Post by alecs on Apr 8, 2023 20:40:55 GMT -8
Sugar Skulls 54, Rattlers 48
4/8/23 --
PHOENIX, AZ - A packed crowd provided the support for the Arizona Rattlers in their home opener at Footprint Center. Sadly for the Rattlers, they were unable to overcome the absence of two-time defending IFL MVP Drew Powell (Short-Term IR), with the Sugar Skulls winning a 2nd straight road game to begin their season by a 54-48 score.
It took the Rattlers exactly one play to draw first blood, as Jorge Reyna found Isiah Scott for a 19-yard touchdown pass following a great opening kickoff return. Tucson’s first possession came down to a fourth down conversion, as Ramone Atkins found Carrington Thompson down the right sideline for a highlight reel 22-yard touchdown grab. Victor Leventritt would boot the extra point wide right, keeping the Skulls down 7-6. Arizona would score again on a six-play drive, ending with a TD pass from Reyna to Braxton Haley from 11 yards out. Again, Tucson had the answer, with Atkins finding a wide open M.J. Harris for a 16-yard score at the left corner of the end zone.
The Sugar Skulls would come up with the first defensive stand of the game, forcing a Reyna incompletion on fourth down from deep in Skulls territory. Unfortunately for Tucson, they could not capitalize, as a third-down pass from Ramone Atkins was picked off by Simeon Gatling. Arizona would convert that takeaway into their third touchdown of the game – a clutch fourth-down pass from Reyna to Isiah Scott going for 12 yards. Arizona attempted an onside kick with a 15-yard in-the-bank penalty in their back pocket – which they initially recovered. After a Tucson challenge, it was ruled that Davontae Merriweather made contact with the ball before it traveled the required 10 yards, so Tucson was awarded possession by rule. A six-play drive for the Sugar Skulls concluded with an Atkins to MJ Harris four-yard touchdown pass. The teams would trade unsuccessful long-range field goal attempts to close the first half, with Arizona holding the slight 21-20 edge at the midway point.
Tucson received the second-half kickoff and faced an early fourth down from their own 11-yard line. A designed run for Ramone Atkins worked to perfection, to the tune of a 27-yard run. He would cover the remaining 12 yards on his very next carry for the go-ahead TD to give Tucson a 27-21 lead. The Rattlers punched the ball inside the Tucson five-yard line on the ensuing drive, but on a 4th & Goal play, Reyna tossed a ball that was batted high into the air and intercepted by Traivon Bryant. Immediately after the takeaway, Atkins and Thompson connected for a TD from 34 yards out, Thompson’s second TD catch of the night. That gave the Sugar Skulls a 34-21 advantage heading into the final quarter.
The Rattlers would get their first score of the second half on the first play of the 4th quarter, an 8-yard pass from Reyna to Jamal Miles. Tucson would restore their two-possession advantage, as Atkins and Thompson connected for a six-yard TD pass to go back up 41-28. Arizona drew back within striking distance, with a four-yard rushing TD Jager Gardner. Trailing 41-35, the Rattlers attempted an onside kick, but Carrington Thompson was ready for it, and brought it to the house for an eight-yard return TD, service as his fourth total TD of the night. Despite a missed PAT by Leventritt, Tucson carried a 47-35 lead. Closing in on the one-minute warning, Arizona pulled off a one-play quick strike TD when they needed a play the most, with Reyna and Scott connecting for a 28-yard touchdown to get back to 47-42. Arizona would again attempt an onside kick but did not succeed. After a big 20-yard run by Mike Jones on the first play of Tucson’s possession, Arizona head coach Kevin Guy was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following what appeared to be a disagreement on when Arizona had called timeout; he was shortly after ejected from the remainder of the ballgame. Tucson would add the dagger touchdown a few plays later, courtesy of a Mike Jones one-yard run. On Arizona’s last possession, Reyna hurled a prayer into the endzone as the clock hit zero, and Isiah Scott miraculously stole the ball away from triple coverage for the score, ending the game with a score of 54-48 favoring the Sugar Skulls.
Tucson remains the lone undefeated team in the Western Conference, with this win improving their record to 2-0 on the season. Arizona drops below .500 with this loss, their 2nd straight, to tumble to 1-2. Curiously, this is the only meeting between the two in-state conference rivals this season.
Ramone Atkins completed 11 of 19 passes for 120 yards, with five touchdowns and one interception in the winning effort. He also was a big factor in the run game, turning five carries into 49 yards and an additional score. RB Mike Jones carried 11 times, totaling 52 yards and a touchdown. Carrington Thompson was arguably Tucson’s best player tonight; as a receiver he was targeted 10 times, converting those looks into 7 catches for 91 yards and three touchdowns. He also had an onside kick return for a touchdown and added a four-yard rush as well.
Starting in the place of injured Drew Powell, Jorge Reyna hurled 39 pass attempts tonight, completing 21 of them for 246 yards, six TD passes, and one interception. He added 14 scoreless yards on three carries and was sacked three times by the Sugar Skulls defense. Jager Gardner led the Rattlers in the running game, with four carries for 20 yards and a touchdown. Isiah Scott was Reyna’s favorite target tonight, looking his way 15 times, and catching 10 passes for 155 yards, 4 of which went for touchdowns.
The Rattlers will host the Gladiators on April 15 with kickoff set for 6:05 p.m. The Sugar Skulls will pay a visit to the Bay Area Panthers on April 16 for a 5:05 p.m. kickoff. All times listed are pacific daylight time. Click for our complete 2023 IFL Schedule.
4/8/23 --
PHOENIX, AZ - A packed crowd provided the support for the Arizona Rattlers in their home opener at Footprint Center. Sadly for the Rattlers, they were unable to overcome the absence of two-time defending IFL MVP Drew Powell (Short-Term IR), with the Sugar Skulls winning a 2nd straight road game to begin their season by a 54-48 score.
It took the Rattlers exactly one play to draw first blood, as Jorge Reyna found Isiah Scott for a 19-yard touchdown pass following a great opening kickoff return. Tucson’s first possession came down to a fourth down conversion, as Ramone Atkins found Carrington Thompson down the right sideline for a highlight reel 22-yard touchdown grab. Victor Leventritt would boot the extra point wide right, keeping the Skulls down 7-6. Arizona would score again on a six-play drive, ending with a TD pass from Reyna to Braxton Haley from 11 yards out. Again, Tucson had the answer, with Atkins finding a wide open M.J. Harris for a 16-yard score at the left corner of the end zone.
The Sugar Skulls would come up with the first defensive stand of the game, forcing a Reyna incompletion on fourth down from deep in Skulls territory. Unfortunately for Tucson, they could not capitalize, as a third-down pass from Ramone Atkins was picked off by Simeon Gatling. Arizona would convert that takeaway into their third touchdown of the game – a clutch fourth-down pass from Reyna to Isiah Scott going for 12 yards. Arizona attempted an onside kick with a 15-yard in-the-bank penalty in their back pocket – which they initially recovered. After a Tucson challenge, it was ruled that Davontae Merriweather made contact with the ball before it traveled the required 10 yards, so Tucson was awarded possession by rule. A six-play drive for the Sugar Skulls concluded with an Atkins to MJ Harris four-yard touchdown pass. The teams would trade unsuccessful long-range field goal attempts to close the first half, with Arizona holding the slight 21-20 edge at the midway point.
Tucson received the second-half kickoff and faced an early fourth down from their own 11-yard line. A designed run for Ramone Atkins worked to perfection, to the tune of a 27-yard run. He would cover the remaining 12 yards on his very next carry for the go-ahead TD to give Tucson a 27-21 lead. The Rattlers punched the ball inside the Tucson five-yard line on the ensuing drive, but on a 4th & Goal play, Reyna tossed a ball that was batted high into the air and intercepted by Traivon Bryant. Immediately after the takeaway, Atkins and Thompson connected for a TD from 34 yards out, Thompson’s second TD catch of the night. That gave the Sugar Skulls a 34-21 advantage heading into the final quarter.
The Rattlers would get their first score of the second half on the first play of the 4th quarter, an 8-yard pass from Reyna to Jamal Miles. Tucson would restore their two-possession advantage, as Atkins and Thompson connected for a six-yard TD pass to go back up 41-28. Arizona drew back within striking distance, with a four-yard rushing TD Jager Gardner. Trailing 41-35, the Rattlers attempted an onside kick, but Carrington Thompson was ready for it, and brought it to the house for an eight-yard return TD, service as his fourth total TD of the night. Despite a missed PAT by Leventritt, Tucson carried a 47-35 lead. Closing in on the one-minute warning, Arizona pulled off a one-play quick strike TD when they needed a play the most, with Reyna and Scott connecting for a 28-yard touchdown to get back to 47-42. Arizona would again attempt an onside kick but did not succeed. After a big 20-yard run by Mike Jones on the first play of Tucson’s possession, Arizona head coach Kevin Guy was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following what appeared to be a disagreement on when Arizona had called timeout; he was shortly after ejected from the remainder of the ballgame. Tucson would add the dagger touchdown a few plays later, courtesy of a Mike Jones one-yard run. On Arizona’s last possession, Reyna hurled a prayer into the endzone as the clock hit zero, and Isiah Scott miraculously stole the ball away from triple coverage for the score, ending the game with a score of 54-48 favoring the Sugar Skulls.
Tucson remains the lone undefeated team in the Western Conference, with this win improving their record to 2-0 on the season. Arizona drops below .500 with this loss, their 2nd straight, to tumble to 1-2. Curiously, this is the only meeting between the two in-state conference rivals this season.
Ramone Atkins completed 11 of 19 passes for 120 yards, with five touchdowns and one interception in the winning effort. He also was a big factor in the run game, turning five carries into 49 yards and an additional score. RB Mike Jones carried 11 times, totaling 52 yards and a touchdown. Carrington Thompson was arguably Tucson’s best player tonight; as a receiver he was targeted 10 times, converting those looks into 7 catches for 91 yards and three touchdowns. He also had an onside kick return for a touchdown and added a four-yard rush as well.
Starting in the place of injured Drew Powell, Jorge Reyna hurled 39 pass attempts tonight, completing 21 of them for 246 yards, six TD passes, and one interception. He added 14 scoreless yards on three carries and was sacked three times by the Sugar Skulls defense. Jager Gardner led the Rattlers in the running game, with four carries for 20 yards and a touchdown. Isiah Scott was Reyna’s favorite target tonight, looking his way 15 times, and catching 10 passes for 155 yards, 4 of which went for touchdowns.
The Rattlers will host the Gladiators on April 15 with kickoff set for 6:05 p.m. The Sugar Skulls will pay a visit to the Bay Area Panthers on April 16 for a 5:05 p.m. kickoff. All times listed are pacific daylight time. Click for our complete 2023 IFL 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.
- AS
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