Tucson, AZ) Round two with a rematch of week 3 against the Arizona Rattlers who like Iowa are the benchmark for the Indoor Football League. In the first meeting, the Sugar Skulls swallowed a pill of reality losing 63-28.
Tucson scored at the 11:52 mark with quarterback Jake Medlock from a yard out on a keeper. This was important for the Sugar Skulls to get on the scoreboard first.
Arizona came right back on their first possession and in four play stuck it in from the three yard line on Jabre Lolley’s power run off tackle to tie the game at 7-7.
The Rattlers ability to move the ball down the field so quickly was a concern for Skulls Head Coach Marques Coleman.
Bam! Wideout Rico Brown hauled in a 41 yard streak route from Medlock and the Sugar Skulls were back on top 14-7.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Rattlers looked like they would go the distance, but a block in the back penalty brought it all back.
Arizona still managed to drive down the field but turned it back over to the Skulls on the ten yard line on downs.
Medlock was successful in hitting the sort passes in the first quarter that ultimately set up the long bomb Brown. At the end of one quarter Tucson had a 14-7 lead over the favored Ratters.
Medlock had 75 yards passing for Tucson against only 31 yards for Jeff Ziemba for Arizona. Rushing for both teams was minimal with Arizona having the advantage 18-16 yards.
In the second quarter the Rattlers wanted to establish a ground game on their possession but scored on a twenty yard reception by Jarrod Harrington to tie the score 14-14.
Tucson’s field goal attempt hit the upright midway through the second quarter.
With penalties on the Sugar Skulls which twice aided Arizona they scored the go ahead touchdown just before the half on a pass in the flat to Jamaal Miles from two yards out.
Hold on! Tucson comes back with 43 seconds left on a 31 yard pass from Medlock to Shaq Curenton to tie the score at 21-21 at halftime.
The Rattlers scored on their first drive of the second half with a one yard run from Lolley to put Arizona back up 28-21 with 13;16 inn the third quarter.
Rashad Canty ran the kickoff back to Rattler 20 yard line. Medlock’s pass on the next play had Curenton open in end zone but the wall of the indoor game came into play and the ball was jarred loose. Medlock punched it in from the one yard out on keeper and Tucson was hanging tough at 28-28.
The Rattlers scored quickly at Harrington hauled down a 25 yard pass on the corner of he end zone, but the extra point was no good off the post. This was a break for the Skulls as Arizona led by six 34-28 with 7:51 left in the third quarter.
Tucson’s field goal attempt was blocked by the Ratters and they quickly took advantage of it and score a touchdown seconds later. Arizona extended the lead 42-28 at the 4:43 mark of the third quarter.
Tucson drove on their next possession to score on a thirteen yard catch by Brown to cut the lead to 42-35 with just 36 seconds left in the third quarter.
Arizona not rattled score on the last play of the third quarter on a blown coverage by Cam Gaddis and Miles was all along in the end zone for and easy catch. At the end of three quarters 48-35.
Total offense after three quarters was very even with the Rattlers holding a 216-200 yard lead. The difference to this point was the missed field goals by Tucson that turned into Arizona points.
Rattlers defensive back Phillip Henry picked off a Medlock pass under pressure and took it forty five yards to the house to put Arizona up by twenty 55-35. This was a huge error by Tucson in their attempt to come back in the contest.
Medlock again scores on a keeper from a yard out but now Tucson missed their point after and the lead was at fourteen 56-41 only 5:31 was left to play.
The Sugar Skulls inexplicably kicked the ball short and paid the price as the Rattlers were in scoring position without even running a play. The Skulls held and Arizona’s field goal attempt was wide. The crowd gave a sigh of relief but Tucson had is work still cut out for them with 3:10 left.
The turnover bug hot Medlock again when Rattler’s Davonte Merriweather stepped in front of the pass and the ball went back to Arizona at the one minute warning to seal the win 55-41.
The Sugar Skulls had more total yards than the Rattlers but that doesn’t win football games.
Tucson played straight up with the Rattlers, but did themselves in on blown defensive assignments, turnovers and poor execution.
The silver lining on the loss was that deep down inside Coach Coleman and the players know they can compete with the best, now it’s time to fix the mistakes.
The Skulls travel to meet the Quad-City Steamwheelers next Saturday April 20th.
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