The Tucson Sugar Skulls pulled off the biggest win of their season, upsetting the undefeated Arizona Rattlers 42-35 at the Tucson Convention Center on Saturday night.
The Sugar Skulls looked like a much improved team from Week 1’s matchup, when Tucson (2-3) was routed by Arizona (4-1) by a score of 56-28 at Glendale on March 30.
“Our quarterback (Jorge Reyna) had some moxie tonight and was put in some spots,” head coach Billy Back said on the difference between games. “We just battled. We played as a team. We battled through adversity and finished the game. We had a chance to pull within seven (points) the last time we played at their place.
“I made a bad call and we didn’t get it done. This time, we got it done. I might’ve made a couple bad calls but the guys made some plays.”
Down by two points with just a minute remaining in the game, Ahmad Lyons picked off Rattlers quarterback Dalton Sneed in the end zone and returned it to the Tucson 10.
That small amount of time was wisely used to get to the Arizona 10, where Tucson lined up to go for a game-winning field goal by Kevin Macias, who played in college for Montana.
Macias, unfazed by the pressure of the moment, drilled in the lead-changing kick, giving the Sugar Skulls their only lead of the night at 36-35 with 1 second remaining.
“This is it, it’s gonna happen,” Macias said on what was going through his head during the final drive. “I knew it was gonna happen. I don’t know when, but I trust in our offence to get us down there. If they scored, great, but if they elected to kick it, I was gonna be there.”
Arizona attempted to find an opening with multiple pitches on the ensuing kickoff return, but the ball was eventually intercepted by Jamyest Williams and taken back for a touchdown, making it a 42-35 final score.
Defense seemed to be a major difference from the previous matchup.
The Sugar Skulls held the Rattlers to just 35 points, a drop from the 54.75 the Rattlers averaged through four weeks.
Reyna, who is from Fresno State and once played for the Rattlers, was signed to the Sugar Skulls on April 17, along with wide receiver/quarterback Larry ‘Tripp’ Harrington.
Harrington quickly became the main target of Reyna’s in the second half of the game, scoring three touchdowns in a back-and-forth affair.
Reyna and Harrington received high praise from Back, who celebrated his birthday on Saturday.
“Those are two football players,” Back said. “We got some good things in our way. Having these guys, they’re leaders. They played their best in this game. They’re not afraid of a thing. They’re helping build our rookies as well.”
Arizona made sure to start the game in a fast pace, scoring on the first play of the first drive. Sneed found Isaiah Huston for a 35-yard passing touchdown, making it a 7-0 game.
The Sugar Skulls soon found themselves down 14-0 at the start of the second quarter before Reyna connected with Alphonso Taylor for a 30-yard touchdown pass, making it 14-7 on the first play of the second quarter.
Soon after, Macias kicked a field goal to cut the lead to 14-10 with 5:38 left in the first half.
Both Tucson and Arizona exchanged offensive drives that did not turn into points.
On the Sugar Skulls’ final drive of the half, Macias’ 42-yard field goal attempt was just short of the post, giving the Rattlers the ball back with 29 seconds left.
Sneed found Trey Dixon in the end zone with seven seconds remaining, putting Tucson in a further deficit at 21-10.
Macias made up for the 42-yard missed field goal by making a 45-yarder, cutting the lead to 21-13 heading into the locker room.
Tucson kept the momentum going coming out of halftime and scored on its first drive of the second half.
Reyna found Harrington on a 15-yard passing play, pulling the Sugar Skulls within one point at 21-20 with 8 minutes to play in the third quarter.
The Rattlers then scored two unanswered touchdowns to give them a comfortable lead at 35-20 at the end of the third quarter.
Tucson quickly turned the tide and scored two unanswered touchdowns of its own. Reyna found a wide open Harrington yet again for the first touchdown, making it 35-27 with 11 minutes remaining.
Reyna connected with Harrington for a third time in the end zone when Tucson got the ball back after an Arizona turnover on downs.
The touchdown pass made it a 35-33 game with 4:52 left after a failed 2-point conversion attempt by Devonte Sapp-Lynch.
The Arizona offense was on pace to put the game away, making it to the Tucson 13 before Lyons intercepted the ball in the end zone and returned it to the 9-yard line.
The game clinching field goal and kick return fumble then followed to complete the upset.
Reyna went 15 for 29 for 142 yards to go along with four passing touchdowns.
Harrington led the wide receivers with six catches for 61 yards and three touchdowns. Taylor followed with two catches for 49 yards and a touchdown.
Sapp-Lynch got the tough yards on the ground with seven carries and 35 yards.
The Sugar Skulls will look to carry momentum into next week’s game at the TCC, where they will face the Massachusetts Pirates on Saturday at 6:05 p.m.
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