The start of head coach Billy Back's tenure for Tucson's IFL franchise got off to an encouraging start, but the Sugar Skulls fell to Northern Arizona Wranglers in a 54-48 shootout in Prescott Valley on Saturday night.
Tucson quarterback Mylik Mitchell led the team with 98 rushing yards, in addition to completing 9 of 17 passes for 128 yards and scoring five total touchdowns; four of them were rushing.
Longtime Sugar Skulls running back Mike Jones, who has been with the team since the inaugural season in 2019, scored two touchdowns. Jones has 10 total touchdowns in season-opening games for the Sugar Skulls.
The Wranglers had 281 yards of total offense, including 212 passing yards and five touchdowns from quarterback Joshua Jones.Β Β
With a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter, Mitchell fumbled the snap, picked up the snap and avoided the sack, heaved it towards the goal line but was intercepted by Wranglers defensive back Malik Sonnier, which sealed the win for Northern Arizona β its first victory of the season.Β Β
Up next: Tucson (0-1) will face the Duke City Gladiators (0-2) in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday at 5:05 p.m., which will be broadcasted on the IFL YouTube channel. The Sugar Skulls' home opener at Tucson Arena is against the defending IFL champion Bay Area Panthers on Sunday, April 14 at 3:05 p.m.Β
