(Tucson, AZ) The Sugar Skulls were coming off a loss against sister team Arizona Rattlers in a big trap game against the undefeated Vegas Knight Hawks.
The Sugar Skulls have yet to win a game at home this season, and only had one win against the Duke City Gladiators in Albuquerque. They were looking for a big time turnaround on the best team in the IFL.
A notable factor heading into the game was former Sugar Skulls Head Coach Hurtis Chinn was the Offensive Coordinator for Vegas.
The Skulls won the toss and deferred to the second half. Vegas fumbled on a broken play with the Skulls recovering.
Tucson first drive began on their own four yard line and on the first play receiver Brian Smith caught a forty-six yard touchdown. They missed the extra point and just like that, it was 6-0.
The Hawks started in Tucson territory after a re-kick. Two plays into the drive Johnson scored a five yard rushing touchdown and a 7-6 lead.
The Sugar Skulls off a nice kickoff return started Vegas territory and came away with three points on a twenty eight yard boot by Demitri Fotinos to regain the lead 9-7.
Vegas came right back when Johnson threw a four yard touchdown pass to CJ Windham Jr to the end of the first quarter and a 14-9 lead.
Starting the second quarter, Tucson signal caller Mylike Mitchell scored from the nine yard line, but was brought back on a holding penalty. With a wide open field ahead, Mitchell this time got the touchdown from five yards out. That put the score at 16-14.
The Hawks shifted to the ground game, but Tucson’s defense tightened up. A near interception brought a fourth and goal for the Hawks, which resulted in a sack. A string of personal foul calls on both sides negating the sack. After play resumed, Johnson stretched out the ball from the half yard line for a touchdown. Las Vegas was back up 20-16.
The Skulls used running back Devonte Sapp-Lynch (former NFL Running back Marshawn Lynch’s brother) to get themselves in Vegas territory. With great field position, Mitchell scored from two yards out and the Skulls were up 23-21.
The Hawks got the onside kick recovery. Antonio Wimbush caught the ball for a nine yard touchdown and the seesaw battle continued 28-23.
The Skulls started thirty yards from the end zone with only twenty-one seconds on the clock. The Skulls had another touchdown catch from Smith for twenty yards. Again, the two point attempt failed.
With still time on the clock, Las Vegas had a great return and tried to steal points right before halftime, but a twenty-two yard field goal attempt was missed.
At the Half, Tucson has a razor thin lead 29-28.
Tucson got the ball first in the second half at midfield. This drive went nowhere and resulted in an interception by the Knight Hawks.
With good field position themselves, Vegas used small gains to get into the red zone. From four yards out Wimbush scored, Vegas was ahead 35-29.
Tucson bogged down on their next drive leading to a fifty-two yard field goal attempt which failed.
Las Vegas threw a deep ball, but the Sugar Skulls secondary made the pick. The play resemble a baseball player robbing a batter of a home run.
Heading into the final quarter Tucson trialed. Did the Sugar Skulls have enough gas in the tank to come back?
The Skulls persevered by running the ball. Mike Jones scored from five yards out to tighten the score 36-35.
Inexplicably, Las Vegas went to their backup signal caller Jorge Reyna at the start their next drive. Multiple penalties on Tucson prolonged the drive after big defensive plays. The drive culminated in a two yard run from Reyna. The Knight Hawks led 43-36 failing on the two point try.
The Skulls answered with a kickoff touchdown by returner MJ Harris that knotted it up at 43-43.
The stage was set for an epic finish. Would Las Vegas leave still undefeated, or would the Sugar Skulls reach down from within and pull off the upset.
The Skulls had one minute left to put points up and a walk-off win. Unfortunately, Mitchell had an intentional grounding call in the end zone that resulted in a safety. Tucson’s Coach Billy Back challenged the call sighting an illegal contact foul by Vegas. The play was overturned negating the safety. The Skulls couldn’t get much going after the challenge and a fifty-one yard attempt failed to end tied in regulation.
Into overtime, Skulls won the toss and elected to play defense.
Las Vegas scored first when Reyna ran it in from two yards out to make the score 50-43.
Tucson’s turn with the ball. In overtime, the line of scrimmage is the twenty yard line and no clock. Jones scored from two yards out. This put the score at 50-49.
The game came down to a decision to kick the extra point and start over into a second overtime or go for broke on a two point con for the win. On a gutsy call from the Sugar Skulls coaching staff, Mike Jones ran it in to get the second win of the season for the Skulls, and the first loss for the Knight Hawks.
The Final Score 51-50 Sugar Skulls.
The Sugar Skulls looked very alive and excited to play and successfully solving the undefeated puzzle that was the Vegas Knight Hawks. Hopefully this carries onto their next game in Northern Arizona next week.
The next home game will be on Saturday June 1st against the Duke City Gladiators.
Attendance was 2,169.
