(Glendale, AZ) The Sugar Skulls entered Desert Diamond after a last minute loss to Northern Arizona and a bye week. The Sugar Skulls are looking to clinch a playoff spot with a win and a Gunslinger’s loss. The Rattlers look to improve their playoff position with a third win in a row tonight and a victory next week at San Antonio. The Snakepit should be loud with over 12,000 expected in attendance and the 3rd level opened up to fans for first time in Rattler’s history. Thef Rattlers are celebrating Native American Heritage night with specialty jerseys and a pregame and halftime performance by Northern Avenue, a powwow drum group.
Photo – Joanna Riggle
1st quarter
The Skulls won the toss and deferred to the second half. Ron Brown Jr bobbled the kickoff but recovered and returned it to the Tucson 18. A defensive pass interference call against Tucson’s Brion Murray moved the ball down to the 7-yard line. Two plays later, Max Meylor called his own number for the 2nd play of the drive and scored from the 3-yard line. Matthew Cook added the point after (PAT) giving the Rattler’s a 7-0 lead.
The Skulls’ Aaron Jackson returned the kickoff to the 19-yard line but a good defensive stand by the Rattler’s led to a 42-yard field goal attempt by Ben Woodard that was unsuccessful. After offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against Arizona’s Hayden Hatcher and Tucson’s Nashawn Jackson, the Rattler’s took over on their own 5-yard line. Meylor’s pass the Trey Odom-Dukes was complete but was stripped by the defense and recovered on the Rattler’s 13-yard line. Six plays later, Ja’Rome Johnson ran it in from the 1-yard line and Woodard’s PAT was good, tying the game up at 7 apiece.
After getting a first down on the drive, to the 21-yard line, Meylor was sacked for a 9-yard loss by Rafiq Abdul-Wahid and the quarter ended with the Rattler’s 4th down from their own 16-yard line.
Photo – Joanna Riggle
2nd quarter
To start the 2nd quarter on 4th down, Matthew Cook hit a 49-yard field goal, to give the Snakes a 10-7 lead. Tucson’s next drive was marred by miscues. A bad snap resulted in a 13-yard loss and the Snakepit crowd got loud, causing two false start penalties against the visitors. The drive ended in a successful 35-yard field goal by Woodard, evening up the score again, 10-10. The next drive saw Meylor call his own number for two carries, moving the ball to Tucson’s 9-yard line. On 4th down, Meylor connected with Arland Bruce IV from the 4-yard line, resulting in a Rattler’s touchdown. Cook added the extra point and the Rattler’s retook the lead 17-10.
Matt Cook’s kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Sugar Skulls good field position at their own 20-yard line. Johnson kept it and ran for 24 yards, down to the Rattler’s 6-yard line. From the 2-yard line, Johnson ran to the left and was stopped but was able to escape the defender’s hold reverse field and scrambled in for the touchdown, adding six points. Woodard’s PAT was blocked by the Rattler’s Josh Ellison and the Rattler’s kept their lead by a 1-point margin 17-16. Arizona took over on their own 20-yard line after Woodard’s kickoff went out of bounds. The second play from scrimmage was a pass to Trey Odom-Dukes moving the Snakes down to the Skulls’ 20-yard line. A holding penalty and 3 carries by Meylor that lost yardage backed the Rattlers up to their own 20-yard line. As time ran out in the first half, Cook attempted a 35-yard field goal but pushed it right. At halftime, the score was Rattlers 17-16.
Photo – Joanna Riggle
Halftime recap
Meylor continues to call his own number instead of trying to find an open receiver which resulted in more yardage lost than gained. The Rattlers’ defense gave up some key big yardage plays but Tucson did not always capitalize. Drives stalled out for both teams due to penalties and questionable offensive play calling. Woodard missed two field goals and Cook missed one in the first half.
Photo – Joanna Riggle
3rd quarter
Tucson deferred to the 2nd half and the kick-off out of bounds gave them first down at their own 20-yard line. The Rattlers’ defense held and Tucson failed to gain a yard. Woodard’s 35-yard field goal was true and the Skulls retook the lead, 19-17. On the ensuing possession Meylor continued to carry the ball and on second down from Tucson’s 23-yard line, he fumbled the ball and Djimon Brooks recovered it at Tucson’s 24-yard line. On Tucson’s first play from scrimmage, Don Willis pressured Johnson outside the pocket and his pass was intercepted by Yahsyn McKee Sr. at the 15-yard line and run back 35 yards for a pick six. Tucson made 2 separate challenges on the play but the touchdown was upheld and Cook added the PAT to give the Rattlers a lead of 24-19.
After a 5-yard gain from their own 13-yard line, Tucson’s drive stalled out at their own 18-yard line. A crowd noise attributed delay of game penalty pushed them back to the original line of scrimmage. Woodard’s 52-yard field goal was blocked by Josh Ellison, his second blocked kick of the game. Jarmaine Doubs recovered the ball and the Rattlers got the ball back at the 14-yard line of Tucson. Two plays later, from the 4 -yard line, Ron Brown Jr. fought through the crowd of players and stretched across the goal line for a touchdown. Matt Cook missed the PAT, but hit a deuce on the kickoff and the score was now Az 32-19 Tucson. Tucson started from their own 5-yard line and on the 1st play from scrimmage, John Pius blew through the line, taking Johnson down in the endzone for a safety, extending the Snakes’ lead to 34-19. The free kick after the safety gave the ball back to the Rattlers at their own 5. After a first down, and a loss of 6 yards on a Kymani Clarke run, the line of scrimmage was Arizona’s 10-yard line. The Sugar Skulls’ Tyqaze Leggs was penalized for roughing the passer giving the Rattlers a first down to the 20-yard line. Back to back unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against Tucson’s Aaron Jackson and Abdul-Wahid moved the ball down to Tucson’s 8-yard line. The quarter ended with the ball on the 2-yard line and the score remained 34-19.
Photo – Joanna Riggle
4th quarter
The quarter began on 2nd down with the ball at the 2-yard line. The Rattlers were unable to punch it in and Matt Cook shanked a chip shot 17-yard field goal. D’wan Mathis came in at quarterback for Tucson after Johnson was injured on the play that resulted in a safety. Mathis’ pass from his own 18-yard line was intercepted in the endzone by Yahsyn McKee Sr. The Rattlers moved the ball from their own 5-yard line down to the Tucson 18-yard line. Meylor found Arland Bruce Jr. in the endzone and Cook’s PAT made the score 41-19 with 4:21 left in the game. After the play, Tucson’s Abdul-Wahid was called for his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and was ejected from the game.
Tucson started from their own 10-yard line after the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was enforced. On first down from their own 22-yard line, Brandon Mackey went the length of the field for a 28-yard touchdown, with one minute left in the game. The 2-point conversion attempt failed. After the attempt, there were offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against Arizona’s Hayden Hatcher and Tucson’s Michael Todd, Jr. The onside kick was recovered at the 15-yard line by Hayden Hatcher. The Rattlers ran out the clock in victory formation and the final score was 41-25.
Photo – Joanna Riggle
Recap
Tempers flared and Tucson was clearly frustrated during the 2nd half when the season record 12,403 fans continued to impact play. Ball security miscues plagued both teams. The Rattlers are headed to the playoffs but their seed is partially dependent upon San Diego’s game tomorrow and their own performance next week. Tucson still has a chance for post-season play as well, but they need help. The Skulls play at home against the NAZ Wranglers on July 19th and go to San Diego for the last game of the regular season. The Rattlers go to San Antonio on the 19th.
The Playoff scenario for Tucson is they will have to win one of their two final games to clinch the fourth and final Western Division playoff position.
With a current two game losing streak, the Sugar Skulls’ best chance will be next weekend at home against Northern Arizona in the Boneyard. NAZ beat Tucson on June 28th 51-49 in Prescott Valley. The only situation where the Sugar Skulls would be left out of the IFL Playoffs, would be if Tucson lost their final two games (San Diego being the season finale in Oceanside California). San Antonio would have to win their final two games to be in a statistical tie with Tucson and having the tie breaker on a head to head matchup when they beat the Skulls on May 2nd 35-17 in Tucson.
Article by Joanna Riggle – 602 Sports Talk
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