Tucson Sugar Skulls hold on for first win of season over New Mexico Chupacabras
The Tucson Sugar Skulls picked up their first win of the early Indoor Football League season and, for a while, it looked like it would be light work. Tucson led 28-6 midway through the second quarter, but the host New Mexico Chupacabras showed fight before falling 45-40. With 6:28 remaining in the game and the Chupacabras driving while down 38-34, Ja’rome Johnson fired a pass near midfield intended for Isaah Crocker in the end zone, but it was intercepted by Bri’On Murray and returned all the way to the New Mexico 15-yard line.
After Tucson jumped out to a 28-6 lead, Johnson found La’james White running free in the flat at the 15 and White did the rest, pinballing off of defenders and into the end zone to draw New Mexico closer. The Sugar Skulls quickly struck back with a long bomb from Draylen Ellis to Brian Smith. To push it back to a three-score advantage.
But the Chupacabras bit once more just before the half with a tight-window TD throw from Johnson to Cj Jefferson. Following one more late TD from New Mexico to get within five, Tucson put the ball away on the ground.