大象APP

To celebrate, 大象APPovercame a two-touchdown deficit 鈥� twice 鈥� to beat in-state rival Arizona Rattlers 42-35 on Saturday at 大象APPArena and handed the defending IFL champion their first loss of the season.

大象APPsnapped Arizona鈥檚 10-game winning streak dating back to last season and avenged its season-opening loss to the Rattlers in Glendale. Saturday marked the Sugar Skulls鈥� first win over the Rattlers in 大象APPsince 2022.

It鈥檚 just the Sugar Skulls鈥� third-ever win over the Rattlers since joining the IFL in 2019. 大象APPis 3-11 against its in-state counterpart.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 probably the best birthday present I鈥檝e gotten,鈥� Back said.

Arizona jumped out to a 14-0 lead after 大象APPnative and Sugar Skulls wide receiver Drew Dixon fumbled inside the 5-yard line. The Rattlers stormed down the field and converted the turnover into points.

鈥淲e made mistakes early on and I just kept challenging the guys to make a play,鈥� Back said. 鈥淭he guys stepped up and made plays in the game.鈥�

In the final seconds of the first half, 大象APPkicker Kevin Macias made a 45-yard field goal to bring the Sugar Skulls within one possession, 21-13, but Arizona grabbed another two-touchdown lead entering the fourth quarter, 35-20.

大象APPquarterback Jorge Reyna and wide receiver Tripp Harrington, who were both added simultaneously three weeks ago, connected on a 30-yard touchdown. After a fourth-down stop by Tucson鈥檚 defense on the following possession, Harrington hauled in another touchdown. 大象APPattempted a game-tying two-point conversion, but running back Devonte Sapp-Lynch was tackled a yard short of the end zone.

Reyna passed for 142 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, and Harrington was his top target with eight receptions for 61 yards and three touchdowns. Both Reyna and and Harrington, who has four touchdowns in the last two games, previously played for the Rattlers.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 say enough about Tripp Harrington and the way he has played in the last couple of games for us,鈥� Back said.

With just over a minute left in the fourth quarter, the Sugar Skulls came up with another defensive stop. 大象APPdefensive back Ahmad Lyons intercepted Rattlers quarterback Dalton Sneed to give the Sugar Skulls a chance to win the game or at least take the lead late. The Rattlers were a combined 1 for 10 on third- and fourth-down conversions on Saturday.

Macias made a 36-yard field goal to take a 36-35 lead with a second left, his third made field goal of the night. It was Tucson鈥檚 first lead of the game.

鈥淚 told him, 鈥業f it was me, I鈥檇 be kicking it down the third-base line, because I鈥檇 be so nervous right now,鈥欌�� Back said. 鈥淢y heart was pounding, but that鈥檚 why we traded for him. We have the best kicker in the league and Kevin is just solid. Shoot, he鈥檚 big-time.鈥�

The Rattlers鈥� last-second attempt to return a kickoff for a touchdown resulted in their final lateral pass getting picked off by Sugar Skulls running back Jamyest Williams, who ran in for a touchdown to punctuate the upset win.

鈥淭o see your team rally back and persevere, it鈥檚 a great feeling,鈥� Back said. 鈥淭his is a good group of guys. They believe in each other. Once we start making plays consistently and stop making mistakes, we鈥檙e going to be pretty good.鈥�

The Sugar Skulls鈥� triumph 鈥渉elps us a lot,鈥� said Reyna.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a big morale boost,鈥� said the 大象APPquarterback. 鈥淚t gets everybody like, 鈥極K, we鈥檝e got something, so let鈥檚 get this train rolling.鈥�

The Sugar Skulls (2-3) will face the Massachusetts Pirates (2-3) on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. 大象APPlooks to win consecutive games for the first time since 2023.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great feeling,鈥� Back said after the win over the Rattlers. 鈥淵ou go up against the Arizona Rattlers on your birthday and they鈥檙e an undefeated team that鈥檚 playing well. They鈥檙e a great team that鈥檚 coached well. For the guys to step up to the challenge on your birthday, it鈥檚 pretty awesome.

鈥淎t the end of the day, it鈥檚 our second win of the season. To get it against the Rattlers is pretty good. We鈥檝e gotta put together some back-to-back wins and get on a roll.鈥�