On Saturday night, the Vegas Knight Hawks defeated the Tucson Sugar Skulls 49-25 at Lee's Family Forum. The win clinched the second seed in the Western Conference for Vegas and home field advantage in the first round of the IFL playoffs.
Quarterback
Ja'Rome Johnson threw five touchdown passes and ran for two more, while wide receivers
Quentin Randolph and
CJ Windham each had two receiving touchdowns. The Knight Hawks defense forced three turnovers.
The game got started early with a touchdown pass from Johnson to
Trevon Van on only the third play of the game. On the next series, following a Tucson turnover on downs, Johnson threw his 40
th touchdown pass of the year to Randolph to make it 14-0 Knight Hawks.
With that touchdown pass, Johnson established a new Knight Hawks single-season record for touchdown passes.
Tucson made their way onto the scoreboard with a field goal attempt midway through the first quarter to make it 14-3. The first quarter ended on a
Darius Williams interception off a
Malik Hausman tip.
On the first play of the second quarter, Johnson found Windham streaking to the endzone raising the score to 21-3. Tucson gave the ball right back to Vegas, fumbling near the endzone.
The Knight Hawks failed to capitalize on the fumble recovery. When Tucson got the ball back, they recorded their first touchdown of the night, a seven-yard Devonte Sapp-Lynch touchdown run.
With 10-seconds left in the half Sapp-Lynch caught a touchdown pass, and then Tucson converted the 2-point attempt to make it 21-18.
On the final play of the half, Johnson found Randolph on a Hail Mary touchdown pass as time expired. The first half ended with Vegas ahead 28-18.
The Sugar Skulls received the ball to start the second half. The Sugar Skulls offense marched down the field and scored a rushing touchdown to open the half. Vegas answered on their next two drives with two rushing touchdowns courtesy of Johnson.
Hausman recorded an interception in the endzone late in the second half, returning it to the Tucson 15-yard line. On the next play Windham recorded his second touchdown catch of the game.
The Knight Hawks will face the Arizona Rattlers next Saturday in the first round of the IFL Playoffs. Full details will be announced Monday.
