Post by DiamondThief on Jun 26, 2021 19:26:26 GMT -8
Wranglers 48, Sugar Skulls 44
6/26/21 --
PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ - Verlon Reed, Jr. rushed for three touchdowns and threw for two more to lead the Northern Arizona Wranglers to their first-ever win as a franchise tonight at the Findlay Toyota Center.
Reed, who was injured in the season opener and returned to start in last week's loss to the Spokane Shock, rushed for all three of his touchdowns on the ground in the last 18 minutes of the game to lead the Wranglers to the 48-44 win over one of their new in-state rivals. Reed previously played for the Arizona Rattlers and the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles; the latter of which where he earned IFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2017.
With the Wranglers' win, they stand at 1-5 on the Indoor Football League season. The Sugar Skulls fall to an identical 1-5 record as they lost their fourth straight. It was the first of three meetings for the teams. They play again on July 31 at Tucson and on August 21 (the regular season finale) back at Prescott Valley.
The Wranglers struck first with a 42-yard bomb from Verlon Reed, Jr. to Todd Athey, who just came over to Northern Arizona from Louisville after the IFL terminated the Xtreme's membership in the IFL. The Sugar Skulls responded with a seven yard touchdown run from Mike Jones. The score was tied 7-7 at the end of the opening quarter.
Malik Stanley's four-yard touchdown from Demry Croft put the Sugar Skulls up 13-7 early in the second quarter. Northern Arizona took a one-point lead with a Emmanuel Jones' two-yard run around the left side. Croft and Ryan Balentine hooked up on a pair of long touchdown bombs in the second; one the the left and one to the right to put the Sugar Skulls up by two scores. The Wranglers closed the gap with 10 seconds left in the quarter on Reed's 12-yard strike to J.J. Briana-Hopp. Tucson led 27-21 at intermission.
Tucson looked to go up by a couple of scores on their first drive of the third quarter, but Justin Wyatt picked off Croft and returned it 11 yards into the end zone and the Wranglers were up again by a point. It marked the first time in their short history that the Wranglers held a lead in the second half of a game this season. Croft found Stanley for a four-yard touchdown, but Northern Arizona went up on Reed's 34-yard touchdown scamper. The Wranglers held a 35-34 lead going into the fourth quarter.
After Tucson's Jimmy Camacho and Northern Arizona's Tim Parker each missed 61-yard field goal tries, Camacho put the Sugar Skulls up 37-35 with a 54-yard field goal with 6:32 left in regulation. Camacho's 54-yarder is the longest made field goal in the league this season. Reed exploded on another scamper, of 36 yards, and the Wranglers were up by four. Sheldon Augustine caught a touchdown from Croft and the Sugar Skulls were up by a field goal at the 1:31 mark of the fourth. Wranglers coach Dominic Bramante used some created clock management on the team's next drive and it seemingly paid off as Reed scored on a one-yard rush into the end zone with 30 seconds remaining.
That gave the Sugar Skulls a half-minute to score a touchdown to try and win the game. In a drive that started at their own three-yard line, Croft led them down to the Wranglers' six with four seconds left. Croft fell into the clutches of a Wranglers defender and his errant pass fell short, preserving the Wranglers win.
In addition to Reed's big night, it was the highest point total in Wranglers' franchise history. Croft threw for five touchdowns and an interception, while Balentine hauled in two touchdown passes.
The Sugar Skulls will host the Arizona Rattlers on July 3 at 6:05 p.m. The Wranglers are on the road as they visit the Duke City Gladiators, also on July 3, for a 6:05 p.m. All times listed are pacific daylight time. Click for the complete SCtoC 2021 Indoor Football League schedule.
6/26/21 --
PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ - Verlon Reed, Jr. rushed for three touchdowns and threw for two more to lead the Northern Arizona Wranglers to their first-ever win as a franchise tonight at the Findlay Toyota Center.
Reed, who was injured in the season opener and returned to start in last week's loss to the Spokane Shock, rushed for all three of his touchdowns on the ground in the last 18 minutes of the game to lead the Wranglers to the 48-44 win over one of their new in-state rivals. Reed previously played for the Arizona Rattlers and the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles; the latter of which where he earned IFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2017.
With the Wranglers' win, they stand at 1-5 on the Indoor Football League season. The Sugar Skulls fall to an identical 1-5 record as they lost their fourth straight. It was the first of three meetings for the teams. They play again on July 31 at Tucson and on August 21 (the regular season finale) back at Prescott Valley.
The Wranglers struck first with a 42-yard bomb from Verlon Reed, Jr. to Todd Athey, who just came over to Northern Arizona from Louisville after the IFL terminated the Xtreme's membership in the IFL. The Sugar Skulls responded with a seven yard touchdown run from Mike Jones. The score was tied 7-7 at the end of the opening quarter.
Malik Stanley's four-yard touchdown from Demry Croft put the Sugar Skulls up 13-7 early in the second quarter. Northern Arizona took a one-point lead with a Emmanuel Jones' two-yard run around the left side. Croft and Ryan Balentine hooked up on a pair of long touchdown bombs in the second; one the the left and one to the right to put the Sugar Skulls up by two scores. The Wranglers closed the gap with 10 seconds left in the quarter on Reed's 12-yard strike to J.J. Briana-Hopp. Tucson led 27-21 at intermission.
Tucson looked to go up by a couple of scores on their first drive of the third quarter, but Justin Wyatt picked off Croft and returned it 11 yards into the end zone and the Wranglers were up again by a point. It marked the first time in their short history that the Wranglers held a lead in the second half of a game this season. Croft found Stanley for a four-yard touchdown, but Northern Arizona went up on Reed's 34-yard touchdown scamper. The Wranglers held a 35-34 lead going into the fourth quarter.
After Tucson's Jimmy Camacho and Northern Arizona's Tim Parker each missed 61-yard field goal tries, Camacho put the Sugar Skulls up 37-35 with a 54-yard field goal with 6:32 left in regulation. Camacho's 54-yarder is the longest made field goal in the league this season. Reed exploded on another scamper, of 36 yards, and the Wranglers were up by four. Sheldon Augustine caught a touchdown from Croft and the Sugar Skulls were up by a field goal at the 1:31 mark of the fourth. Wranglers coach Dominic Bramante used some created clock management on the team's next drive and it seemingly paid off as Reed scored on a one-yard rush into the end zone with 30 seconds remaining.
That gave the Sugar Skulls a half-minute to score a touchdown to try and win the game. In a drive that started at their own three-yard line, Croft led them down to the Wranglers' six with four seconds left. Croft fell into the clutches of a Wranglers defender and his errant pass fell short, preserving the Wranglers win.
In addition to Reed's big night, it was the highest point total in Wranglers' franchise history. Croft threw for five touchdowns and an interception, while Balentine hauled in two touchdown passes.
The Sugar Skulls will host the Arizona Rattlers on July 3 at 6:05 p.m. The Wranglers are on the road as they visit the Duke City Gladiators, also on July 3, for a 6:05 p.m. All times listed are pacific daylight time. Click for the complete SCtoC 2021 Indoor Football League schedule.
Both games, as well as all IFL games this season, will be streamed live on the IFL's Official YouTube Channel. SCtoC will present previews of those, and all, games this season. Those previews will be posted on the board of the home team in each game.
- ANM
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