Rattlers Dominate Sugar Skulls in More Ways Than One
By Nickolas Montei ꟾ Rattlers Media
The Arizona Rattlers dominated the Tucson Sugar Skulls on both sides of the ball, pulling away early and scoring up until the final minute of the game on a safety in a 66-14 victory.
The matchup, the 16th between the two franchises since Tucson joined the league in 2019, ended with the Rattlers' largest victory in the series dating back to the two teams' first meeting, a 63-28 Rattlers win. It was also the lowest point total the Rattlers have allowed in the series, which was previously 24 points in a 2022 meeting.
The win, before a crowd of 8,004 at Desert Diamond Arena, put the Rattlers at 5-2 on the season, 4-1 in conference play. It also served as a bounce-back both from last week's 56-42 road loss to the Vegas Knight Hawks, as well as last season's 50-47 loss to the Sugar Skulls in Glendale.
Also making a bounce-back was three-time IFL MVP quarterback Drew Powell who made his first start for the Rattlers in place of Max Meylor, who had started the first six games of the season.
"Yeah, it's been a long time," Powell said after the victory. "And to be in this building, it feels good. I've had ups and downs, a lot of behind-the-scenes, just grinding. I feel like everybody forgot about me."
Rattlers Coach Kevin Guy said the decision to start Powell was based on the offense "leaving drives on the field" the last few games, and not a reflection on Meylor, and that the team may even go back to him at some point this season.
Powell accounted for six touchdowns, four of those coming on the ground. He was 13 of 24 passing for 171 yards while adding 82 yards rushing on 10 carries in what Powell called his first meaningful snaps in three years.
Wide receiver Arland Bruce gave Powell a ton of help early, ending the first half with 85 yards and a pair of touchdowns, accounting for 70% of the team's first-half receptions.
"Just sitting back and watching, seeing what they're good at, their skill set, that definitely helped today," Powell said of his receivers. "I know Bruce is good with the ball in his hands, so even if it's somebody chasing him or it's like 3rd and two, I'm going to give it to him because he's going to make the first guy miss."
To add to what was already a potent offense, Guy decided to allow kicker Matthew Cook to take a few shots at a deuce – two points that are scored when a kickoff goes through the uprights.
The result was a record four deuces − "like an extra touchdown," Guy said, adding that it was a franchise record
"(Guy) came up to me before the game when we were stretching and said, 'Be ready, I want to call it,'" Cook said. "And first kick, we decide to call a deuce, so I was really happy to see me get the opportunity and then have the confidence in me, that was great."
As dominant as the offense was putting up 66 points, Arizona dominated defensively as well, holding the Sugar Skulls to just seven points in the first half and just 185 total yards for the game.
Defensive backs Yahsyn McKee Sr. and Carl Decius recorded interceptions on back-to-back Sugar Skulls possessions in the second quarter. McKee recorded his second interception of the game early in the fourth quarter.
McKee now has four interceptions on the season, while Decius has three.
Arizona will look to make it back-to-back wins on Monday, May 18, in the opening game of the first-ever American Dream - IFL Cup against the New Mexico Chupacabras at 10 a.m. MST in East Rutherford, N.J. The game will be broadcast on Overnight.
The team will stay in New Jersey to play a second game in the unique, four-team midseason tournament on May 24, and face either the Vegas Night Hawks or Orlando Pirates.
The Rattlers return home May 30 to take on another in-state rival, the Northern Arizona Wranglers, at 5 p.m.