Post by alecs on Jun 15, 2024 21:05:13 GMT -8
Fighters 35, Sugar Skulls 18
6/15/24 --
TUCSON, AZ - On Saturday night, the Tucson Sugar Skulls hosted the Frisco Fighters in a rare non-conference game at Tucson Convention Center. In a game that turned out to be much lower-scoring than most fans were expecting, the home Skulls put up an admirable effort, hanging tough with the Fighters until the fourth quarter got away from them. Frisco would capitalize on those late blunders to fuel a 35-18 victory.
A promising start to Tucson's opening drive of the game got beset by a series of offensive penalties, pushing them back and ultimately forcing a 30-yard field goal attempt. The newly-signed Josh Winnett pushed the kick wide left. Taking over from their own five yard line, the Fighters also failed to score with its first possession, with a run by T.J. Edwards on fourth down stopped inches short by JaQuez Jackson, giving the ball back to the Skulls at their own 21-yard line. Tucson would push the following drive into the redzone, but again had to send out the kicking team on a fourth and eight. This time, Winnett's kick split the uprights from 26 yards, awarding the first three points of the game to the home side. Three points to nil would stand as the score after 15 minutes of play.
Frisco made its scoreboard debut on the evening thanks to a four-yard pass from Edwards to Phazione McClurge. The Sugar Skulls' woes on offense continued, with their third consecutive drive unable to cross the goal line. Winnett again came to the rescue with a 29-yard field goal that just hugged the inside of the right goalpost to trim the Fighter lead to one point. Frisco's next drive would become their second of the night to be halted, with the Skulls taking over at their 21-yard line after an incomplete pass. With moments to go in the half, Devonte Sapp-Lynch took an outside pitch and rumbled three yards for Tucson's first touchdown of the ballgame, which gave Tucson a five point lead. The Fighters stuck with it, though, regaining the advantage with 14 seconds left on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Edwards to Cole Blackman. The time remaining allowed Tucson to set up for a half-ending field goal, but the 36-yarder from Winnett pushed wide right, bringing the game to halftime with the score 14-12 Fighters. A lead, but by no means a comfortable one.
The Fighters had the initial chance of the second half to add to the two-point lead, but a pivotal 15-yard blindside block penalty forced their hand into a 33-yard field goal attempt from Bryce Crawford, which sailed wide left. Tucson's ensuing drive would follow a similar path, with penalties backing them into running Winnett out for another field goal. This 46-yard attempt hooked wide left. Frisco would finally get its much awaited big play midway through the quarter, on a 23-yard QB keeper by Edwards to give Frisco a nine point lead. After a Frisco interception was wiped off the board by offsetting penalties, Tucson found a response on a 17-yard pass from Giovanni Sanders to Brian Smith. The ensuing two-point attempt was stopped short, and the third quarter expired shortly after, with Frisco preserving a three-point advantage.
Tucson's defense had a chance to add to its impressive list of plays on the evening, forcing a fourth down pass from Edwards that was intercepted by Mike Carrigan in the endzone. Carrigan, listed at his primary position of wide receiver, infused an "Ironman" element into the game after being asked by Tucson's coaching staff to take snaps as a defensive back this evening. The Skulls got to within five yards of re-taking the lead, but pressure up front forced a haphazard pass from Sanders that was intercepted by nose tackle Adrien Hernandez. Opting to go for a fourth and 14, Frisco again relied on the arm of Edwards, who delivered a 23-yard dart at the far corner of the endzone to McClurge. The Sugar Skulls earned great field position on a fantastic return from Carrigan but squandered the chance on the very next play, as Sanders and Sapp-Lynch bobbled a handoff attempt and ultimately lost the fumble to Solomon Wise of Frisco. The knockout punch of the evening would be delivered by Martez Carter, sweeping across the field for a three-yard touchdown rush to bring the game to the one-minute warning. Tucson attempted for a confidence-boosting touchdown to end the game - a score that could have been significant to some viewers in the audience - but were stopped about five yards short as the clock hit all zeroes. The game ended 35-18, with the visiting Fighters on top.
T.J. Edwards completed 11 of 21 passes for 109 yards, tossing three touchdowns and one interception in the Fighters victory. His 13 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown also paced the Fighters in rushing. Justin Rankin rushed ten times for 50 yards in his season debut. Phazione McClurge had five catches for 62 yards and two touchdowns, and running mate Cole Blackman hauled in three receptions for 26 yards and a score. Royce See led Frisco with seven and a half tackles to go along with a sack, Solomon Wise recovered a fumble, and Adrien Hernandez picked off a pass.
Giovanni Sanders made his Sugar Skulls debut tonight, starting at quarterback and completing ten of 14 passes for 69 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, adding 30 yards on five rushing attempts. Devonte Sapp-Lynch rushed 16 times for 84 yards and a touchdown, with four additional catches for 26 yards. Brian Smith made three receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown, while Mike Carrigan caught two passes for 13 yards and had an interception while playing defense. Derrion Rakestraw and Brayden Utley co-led Tucson with five tackles apiece in Tucson's defeat.
This was the second meeting all-time between the two clubs, and their lone meeting this season. The Fighters can now pair tonight's win with their 56-34 home victory from April 1, 2022 as the two installments of this series so far.
Next week, the Fighters (9-3) are at home to take on the Sioux Falls Storm (3-8) on Saturday June 22 with kickoff set for 5:05 p.m. The Sugar Skulls (2-9) will host the San Diego Strike Force (7-5), also on Saturday June 22 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.
6/15/24 --
TUCSON, AZ - On Saturday night, the Tucson Sugar Skulls hosted the Frisco Fighters in a rare non-conference game at Tucson Convention Center. In a game that turned out to be much lower-scoring than most fans were expecting, the home Skulls put up an admirable effort, hanging tough with the Fighters until the fourth quarter got away from them. Frisco would capitalize on those late blunders to fuel a 35-18 victory.
A promising start to Tucson's opening drive of the game got beset by a series of offensive penalties, pushing them back and ultimately forcing a 30-yard field goal attempt. The newly-signed Josh Winnett pushed the kick wide left. Taking over from their own five yard line, the Fighters also failed to score with its first possession, with a run by T.J. Edwards on fourth down stopped inches short by JaQuez Jackson, giving the ball back to the Skulls at their own 21-yard line. Tucson would push the following drive into the redzone, but again had to send out the kicking team on a fourth and eight. This time, Winnett's kick split the uprights from 26 yards, awarding the first three points of the game to the home side. Three points to nil would stand as the score after 15 minutes of play.
Frisco made its scoreboard debut on the evening thanks to a four-yard pass from Edwards to Phazione McClurge. The Sugar Skulls' woes on offense continued, with their third consecutive drive unable to cross the goal line. Winnett again came to the rescue with a 29-yard field goal that just hugged the inside of the right goalpost to trim the Fighter lead to one point. Frisco's next drive would become their second of the night to be halted, with the Skulls taking over at their 21-yard line after an incomplete pass. With moments to go in the half, Devonte Sapp-Lynch took an outside pitch and rumbled three yards for Tucson's first touchdown of the ballgame, which gave Tucson a five point lead. The Fighters stuck with it, though, regaining the advantage with 14 seconds left on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Edwards to Cole Blackman. The time remaining allowed Tucson to set up for a half-ending field goal, but the 36-yarder from Winnett pushed wide right, bringing the game to halftime with the score 14-12 Fighters. A lead, but by no means a comfortable one.
The Fighters had the initial chance of the second half to add to the two-point lead, but a pivotal 15-yard blindside block penalty forced their hand into a 33-yard field goal attempt from Bryce Crawford, which sailed wide left. Tucson's ensuing drive would follow a similar path, with penalties backing them into running Winnett out for another field goal. This 46-yard attempt hooked wide left. Frisco would finally get its much awaited big play midway through the quarter, on a 23-yard QB keeper by Edwards to give Frisco a nine point lead. After a Frisco interception was wiped off the board by offsetting penalties, Tucson found a response on a 17-yard pass from Giovanni Sanders to Brian Smith. The ensuing two-point attempt was stopped short, and the third quarter expired shortly after, with Frisco preserving a three-point advantage.
Tucson's defense had a chance to add to its impressive list of plays on the evening, forcing a fourth down pass from Edwards that was intercepted by Mike Carrigan in the endzone. Carrigan, listed at his primary position of wide receiver, infused an "Ironman" element into the game after being asked by Tucson's coaching staff to take snaps as a defensive back this evening. The Skulls got to within five yards of re-taking the lead, but pressure up front forced a haphazard pass from Sanders that was intercepted by nose tackle Adrien Hernandez. Opting to go for a fourth and 14, Frisco again relied on the arm of Edwards, who delivered a 23-yard dart at the far corner of the endzone to McClurge. The Sugar Skulls earned great field position on a fantastic return from Carrigan but squandered the chance on the very next play, as Sanders and Sapp-Lynch bobbled a handoff attempt and ultimately lost the fumble to Solomon Wise of Frisco. The knockout punch of the evening would be delivered by Martez Carter, sweeping across the field for a three-yard touchdown rush to bring the game to the one-minute warning. Tucson attempted for a confidence-boosting touchdown to end the game - a score that could have been significant to some viewers in the audience - but were stopped about five yards short as the clock hit all zeroes. The game ended 35-18, with the visiting Fighters on top.
T.J. Edwards completed 11 of 21 passes for 109 yards, tossing three touchdowns and one interception in the Fighters victory. His 13 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown also paced the Fighters in rushing. Justin Rankin rushed ten times for 50 yards in his season debut. Phazione McClurge had five catches for 62 yards and two touchdowns, and running mate Cole Blackman hauled in three receptions for 26 yards and a score. Royce See led Frisco with seven and a half tackles to go along with a sack, Solomon Wise recovered a fumble, and Adrien Hernandez picked off a pass.
Giovanni Sanders made his Sugar Skulls debut tonight, starting at quarterback and completing ten of 14 passes for 69 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, adding 30 yards on five rushing attempts. Devonte Sapp-Lynch rushed 16 times for 84 yards and a touchdown, with four additional catches for 26 yards. Brian Smith made three receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown, while Mike Carrigan caught two passes for 13 yards and had an interception while playing defense. Derrion Rakestraw and Brayden Utley co-led Tucson with five tackles apiece in Tucson's defeat.
This was the second meeting all-time between the two clubs, and their lone meeting this season. The Fighters can now pair tonight's win with their 56-34 home victory from April 1, 2022 as the two installments of this series so far.
Next week, the Fighters (9-3) are at home to take on the Sioux Falls Storm (3-8) on Saturday June 22 with kickoff set for 5:05 p.m. The Sugar Skulls (2-9) will host the San Diego Strike Force (7-5), also on Saturday June 22 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