Photo: Arland Bruce IV caught two touchdown passes in the win over Tucson
Quarterback Ramone Atkins threw six touchdown passes to lead the Northern Arizona Wranglers to a wild 61-55 win over the Tucson Sugar Skulls at the Findlay Toyota Center.
In their final appearance this season on their home turf, the Wranglers came out and played a highly energized game from start to finish and were able to run out the final seconds after recovering an onside kick to earn their second win of the season.
Tucson led early, and again midway through the second quarter, 16-14 on a Kevin Macias field goal with 6:42 on the clock. The Wranglers took the lead for good with a minute left in the half when Deshon Stoudemire rushed the ball in from three yards out. A two point conversion pass from Atkins to Stoudemire increased the score to 22-16.
Photo: Nolan Susel attempts to get past 21 Ahmad Lyons
A fumble recovery by Simeon Burns gave Northern Arizona a chance to increase the lead and they did. Atkins connected with Marlon Cook on an 11 yard scoring strike to extend the lead to 28-16.
The Sugar Skulls got a last second 42 yard field goal to cut the deficit to 28-19 at the half.
The teams exchanged a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter as the Wranglers led 41-34 heading into the fourth.
Northern Arizona kept the pressure on Tucson as Atkins hit Bruce IV for another TD extending the lead to 48-34. Jayden Wickware upped the visitors concern more when he picked off a Jorge Reyna pass as the Sugar Skull QB attempted to connect with Larry Harrington.
The Tucson defense intensified forcing a field goal attempt that missed badly, setting up Tucson at the Wranglers 22. The very next play Reyna threw a dart to Drew Dixon for a very quick touchdown, trimming the Northern Arizona lead to 48-41 with 4:40 to play.
Atkins would come through again, this time a touchdown pass to Stoudemire, and a 55-41 lead with three minutes left.
Tucson on their next possession went backwards. Three plays later when Reyna was sacked back at his own 7 yard line by Kalen Hicks, it appeared that the Wranglers had the game in hand, but a length of the football field pass on 4th and 39 play was pulled in “aka Hail Mary” by Dixon to the disbelief by the home crowd and team. The kick made it 55-48 with just :51 remaining.
Still with all three timeouts, Tucson elected to kick the ball away, rather than try for an onside kick. The result gave Atkins another chance to get his team into the end zone, which he did on a lob pass over the middle to Stoudemire.
Photo: David Elder secures the ball while being brought down by the Sugar Skulls
There was no quit in the Sugar Skulls despite being down by 13 with thirty-five seconds left. On their second play from scrimmage, Reyna connected with Davonte Sapp-Lynch on a 17 yard TD pass with fifteen ticks left on the clock. Now everyone was ready for the onside kick, especially the Wranglers. David Elder went after the ball and secured it and the win.
One big key to the game was the ability by the Wranglers to protect the football. No fumbles and no interceptions were huge in getting the “W”.
Photo: Ramone Atkins walks off the field after the six point win over Tucson
The duel between the quarterbacks saw Atkins complete 19 of 31 for 222 yards and the six touchdowns. Jorge Reyna was 19 for 30 for 271 yards and five touchdowns and one interception. Nolan Susel led the ground game with 47 yards and a touchdown. Davonte Lynch-Sapp led the Sugar Skulls with 29 yards on the ground and a touchdown.
Drew Dixon led all receivers with nine catches for 147 yards and four touchdowns. Deshon Stoudemire pulled in seven for 116 yards and three TDs.
Bikembe Kearney led NAZ with 6.5 tackles and Trenilyas Tatum and Ahmad Lyons both had six each for the Sugar Skulls.
Northern Arizona (2-12) will play at Vegas on Saturday and close out their season at San Antonio on July 26. The loss puts Tucson at (6-8), two games back for a playoff spot in the Western Division with just two games remaining.
NORTHERN ARIZONA WRANGLERS 61, TUCSON SUGAR SKULLS 55
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
Tucson 7 12 15 21 – 55
Northern Arizona 7 21 13 20 – 61
Scoring Summary
T-Sapp-Lynch 8 yard run (Macias kick)
NAZ-Cook 24 yard pass from Atkins (Hall kick)
T-Dixon 5 yard pass from Reyna (Kick failed)
NAZ-Bruce IV 9 yard pass from Atkins (Hall kick)
T-Macias 25 yard Field Goal
NAZ-Stoudemire 5 yard run (Stoudemire pass from Atkins)
NAZ-Cook 11 yard pass from Atkins (Pass failed)
T-Macias 42 yard Field Goal
NAZ-Bruce IV 3 yard run (Hall kick)
T-Reyna 1 yard run (Macias kick)
NAZ-Susel 37 yard run (Kick failed)
T-Dixon 12 yard pass from Reyna (Kick failed)
NAZ-Stoudemire 6 yard pass from Atkins (Hall kick)
T-Dixon 9 yard pass from Reyna (Macias kick)
NAZ-Stoudemire 30 yard pass from Atkins (Hall kick)
T-Dixon 46 yard pass from Reyna (Macias kick)
NAZ-Stoudemire 23 yard pass from Atkins (Kick failed)
T-Sapp-Lynch 17 yard pass from Reyna (Macias kick)
ATT:N/A
IFL STANDINGS
Western Conference W-L
Bay Area 11-3
Arizona 9-5
San Diego 9-5
Vegas 8-6
Tucson 6-8
San Antonio 4-10
NORTHERN ARIZONA 2-12
Eastern Conference W-L
Quad City 10-4
Green Bay 9-5
Jacksonville 9-5
Tulsa 8-6
Massachusetts 7-7
Fishers Freight 5-9
Iowa 1-13
SCOREBOARD
WRANGLERS 61, Tucson 55
Arizona 46, San Diego 43
Green Bay 58, Quad City 52
Tulsa 35, Massachusetts 28
Fishers Freight 58, Iowa 50
San Antonio 46, Jacksonville 31
Bay Area 55, Vegas 54
