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IFL Tucson Sugar Skulls

Tucson Falls to San Diego

June 18, 2023 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Tucson Sugar Skulls News Release


The Tucson Sugar Skulls fell to the San Diego Strike Force in a hard-fought battle on Saturday night in Tucson Arena by a score of 59-54. The teams traded punches throughout the contest, but ultimately costly penalties doomed the Skulls.

The Sugar Skulls now sit at 6-5 on the season and still hold the third seed in the West thanks to a Northern Arizona loss to the Frisco Fighters tonight in Prescott Valley. The Strike Force are now lurking in the fifth spot just behind Northern Arizona and Tucson as the playoff race intensifies.

1st Half

On the opening play of the game, Dequan Dudley took back a 50-yard kickoff to the house to give Tucson a 7-0 advantage. San Diego answered back quickly with a score of their own to even it up at 7 early.

Tucson struggled in the first quarter after the Dudley return, as a penalty eliminated what would've been their second touchdown of the quarter and San Diego scored to take a 14-7 lead into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the Sugar Skulls found a bit more of a rhythm offensively, scoring a pair of touchdowns within the first nine minutes of action to cut the Strike Force lead to three, 23-20. It was a balance Skulls offensive attack, with Atkins sharing the ball to a multitude of receivers and involving both Joneses in the run game as well.

Heading into halftime, Tucson trailed by a score of 33-27 in the back-and-forth opening 30 minutes of action.

2nd Half

The third quarter saw each team scoring on their first possession, with San Diego botching a snap for the extra point on their score. Tucson's touchdown made it a 39-34 deficit with 10:28 left in the quarter.

The Skulls trailed by five, 46-41 heading into the final 15 minutes of action in the Boneyard. Through three quarters, the teams were nearly identical in total yardage at 168 for San Diego, and 167 for Tucson. Nate Davis and Ramone Atkins each had four total touchdowns in the first 45 minutes of play, trading punches throughout the game.

In the final quarter of action, Tucson allowed a San Diego touchdown that extended the lead to 11 with 8:17 left in the game. After a Ramone Atkins touchdown to make it a 54-59 game, the Skulls failed on a two-point conversion and would kick the ball back to San Diego with 4:20 remaining in the game trailing by five.

San Diego put together a solid drive that ate up most of the remaining time in the game, and a costly penalty to conclude the game ultimately made it to where San Diego could knee the ball and let the time expire. Tucson had itself in an excellent position to get a late-game stop, but the roughing the passer ended up costing them the game.



Indoor Football League Stories from June 18, 2023


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