Sugar Skulls Fall to Gunslingers Despite Second-Quarter Surge

Tucson, AZ- The Tucson Sugar Skulls fought throughout the night but came up short
against the San Antonio Gunslingers, falling 35-17 at the Tucson Arena.
San Antonio came out fast, putting together a strong opening drive that ended with a
touchdown pass from Fred Payton Jr. to take an early 7-0 lead. They did not slow down
from there, adding another score later in the first quarter on a quarterback keeper to go
up 14-0.

Tucson’s defense had its moments early, especially near the goal line. New addition,
Charles “Chucky” Williams made an immediate impact with a tackle for loss, and the
defense applied pressure that helped force a few key stops. The offense struggled to
find rhythm, with stalled drives and missed field goals keeping the Sugar Skulls off the
board early.

The momentum finally began to shift when Tucson created a spark off a turnover.
Quarterback Tasleem “Taz” Wilson found the end zone on a short run to get the Sugar
Skulls on the board, not long after, he connected with Tamorrion Terry for a touchdown
to even the score 14-14. The energy in the Boneyard picked up as Tucson began to
fight its way back into the game.

San Antonio answered before halftime, putting another scoring drive to regain the lead.
Tucson managed to add a late field goal to stay within reach, heading into half 21-17.
Coming from halftime, the Gunslingers regained control. A steady drive resulted in
another touchdown that stretched the lead 28-17. Tucson had opportunities to respond
but fell short finishing drives. Missed field goals and offensive struggles continued to
slow the momentum.

On the defense, the Sugar Skulls continued to compete and show toughness in
moments that were needed, but San Antonio’s offense remained efficient and controlled
the pace of the game. The Gunslingers ended the fourth quarter with another
touchdown to make the score 35-17.

Tucson continued to fight until the end, but the offense could not sustain drives late, and
a final interception put the game out of reach. The result wasn’t what the Sugar Skulls
were looking for, but there were still positives. The defense showed resilience
throughout the game, and Wilson flashed potential in his first action as he continues to
settle into the offense.

Up Next
The Sugar Skulls hit the road for their next matchup, traveling to take on the Ariona
Rattlers on Sunday, May 10. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. MST.

Tucson will look to regroup and find offensive rhythm as they aim to bounce back
against a tough division opponent.