Post by alecs on Apr 14, 2024 21:08:14 GMT -8
Panthers 44, Sugar Skulls 31
4/14/24 --
TUCSON, AZ - The Bay Area Panthers kept their hot streak alive as they prowled into southern Arizona and clawed their way to a 44-31 win over the Tucson Sugar Skulls tonight at Tucson Convention Center. The win keeps the reigning title-holders undefeated on the new season at 3-0, whereas Tucson falls to a record of 1-2.
Tucson began the game with the ball, but Bay Area's defense did well in forcing the Skulls to kick a field goal, which Demitri Fotinos knocked through from 25 yards out. Requiring almost no time to respond, Daquan Neal launched a 43-yard gem to Jazeric Peterson to give the Panthers their first points of the game. The Sugar Skulls got right back on top four plays later on a 12-yard pass from Mylik Mitchell to Jalin Marshall. To wrap up the quarter, Panthers RB Shane Simpson bashed his way in for a one-yard touchdown rush to make the score 14-10 Panthers after 15 minutes of play.
The teams would then trade lengthy possessions in the second quarter without either team registering as much as a single point. A missed 42-yard field goal by Fotinos, followed by a failed fourth down attempt by Bay Area, encapsulated much of the second quarter. Inside the one-minute warning, Fotinos would miss again, this time from 20 yards out. The Panthers then let the remainder of the clock run out, wrapping up a scoreless second quarter, with the Panthers taking that four point lead into the locker room.
Bay Area started the second half with possession, at which point came a quarterback change for the visitors. Felix Harper, who got his first game action of the season against Jacksonville last time out, ran an eight-yard touchdown in to extend the Panther lead to 11 points. Tucson's next drive wound up empty, as a four-and-out awarded the ball back to Bay Area in exceptional field position. Shortly after, Harper found the endzone again on a four-yard rush. The Sugar Skulls would get a desperately needed score with the Mitchell-to-Marshall connection paying off again on a seven-yard TD pass. But right as time expired in the third quarter, Harper found J.T. Stokes on a magnificent 30-yard touchdown pass, pushing the Panthers' lead to its largest of the evening, at 35-17 with one quarter left to play.
A couple plays into the fourth quarter, Mitchell had a pass intercepted by Tyrone Cromwell. The Panthers would convert that takeaway into three more points, courtesy of a 19-yard field goal by Craig Peterson. After Mike Carrigan nearly returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, Mitchell brought it home himself with a two-yard scamper, which cut the lead to 38-23. After an onside kick attempt was recovered by Bay Area, Harper ran in another touchdown for the hat trick from one yard out. Tucson did manage a quick touchdown on a 34-yard pass from Mitchell to C.J. Tate with a few minutes to go, but that would turn out to be the final time the Skulls possessed the ball. Bay Area was able to run out the rest of the clock with two important third down conversions, thus finalizing their 44-31 win.
Filling in for starter Daquan Neal, Felix Harper proved to be the more efficient of the two Panthers quarterbacks tonight, completing eight of 11 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown and adding 18 yards on six rushes and three more touchdowns. Neal did lead the Skulls in rushing with 41 yards on three carries. Three Panthers receivers logged at least 45 receiving yards, with Jazeric Peterson (2/51/1), J.T. Stokes (4/48/1), and Pierre Williams (4/46/0) all contributing to the win. DL Datona Jackson recorded 2.5 sacks, while Tyrone Cromwell got his hands on a big fourth quarter interception.
Mylik Mitchell attempted 21 passes, of which ten were completed, totaling 117 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the loss. He ran eight times for 48 yards and a score. Mike Jones carried nine times for 34 scoreless yards. Jalin Marshall found the endzone twice on four receptions for 31 yards, while C.J. Tate came down with two catches for 43 yards and one touchdown. Jaylen Floyd and Brayden Utley tied for the team lead with 6.5 tackles each defensively.
The Panthers outgained the Sugar Skulls on offense 218 to 180 and also had a one-to-nil advantage in turnover margin. Each team was flagged six times, costing Bay Area 37 yards and Tucson 45 yards.
With tonight's win, Bay Area evens up the all-time series with Tucson at three games each. The de facto "Game 7" will be held in roughly two months on Saturday June 8th, with that matchup hosted by the Panthers at SAP Center.
The Sugar Skulls (1-2) will visit the San Antonio Gunslingers (0-3) on Thursday April 18 with kickoff set for 4:30 p.m. The Panthers (3-0) will host the San Diego Strike Force (3-0) on Saturday April 20 for a 6:05 p.m. kickoff. Times listed are pacific daylight time.
Both games, as well as all IFL games this season, will be streamed live on the IFL YouTube Channel and Caffeine TV IFL. 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. Click for our complete IFL 2024 Schedule.
4/14/24 --
TUCSON, AZ - The Bay Area Panthers kept their hot streak alive as they prowled into southern Arizona and clawed their way to a 44-31 win over the Tucson Sugar Skulls tonight at Tucson Convention Center. The win keeps the reigning title-holders undefeated on the new season at 3-0, whereas Tucson falls to a record of 1-2.
Tucson began the game with the ball, but Bay Area's defense did well in forcing the Skulls to kick a field goal, which Demitri Fotinos knocked through from 25 yards out. Requiring almost no time to respond, Daquan Neal launched a 43-yard gem to Jazeric Peterson to give the Panthers their first points of the game. The Sugar Skulls got right back on top four plays later on a 12-yard pass from Mylik Mitchell to Jalin Marshall. To wrap up the quarter, Panthers RB Shane Simpson bashed his way in for a one-yard touchdown rush to make the score 14-10 Panthers after 15 minutes of play.
The teams would then trade lengthy possessions in the second quarter without either team registering as much as a single point. A missed 42-yard field goal by Fotinos, followed by a failed fourth down attempt by Bay Area, encapsulated much of the second quarter. Inside the one-minute warning, Fotinos would miss again, this time from 20 yards out. The Panthers then let the remainder of the clock run out, wrapping up a scoreless second quarter, with the Panthers taking that four point lead into the locker room.
Bay Area started the second half with possession, at which point came a quarterback change for the visitors. Felix Harper, who got his first game action of the season against Jacksonville last time out, ran an eight-yard touchdown in to extend the Panther lead to 11 points. Tucson's next drive wound up empty, as a four-and-out awarded the ball back to Bay Area in exceptional field position. Shortly after, Harper found the endzone again on a four-yard rush. The Sugar Skulls would get a desperately needed score with the Mitchell-to-Marshall connection paying off again on a seven-yard TD pass. But right as time expired in the third quarter, Harper found J.T. Stokes on a magnificent 30-yard touchdown pass, pushing the Panthers' lead to its largest of the evening, at 35-17 with one quarter left to play.
A couple plays into the fourth quarter, Mitchell had a pass intercepted by Tyrone Cromwell. The Panthers would convert that takeaway into three more points, courtesy of a 19-yard field goal by Craig Peterson. After Mike Carrigan nearly returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, Mitchell brought it home himself with a two-yard scamper, which cut the lead to 38-23. After an onside kick attempt was recovered by Bay Area, Harper ran in another touchdown for the hat trick from one yard out. Tucson did manage a quick touchdown on a 34-yard pass from Mitchell to C.J. Tate with a few minutes to go, but that would turn out to be the final time the Skulls possessed the ball. Bay Area was able to run out the rest of the clock with two important third down conversions, thus finalizing their 44-31 win.
Filling in for starter Daquan Neal, Felix Harper proved to be the more efficient of the two Panthers quarterbacks tonight, completing eight of 11 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown and adding 18 yards on six rushes and three more touchdowns. Neal did lead the Skulls in rushing with 41 yards on three carries. Three Panthers receivers logged at least 45 receiving yards, with Jazeric Peterson (2/51/1), J.T. Stokes (4/48/1), and Pierre Williams (4/46/0) all contributing to the win. DL Datona Jackson recorded 2.5 sacks, while Tyrone Cromwell got his hands on a big fourth quarter interception.
Mylik Mitchell attempted 21 passes, of which ten were completed, totaling 117 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the loss. He ran eight times for 48 yards and a score. Mike Jones carried nine times for 34 scoreless yards. Jalin Marshall found the endzone twice on four receptions for 31 yards, while C.J. Tate came down with two catches for 43 yards and one touchdown. Jaylen Floyd and Brayden Utley tied for the team lead with 6.5 tackles each defensively.
The Panthers outgained the Sugar Skulls on offense 218 to 180 and also had a one-to-nil advantage in turnover margin. Each team was flagged six times, costing Bay Area 37 yards and Tucson 45 yards.
With tonight's win, Bay Area evens up the all-time series with Tucson at three games each. The de facto "Game 7" will be held in roughly two months on Saturday June 8th, with that matchup hosted by the Panthers at SAP Center.
The Sugar Skulls (1-2) will visit the San Antonio Gunslingers (0-3) on Thursday April 18 with kickoff set for 4:30 p.m. The Panthers (3-0) will host the San Diego Strike Force (3-0) on Saturday April 20 for a 6:05 p.m. kickoff. Times listed are pacific daylight time.
Both games, as well as all IFL games this season, will be streamed live on the IFL YouTube Channel and Caffeine TV IFL. 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. Click for our complete IFL 2024 Schedule.
-AS
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