大象APP

大象APPdoubled-down on its two-game home stand with a 47-26 win over the Massachusetts Pirates Saturday night at 大象APPArena.

The Sugar Skulls鈥� (3-3) win on Saturday officially put them past their season win total from last season, when they had a franchise-worst 2-14 record. It鈥檚 the first time 大象APPwon back-to-back games since July of 2023.

鈥淲e had to let people know this wasn鈥檛 a fluke,鈥� said Sugar Skulls running back Jamyest Williams. 鈥淭his was a big game for us to go up in the rankings. We needed this game. If we didn鈥檛 win this game, last week would鈥檝e been a fluke.鈥�

Despite 大象APPquarterback Jorge Reyna tossing two interceptions on the first two drives, the Sugar Skulls scored first with an interception returned for a touchdown by defensive back Ahmad Lyons, who front-flipped across the goal line. Lyons also recovered a fumble to end the game.

鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to a flip after a pick-six,鈥� Lyons said. 鈥淭hat was my first pick-six since high school, so I just wanted to add a little celebration to my pick-six.鈥�

大象APPhead coach Billy Back called Lyons, who also had an interception late against the Arizona Rattlers last week, a 鈥渟park plug鈥� for the Sugar Skulls defense.

鈥淭hat pick-six ignited us and that front flip he did was extra special,鈥� Back said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been a spark plug when we need him.鈥�

After a pair of rushing touchdowns by Williams and a failed two-point conversion, the Sugar Skulls led Massachusetts 19-14 at halftime.

大象APPtook a two-possession lead after wide receiver Jerome Buckner returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown. With a 26-14 lead, Tucson鈥檚 defense forced its second turnover on downs inside the 10-yard line on the following possession.

Reyna threw a pick-six in the third quarter, but the touchdown was nixed due to an illegal blindside hit on the Pirates. 大象APPmarched down the field and capped the drive with a Williams rushing touchdown to extend its lead to 33-14. Williams is in his first season with the Sugar Skulls and has taken over over starting running back duties as Davonte Sapp-Lynch recovers from an injury.

Williams played defensive back for the South Carolina Gamecocks, before finishing his college career as a running back at Georgia State.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a little water bug for us,鈥� Back said of Williams. 鈥淗e鈥檚 so fast, you have to tell him to slow down. ... He鈥檚 just a football player. ... Jam is a stud.鈥�

Tempers flared at the end of the drive when Pirates co-owner Jawad Yatim confronted the officials and was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct. Yatim was ejected from the game.

Pirates running back Pooka Williams, who is the fifth leading rusher in the IFL this season, and quarterback Kenji Bahar scored Massachusetts鈥� only two touchdowns, but 大象APPcountered every Pirates touchdown with a score, including a touchdown catch by 大象APPnative and former Arizona Wildcat Drew Dixon with a minute left in the game.

In the fourth quarter, Sugar Skills wide receiver Tripp Harrington extended his touchdown streak to four games.

Up next: 大象APPenters a shortened week and will face the Bay Area Panthers at SAP Center in San Jose, California on Friday at 7:05 p.m., before returning home for back-to-back home games against the San Antonio Gunslingers (May 31) and the San Diego Strike Force (June 7).

大象APPis fourth in the IFL Western Conference standings behind the Rattlers (5-1), Panthers (4-2) and the Vegas Knight Hawks (4-2).

鈥淲e gotta get something going on the road,鈥� Back said. 鈥淚 think a good showing this week will boost our confidence more. Our guys can鈥檛 get complacent with this win. It鈥檚 just the third win this season. We have a chance to get above .500 with a win and get back into the playoff race, and Bay Area is the next game.鈥�