Rattlers Ride Momentum into Sugar Skulls Rubber Match

By Gage Gastley ꟾ Rattlers Media

An object in motion that stays in motion is the definition of momentum.

The Arizona Rattlers have been generating momentum the last two weeks with back-to-back games scoring more than 60 points and holding opponents under 40.

The next step is to keep it going when they take on the Tucson Sugar Skulls Saturday at 6 p.m. MST at Desert Diamond Arena. The game will be broadcast on Yahoo! Sports.

The stakes are high for both teams. The Rattlers are still in the hunt for a No. 2 seed in the Western Conference which would get them a home playoff game. The Sugar Skulls are trying to nail down their first playoff berth since 2023 as the No. 4 seed.

The Rattlers made a statement on Monday by going on the road to defeat then-first-place San Diego, 65-36. Quarterback Max Meylor earned IFL Offensive Player of the Week honors with a six-touchdown performance, five passing, one rushing. The Sugar Skulls, on the other hand, are coming off a bye week after a surprising loss against Northern Arizona the week before. 

"I was really pleased with how we played," said Head Coach Kevin Guy. "Our defense is playing really well. Our offense has made a big jump in the last few weeks. A lot of that is just getting some guys back in the lineup."

After the two 60-point games, the Rattlers are now third in the league in scoring at 50.1 points per game. Meylor, who was relegated to the bench for six games after starting the first six, has come back strong, throwing for 353 yards and nine touchdowns in the last two games. He has also rushed for three touchdowns.

Defensively, the Rattlers lead the league in scoring defense, total defense and interceptions with 26. Rookie defensive back Yahsyn McKee Sr. leads the league with nine including one that he returned for a touchdown again the Strike Force on Monday. McKee was named Defensive Player of The Week.  

The last two games between the teams confirmed that records and past history can be thrown out the window in the rivalry. The Rattlers handed Tucson a 66-14 beat down in the team's first meeting in May only to have the Sugar Skulls take a 35-28 victory in Tucson three weeks ago.

"When we played them the first time, they were having trouble with injuries. We definitely were when we played them down in Tucson," Guys said. "So you never know what's going on with the teams at the particular time that you play them."

The Rattlers already clinched a playoff berth. Now it is about getting the home field advantage in a first-round game.

"Hopefully we can finish strong and have some momentum going into the playoffs. But we needed to get over that hump of learning how to play and win on the road," Guy said.