Tucson, AZ - The Sugar Skulls were bested by the Gunslingers on Christmas in July night in their final home game of the season, losing 49-43.
Powerful Persistence
Quickly falling behind 14-0 in the opening quarter, the Sugar Skulls found themselves playing catch-up. At one point, things seemed bleak as San Antonio charged ahead to a commanding 42-17 lead. It's been a challenging season for Tucson, but their resilient nature and refusal to give up have been commendable traits of the team.
With just under ten minutes remaining in regulation, the Sugar Skulls embarked on a brave comeback, scoring three touchdowns during that span. At the minimum, Head coach Billy Back can take pride in his team's refusal to quit.
Versatile Vincent
Believe it or not, Tucson started their eighth quarterback of the season during the second-to-last weekend of the IFL regular season. Vincent Espinoza took the reins and impressed, scoring five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) by the end of the game. The former Lincoln University product accumulated 184 total yards both through the air and on the ground. With another strong showing next week, Espinoza could stake his claim as the Skulls' starting quarterback heading into the offseason.
Stats Don't Lie
Another game, another gut-punch defeat. Despite tightening their play and committing only five penalties for 58 yards, the Skulls suffered from a -2 turnover margin, which proved decisive. The Gunslingers capitalized flawlessly, converting all three of their red-zone opportunities. Tucson showed resilience deep inside San Antonio territory but was stopped at the one-yard line on a Mike Carrigan running play as the first half ended. A touchdown before halftime might have changed the game's outcome.
On a positive note, Tucson managed 150 passing yards and successfully returned three kickoffs for a total of 75 yards.
Up Next
Tucson will wrap up their season with a trip to Vegas next Saturday to face the Knight Hawks in their final game of 2024. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:05 PM.
