Photo: 8 Glen Gibbons Jr. gets brought down by a trio of Sugar Skulls
The Tucson Sugar Skulls came up with the big plays down the stretch to knock off the Northern Arizona Wranglers 42-28, at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley.
The loss was the fifth in the last six games for the Wranglers, who are hanging on to that fourth and final playoff spot in the IFL Western Conference. Thanks to a San Diego loss in Phoenix, Northern Arizona is still one game ahead of the Strike Force, and would get the nod if they end up tying, since the Wranglers swept the season series with them.
First half highlights included a Garrett Kettle 16 yard pass to Glen Gibbons Jr. and a 31 yard pass to Ryan Wisniewski, who elevated for the catch and score to give the Wranglers a brief 17-14 lead. Kettle ended his night 8-15-2, 110 yards and the two touchdowns.
The teams were tied at 28 at the end of the third quarter, after a 15 yard run by Jarrod Ware Jr, who had 74 yards on nine carries.
Photo: Tucson QB Ramone Atkins gets tackled by 3 Dorian Walker and 23 Kishawn Walker
Tucson jumped back on top when Ramone Atkins hit Carri Thompson on a short TD pass. Atkins finished 9-17-0, 122 yards and two TDs.
NAZ came back and was moving the ball in an attempt to get the game tying score when disaster struck. Linebacker Julian Marcantel was in the right place in the right time for the Sugar Skulls. On fourth down, Kettle was under a lot of pressure and was being pulled down as he released the pass. The ball went right to Marcantel just five yards away, who rumbled in for the touchdown giving the Skulls a 42-28 lead with 8:50 to play.
Coach Les Moss brought in back up QB Nick Watson who completed his first two passes, and only receptions in the game by Ramaud Chiaokhi-Bowman. The drive ended after turning the ball on downs at the Tucson six inch line. The NAZ defense held, forcing a 56 yard field goal attempt by the Sugar Skulls. The kick was well short, but the Wranglers had only two minutes left to score two touchdowns. A Watson pass to Ryan Wisniewski to the three yard line set the Wranglers up with a minute left. Four straight incomplete passes ended the hopes of the home team.
The Wranglers will have this week off before hosting the Massachusetts Pirates on Saturday, July 8, at 6:05 pm in the Findley Toyota center. The final regular season game will be the following week against the Arizona Rattlers in Phoenix.
TUCSON SUGAR SKULLS 42, NORTHERN ARIZONA WRANGLERS 28
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
Tucson 10 10 8 14 – 42
Northern Arizona 9 8 11 0 – 28
Scoring Summary
T-Hall 30 yard Field Goal
NAZ-Mangan 31 yard Field Goal
T-Jones 8 yard run (Hall kick)
NAZ-Gibbons Jr. 16 yard pass from Kettle (Kick failed)
NAZ-Wisniewski 31 yard pass from Kettle (Mangan drop kick)
T-Atkins 3 yard run (Hall kick)
T-Hall 29 yard Field Goal
NAZ-Mangan 30 yard Field Goal
T-Jones 8 yard pass from Atkins (Thompson kick)
NAZ-Ware Jr. 15 yard run yard (Mangan drop kick)
T-Thompson 3 yard pass from Atkins (Hall kick)
T-Marcantel 27 yard interception return
ATT:2908
IFL STANDINGS
Western Conference W-L Eastern Conference W-L
X-Arizona 9-4 X-Frisco 11-2
X-Bay Area 8-5 X-Massachusetts 9-3
Tucson 7-5 Quad City 8-5
WRANGLERS 6-7 Sioux Falls 7-5
San Diego 5-8 Green Bay 6-6
Duke City 5-8 Iowa 3-10
Vegas 4-9 Tulsa 1-12
X-Clinched playoff spot
SCOREBOARD
Tucson 42, WRANGLERS 28
Frisco 45, Bay Area 38
Arizona 57, San Diego 48
Duke City 53, Vegas 30
Sioux Falls 47, Green Bay 45
Massachusetts 43, Tulsa 24
Quad City 63, Iowa 35
WEEK 16 SCHEDULE- Arizona Time
Sioux Falls at Frisco, Saturday, 5:05 pm
Green Bay at Tulsa, Saturday, 5:05 pm
Vegas at Tucson, Saturday, 6:05 pm
Massachusetts at Arizona, Sunday, 3:05 pm
