbacks in the Western Division. This franchise regularly gets into the IFL Playoffs.
First Quarter
The Strike Force won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half.
Tucson’s first possession saw Davis throw an interception on the fourth play of the game. San Diego took over at the Skulls 15 yard line.
After the Tucson defense forced a fourth down, the Strike Force just made the yardage to keep the drive alive.
Davis threw a jump ball pass to Edward Vander in the corner of the end zone for the score. Strike Force up 7-0 at the 6:47 mark of the quarter.
Tucson on its second possession took two plays to get to the Strike Force seven yard line. Coach Kizer inserted the big back Tavon Thomas, He blasted in from four yard line to tied the game 7-7 with 3:37 left in the opening quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, San Diego fumbled the runback but it was ruled the player’s knee was down and the Strike Force retained possesion.
The Skulls secondary played much improved coverage knocking passes down and delivered hard hits.
Photo – Ray Tapia
Second Quarter
San Diego called a rarely used draw play to gain eleven yards down to the Sugar Skulls one yard line. The defense responded the next two plays that dropped the running back for losses. Ball was now on the four yard line. On fourth down, Black found Dallas Daniels open to score. Strike Force regained the lead 14-7 with less than four minutes gone in the quarter.
Because the ball hit the upright on the kickoff and bounced out of bounds, the ball was placed at the five yard line. One of those IFL unique rules. Tucson could only gain five yards and Kevin Macias attempted an impossible field goal attemtpt that sailed out of bounds. Once gain, by IFL rule, the ball was placed at the San Diego twenty yard line.
The Strike Force ended up scoring the touchdown off a Black to Daniels combo that worked earlier. The extra point was a different story as Defensive Lineman Isaac Anderson broke through and blocked the kick. San Diego up 20-7 with just over six minutes left in the half.
After consecutive penalties, the Skulls had the ball on the San Diego six yard line where on the next play, Davis connected with Brandon Mackey for the score. Tucson cut the deficit to 20-14 on a quick score drive.
A special team gaff saw the kickoff returned for a San Diego touchdown, but a holding penalty rescued the Sugar Skulls. Now, San Diego was forced to start at their own three yard line.
That worked out when a long pass was picked off by Aaron Jackson and Tucson had the chance to steal some points to possibly go ahead before halftime.
On fourth and five at their own eight yard line, Ellis under threw a pass and the worst possible scenario came to pass on a turnover on downs.
Now the Strike Force had a chance to steal points before the half, knowing they got the second half kickoff.
One play and the San Diego just had changed the total concept of the game. On top of the touchdown, but the Strike Force converted the two point try to go up two touchdowns 28-14.
Now with all the momentum, San Diego teed off on the Skulls wide outs. Then, Ellis had hit an arm hit and Herman Smith scooped up the ball in the end zone for another Strike Force score.
Tucson got bailed out on a pass interference call but Kevin Macias kick sailed wide right.
San Diego up 34-14 at the half.
Photo – Ray Tapia
Halftime
The Sugar Skulls defense played much improved ball, but its very difficult to stop a team when they have four downs and no punts not to get ten yards.
The Strike Force’s first two touchdowns came off fourth down plays, but what killed Tucosn was the 13 points they allowed San Diego to score in the waining moments of the second quarter. The Strike Force knew they’d have the ball first in the second half.
Third Quarter
Lighting did strike on the kickoff where Macias kicked a ball that took a crazy bounce and the returner had to fall on it for a one point rouge for the Sugar Skulls 34-15.
The next possession, lightning bolt #2 landed as the snap sailed over Davis’ head and was recovered by Tucson’s Dae’Shawn Davis who took it into score and the Skulls were right back in the game scoring eight points in the first few minutes of the quarter and now trailed 34-22.
The momentum swing was incredible as after another Davis pick off, Brain Smith bolted through the line and scooted twenty one yards for the touchdown and suddenly Tucson was within five points 34-29 with 6:51 left in the quarter.
Unfazed, San Diego came right back getting to the Sugar Skulls six yard line. On third down, the Tucson defense rose to the occasion and hit Davis as he was throwing and the fumble was picked up by Murray snuffing out another scoring attempt.
Sensing a wounded animal, the Sugar Skulls used a combination of run and pass to get down to the San Diego five yard and a first and goal to end the quarter.
The Skulls shut out San Diego 15-0 which is very rare for an IFL game. Tucson had a chance to take the lead.
Photo – Ray Tapia
Fourth Quarter
Coach Kizer called upon the Big Guy Thomas to bust through and score from the five yard line and incredibly the Sugar Skulls were in the lead 35-34 after the try for two points failed.
Davis led his Strike Force down while Tucson’s defense made some plays to make it difficult but San Diego ended scoring off a Davis to Jalen Sample pass and a two points conversion that put them back on top 42-35 with 6:37 left in the game.
Ellis played with a bigger sense of purpose as the Sugar Skulls weren’t behind long as they navigated a four play drive capped off by a Jaivian Loften grab in the end zone to tie the score 42-42 and only 3:21 left.
Macias kicked a high blooping kick as an onside kick attempt but the ball went out of bounds. Sab Diego started at the Skulls twenty two yard line.
With everyone in the pattern deep, Davis went underneath for a big gain down to the Tucson eleven yard line and a first down. The next play, Edward Vander took it in to score. San Diego up 48-42 after Rafiq Abdul-Wahid broke through and blocked the point after kick.
The Sugar Skulls had destiny in their own hands with exactly a minute to play they had the ball.
The drive began with a completion to the San Diego nineteen yard line. After calling their final timeout Ellis reverted to his play in the first half by overthrowing or underthrowing thw ball and the Sugar Skulls chance to pull out the miracle evaporated.
FINAL SCORE: San Diego 48 Tucson 42.
Wrap Up
The effort that came out of the halftime locker room was nothing short of miraculous when the Sugar Skulls got themselves back into the game. This was all defense and special teams play as the offense was still inconsistent.
Coach Kizer and his staff made the right adjustments and gave the team a chance to win. Even in this loss, Tucson can take away some very positive segments of the game. The offense still needs some work, although they did have moments of sound execution.
It’s only three games into the season and next week should give the Sugar Skulls the game they need to get back to .500.
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