Photos: Sugar Skulls go down early, come back to edge rival Rattlers 35-28, IFL
The Sugar Skulls got down 14-0, came back to win a see-saw nail-biter 35-28 in their Indoor Football League match with in-state rival Arizona, June 20, 2026, Tucson, Ariz.
Sugar Skulls wide receiver Jaron Waters (9) snares the catch over Rattlers defensive back Carlvainsky Decius (24) in the back corner of the end zone in the second quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026. The score began the comeback as the Skulls dug themselves out of a hole to eventually win 35-28.
Sugar Skulls running back Brandon MacKey (6) yells with the crowed after he sprinted practically untouched for a score on the first play from scrimmage to start the the third quarter with a bang against the Rattlers,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls head coach Rayshaun Kizer dashes back to the bench as the clock runs out on their 35-29 win over the visiting Rattlers in an IFL game, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls defensive lineman Aaron Jackson (7) jumps in front of Rattlers wide receiver Arland Bruce IV (10) to snare an interception and choke off Arizona’s last gasp effort in the final seconds of the fourth quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls defensive lineman Djimon Brooks (44) slips his blocker to get to Rattlers quarterback Drew Powell (1) and help with the sack in the second quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls mascot Bones tries to get in the heads of the Rattlers’s special teams unit kicking an extra point early in the first quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Rattlers defensive back Yahsyn McKee, Sr. (12) gets the hit on Sugar Skulls wide receiver Jaivian Lofton (4) and jars the ball from his grip on a throw in the first quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls linebacker Benari Black (0) drives Rattlers wide receiver Arland Bruce IV (10) into the boards stopping his run in the first quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls defensive back Brion Murray (1) puts the big hit Rattlers wide receiver Corey Reed, Jr. (9) stopping his run after catch in the second quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
The Sugar Skulls fans voice their opinion on a non-call in the second quarter of their IFL game against the Rattlers, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls linebacker Benari Black (0), top, and defensive lineman Rafiq Abdul-Wahid (10) team up to drop Rattlers quarterback Drew Powell (1) for a one yard loss in the second quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Rattlers linebacker Don Willis (31) just manages to knock Sugar Skulls quarterback Ja'rome Johnson (2) into the pads just shot to of the goal line saving a score in the second quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Rattlers wide receiver Corey Reed, Jr. (9) reacts to dropping the ball that hit him right in the hands, wide open in the back of the end zone near the end of the third quarter of their IFL game against the Sugar Skulls, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls running back Brandon MacKey (6) hops into the end zone by Rattlers defensive back Carlvainsky Decius (24) in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter, putting the Skulls up for good, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Rattlers defensive back Yahsyn McKee, Sr. (12), Sugar Skulls wide receiver Jaivian Lofton (4) and the field side crowd all fail to get hands on a throw into the end zone in the third quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Rattlers linebacker Don Willis (31) comes in untouched on a blitz to sack Sugar Skulls quarterback Ja'rome Johnson (2) during the third quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
A host of Sugar Skulls stop Rattlers running back Ron Brown, Jr. (30) and nearly strip hime of the ball in the third quarter of their IFL game, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Rattlers wide receiver Arland Bruce IV (10) uses his step on Sugar Skulls defensive back Brion Murray (1) to haul in a touchdown catch during their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Rattlers defensive back Jarmaine Doubs (3) manages to force Sugar Skulls defensive back Aaron Jackson (7) into the boards after he headed upfield on a pick offin the third quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls running back Brandon Mackey (6) turns the corner and slips by Rattlers defensive lineman John Pius (33) for a score early in the fourth quarter of their IFL game in Tucson on June 20.
Sugar Skulls defensive back Brion Murray (1) can’t keep Rattlers wide receiver Trey Odoms-Dukes (4) from making the catch on a deep throw late in the fourth quarter, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls defensive back Aaron Jackson (7) and Rattlers defensive back Davontae Merriweather (8) wrestle for control of a Rattlers throw in the fourth quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026. A review of the play put the ball in the Rattlers’s possession.
Bones scrambles in the stands for selfies with the Sugar Skulls crowd as time winds down with Skulls ahead of the Rattlers in an IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls quarterback Ja'rome Johnson (2) gets an unintentional block from a game official, scrambling from Rattlers defensive back Yahsyn McKee, Sr. (12) and killing off the final seconds in the fourth quarter of their IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls quarterback Ja'rome Johnson (2), left, and head coach Rayshaun Kizer try to get the offense over for a conference during a review late in the fourth quarter against the Rattlers, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls fan Scott Toot gets a high five and a hug from defensive lineman Tyqaze Leggs (11) during the celebration of the win over the Rattlers, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls offensive lineman Que Baker-McCauley (69), left, and offensive lineman Nashawn Jackson (71) ham it up in celebration of the Skulls’s win over in-state rival Arizona Rattlers on June 20, in Tucson.
Sugar Skulls fans line up for high fives as the team heads for the locker room after warm-ups to get ready to face the Rattlers in an IFL game,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
A reenactor from Tombstone, Ariz., playing Frank McLaury performs in a staged gunfight during halftime of the Sugar Skulls game against the Rattlers, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
A reenactor from Tombstone, Ariz.,playing Doc Holiday fires the final shot of the halftime performance of the OK Corral gunfight at the IFL game between the Sugar Skulls and the Rattlers, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls president Edmund Marquez gives offensive lineman Nashawn Jackson (71) a hug in the aftermath of the Skulls 35-28 over the Rattlers,Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Sugar Skulls head coach Rayshaun Kizer talks with one of the officials during a time out in the game against the Rattlers, Tucson, Ariz., June 20, 2026.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
The Tucson Sugar Skulls have now won four straight games after beating the Arizona Rattlers at Tucson Arena.