by Ben Gottschalk

LOWELL — The unbeaten Massachusetts Pirates kick off their three-game road series with a Saturday night showdown at 8:05 p.m., facing off against the Quad City Steamwheelers at the Vibrant Arena at the MARK in Moline, Illinois.

The Series: The historic series between the Massachusetts Pirates and the Steamwheelers is currently deadlocked at two wins each.

The Last Time Out: Following their initial bye week of the season, the Pirates returned to action with an impressive performance, securing a resounding 54-29 victory against the Iowa Barnstormers at the Tsongas Center on April 12th. This triumph not only extended the Pirates undefeated streak to 4-0 for the year but also stretched their home game-winning streak to ten consecutive games, dating back to the previous season.

In a notable change, Pirates backup running back Tavion Thomas earned the starting position over Jimmie Robinson and excelled in his IFL debut. Thomas showcased his prowess by rushing for 122 yards on 18 attempts, scoring three touchdowns, and adding four receptions for 17 yards. Additionally, wide receiver Isaac Zico delivered an outstanding performance, hauling in four receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown, including a remarkable 37-yard catch during the Pirates opening drive of the game.

The Pirates showcased their prowess on the defensive front by executing six crucial stops throughout the game. Leading the defensive charge was defensive back Darius Williams, who tallied five solo tackles. Guy Thomas contributed significantly with five tackles, which included a half-sack, while Julius Turner made his mark with four tackles, a half-sack, and a deflected pass.

However, the standout performances came from Calvin Bundage and Eugene Ford. Bundage demonstrated his defensive prowess by securing a sack, blocking a field goal attempt, and tipping a pass that led to an interception by Ford. In addition to his interception, Ford also notched a second interception and broke up another pass.

The Barnstormers embarked on their season with a challenging three-game road stint, and after starting the season 0-2, they aimed to win their first game of the season against the Pirates. However, they encountered staunch resistance from the Pirates’ defense and Tavion Thomas.

Despite entering halftime with a 24-7 lead, the Pirates faced a rejuvenated Iowa offense in the third quarter. The Barnstormers quickly found their rhythm, scoring two touchdowns in rapid succession, courtesy of a run by running back Rob Washington and a quarterback scramble by Iowa backup QB Kyle King. However, despite their offensive resurgence, the Barnstormers were unable to halt the Pirates’ offensive onslaught and failed to narrow the deficit.

The Last Meeting: May 20, 2023 – DCU Center – Worcester, MA

The Steamwheelers surged to an early 14-7 advantage, but the second quarter turned into an offensive frenzy. Both teams combined for a remarkable 49 points, resulting in a halftime deadlock at 35-35.

However, the Pirates seized control in the second half and never relinquished their lead, ultimately triumphing over Quad City with a final score of 63-49. Quarterback Anthony Russo delivered a stellar performance, amassing 228 yards and tossing seven touchdowns on an efficient 17-of-22 passing.

The Pirates receiving corps capitalized on the vulnerabilities of the Steamwheeler secondary, with every receiver recording two touchdowns and surpassing the 50-yard mark in receiving yards. Isaac Zico led the charge with seven receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns, while Thomas Owns contributed five receptions for 72 yards and two scores. Darren Carrington II also made significant contributions, hauling in four receptions for 52 yards and two touchdowns.

Team Stats: (Includes IFL Rankings)

Massachusetts currently averages 43.3 points per game, ranking them ninth in the league, while conceding 32.8 points per game, placing them third in the same category. Offensively, they accumulate an average of 220.5 yards per game, positioning them at eighth, while their defense allows 183.5 yards per game, ranking second. Notably, the Pirates boast a formidable rushing defense, permitting only 51.5 yards per contest, which ranks them third in the IFL.

With their strong rushing attack averaging 98.8 yards per game, placing them fourth, the Pirates are poised to exploit the Steamwheelers rushing defense, which allows 96.7 rushing yards per game, ranking thirteenth. However, the Pirates passing game may encounter challenges, as they currently throw for 121.8 yards per game, positioning them eleventh, while the Steamwheelers boast a stout pass defense, conceding just 85.7 passing yards per game, ranking them first in the league.

The Steamwheelers average 33 points per game, ranking them fourteenth in the league, but they surrender 39.3 points per game, ranking seventh in that category. Quad Citys rushing offense averages 46 yards per game, ranking thirteenth, while its passing offense averages 149 yards per game, placing it sixth.

However, Quad Citys defensive prowess is evident, as they allow the fewest total yards in the IFL per game at 182.3. Among teams that have played three or more games this season, Quad City has conceded the fewest yards in the league, allowing just 547 yards.

Players to Watch (Includes IFL Rankings)

Jimmie Robinson
Robinson ranks third in the IFL for total rushing yards, with 195. He also ranks fourth in the league for most rushing yards per game with 65. His impressive total of 144.3 all-purpose yards per contest also secures him the top spot in the league.

Tavion Thomas
Thomas’s impressive debut in the IFL places him seventh in total rushing yards this season, tallying 122 yards. His average of 6.7 yards per carry ranks sixth in the league. With the Pirates unveiling a dynamic thunder-and-lightning backfield, defensive coordinators league-wide are undoubtedly facing the challenge of devising strategies to counter this potent offensive combination.

Alejandro Bennifield
Bennifield ranks third in passing completions with 44, and his 68 passing attempts place him fifth in the league. He maintains a completion rate of 64.7%, which positions him ninth overall. Notably, he stands second in the league for total passing yards, accumulating 497 yards and a league-leading 13 touchdowns. Bennifield averages 124.3 passing yards per game, ranking eleventh, while his efficiency rating of 183.3 places him sixth among league quarterbacks.

Edward Vander and Jarrod Harrington
Vander ranks fifteenth in rushing yards this season, accumulating 82 yards, and has scored four rushing touchdowns, tying him for the sixth-most in the league. Harrington has recorded 139 receiving yards, placing him twenty-eighth overall on 14 receptions, which ties him for seventh.

The Pirates have two of the top ten receivers in the league:

Isaac Zico ranks third in receptions with 14, accumulating 202 yards, which is good for the second in the league, scoring five touchdowns, which also ties him for second place. Teo Redding follows with 12 receptions, ranking fourth overall, for 136 yards, placing him fourteenth in the league, and scoring three touchdowns, which positions him fourth.

On the defensive front, the Pirates have Calvin Bundage, who ranks fourteenth in the league with 16 total tackles and is tied for first with 2.5 sacks. In the secondary, Eugene Ford has broken up five passes this season, ranking second in the league, and leads the league in interceptions with three.

Malik Duncan of Quad City is right behind Bundage with 13.5 total tackles. Duncan’s three pass breakups place him eleventh in the league. KeShaun Moore ranks seventh in tackles for a loss this season with 4.5, and his seven assisted tackles for a loss lead the league.

Massachusetts Milestones:

Alejandro Bennifield reached a career milestone by surpassing 4,000 passing yards after his 72-yard performance against Iowa, now boasting a total of 4,062 passing yards. Bennifield is on the verge of reaching 50 career touchdown passes, needing just three more. Meanwhile, Jimmie Robinson is closing in on 40 career touchdowns, requiring only two more to achieve this milestone. Isaac Zico achieved his 35th career touchdown against Iowa, along with surpassing 2,000 career all-purpose yards, now totaling 2,053. Thomas Owens is on the brink of reaching 75 all-time touchdowns with the Pirates, needing just one more, and a touchdown reception would mark his 70th. Owens enters the game with 232 career receptions.