Sugar Skulls host Northern Arizona tomorrow in a matchup of opposing forces
By Kevin Murphy
The matchup tomorrow between Tucson and Northern Arizona is the third and final of the season. (Sugar Skulls photo)
Tucson looks to avenge a 36-21 loss on May 14 at Northern Arizona when the Sugar Skulls take on the Wranglers for a third and final time tomorrow at Tucson Arena.
The game will be a battle of equal and opposite forces. Tucson has the second highest-scoring offense in the league, and Northern Arizona has the best defense in the IFL.
This time around, the Wranglers defense will have to deal with Tucson quarterback Daquan Neal. His absence was apparent in the Sugar Skull's loss to the Wranglers on May 14 as he tried out with the Indianapolis Colts.
Neal had a combined seven touchdowns in Tucson's 72-62 win over Northern Arizona on April 23 at Tucson Arena.
The 72 points marked a franchise record in scoring for the Sugar Skulls, and the 134 combined points were also a franchise record.
Northern Arizona comes into the game tomorrow on a four-game winning streak with a 7-2 record.
The Wranglers are tied for first in the Western Conference with the Arizona Rattlers. Tucson is in third place, with a 5-4 record.
While Tucson has struggled on defense all season, there were signs of improvement in last Saturday's win at San Diego.
Rayshad Jackson and Maurice Jackson had two sacks each, Bikembe Kearney had 10 tackles, and Cam Gaddis, a former Santa Rita standout and Pima College graduate, had six tackles before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with an injury.
The Sugar Skulls (5-4) play tomorrow against the Northern Arizona Wranglers (7-2) at Tucson Arena on U.S. Military Appreciation Night. Kickoff is at 6:05 p.m.
FOLLOW @KEVINMURFEE ON TWITTER!
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com writing intern Kevin Murphy was born and raised in Tucson, and has followed Arizona Wildcats athletics since childhood. Murphy is a journalist product manager with the Green Valley News & the Sahuarita Sun. He is currently attending the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU where he is working towards a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication and Media Studies.
Related Items:Daquan Neal, IFL, Indoor Football League, Northern Arizona Wranglers, Tucson Sugar Skulls
Sugar Skulls fire head coach, general manager Dixie Wooten
Sugar Skulls fall to Northern Arizona in Western Conference playoffs
Sugar Skulls enter playoffs with franchise record in wins
2022 4A Baseball/Softball All-Stars
Arizona powers past ASU to stay alive in Pac-12 tournament