by Ben Gottschalk

LOWELL – The Massachusetts Pirates will head to Henderson, Nevada, for a rematch of the 2021 United Bowl, where they clinched their first IFL championship.

This time, the Pirates aim to repeat their success against the Arizona Rattlers in the 2024 IFL National Championship. The game will take place at Lee’s Family Forum on Saturday, August 17, at 4:05 p.m. EST.

All-Time Series:
Arizona leads the all-time regular season series 2-1, but with the addition of the 2021 United Bowl victory, the overall series stands at 2-2.

The Last Meeting: (7/02/2023) Massachusetts 43 – Arizona 52
In their final inter-conference game of last season, the Massachusetts Pirates faced the Arizona Rattlers at the Snake Pit, falling short in a hard-fought 52-43 battle. The Pirates started strong, with quarterback Anthony Russo connecting with Isaac Zico for a touchdown on their opening drive, although the extra point was blocked.

The Pirates defense made significant plays early on, including recovering a fumble after a blocked field goal attempt by Arizona. However, turnovers and missed opportunities allowed the Rattlers to gain momentum. Massachusetts regained the lead in the second quarter with a kickoff return touchdown by Fabian Guerra, but Arizona’s consistent offensive push extended their lead to 28-15 at halftime.

In the second half, the Pirates offense continued to battle, with Darren Carrington and Isaac Zico both finding the end zone. Despite their efforts, including successful two-point conversions, the Pirates could not close the gap completely. The Rattlers offense proved resilient, responding with key touchdowns that kept Massachusetts at bay.

A late touchdown pass to Darren Carrington and a successful two-point conversion brought the Pirates within nine points. However, their onside kick attempt in the final moments was recovered by the Rattlers, who ran out the clock to secure the victory.

The Last Time Out:
The Massachusetts Pirates secured the Eastern Conference Championship with a commanding 51-28 win over the top-seeded Green Bay Blizzard at the Resch Center. This victory marks their return to the IFL National Championship for the first time since their United Bowl win in 2021.

The Pirates offense was firing on all cylinders, with quarterback Alejandro Bennifield completing 10 of 15 passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns while also adding 11 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Jimmie Robinson was a standout performer, racking up 108 rushing yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns, plus 64 yards on kickoff returns. Defensively, Jaiden Woodbey led with nine tackles, and the Massachusetts secondary excelled with Cyrus Fagan breaking up a pass, and CJ Holmes and Matt Elam each snagging an interception.

The game began with Jimmie Robinson making a 23-yard kickoff return. Despite an initial setback, Bennifield connected with Teo Redding for a crucial third-down conversion, setting up his own three-yard touchdown run to take an early 7-0 lead. Green Bay responded with a touchdown of their own, but the Pirates quickly reclaimed the lead with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Bennifield to Redding.

In the second quarter, the Pirates extended their lead with a seven-yard touchdown run by Robinson and a five-yard touchdown pass from Bennifield to Thomas Owens. Matt Elam then intercepted a pass from Green Bay’s Max Meylor and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown, pushing the Pirates lead to 34-7. Despite a late first-half touchdown by the Blizzard, Massachusetts went into halftime with a commanding lead.

The Pirates continued their dominance in the second half. Bennifield connected with Isaac Zico for a 38-yard touchdown, and Robinson added another rushing touchdown late in the game. Although the Blizzard managed to score a few times, including a two-yard touchdown pass to EJ Burgess, the Pirates defense held firm. CJ Holmes intercepted a deep pass from Meylor in the final moments, allowing Bennifield to take a knee and secure the 51-28 victory.

On Monday, August 5, the Arizona Rattlers secured their 9th conference title with a dominant 58-23 victory against the San Diego Strike Force. The Rattlers started strong, scoring on their opening offensive possession, and never looked back. Despite an early challenge from San Diego, including a fourth-and-goal stop by Arizona’s defense, the Rattlers maintained the lead for the game’s entirety. Quarterback Dalton Sneed was instrumental, completing 14 of 18 passes for 159 yards and tallying five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing). The Arizona defense shined in the second half, with Davontae Merriweather and Jermaine Dobbs each returning interceptions for touchdowns, contributing to Arizona’s 30-8 second-half outburst. This dominant performance secured the Rattlers place in the upcoming IFL National Championship.

Team Stats: (Includes IFL Rankings)
The IFL National Championship will showcase a compelling clash between offense and defense. The Arizona Rattlers boast a top-five offense, averaging 48.9 points per game (5th) and 248.7 yards per game (3rd). They have scored the third-most touchdowns this season with 120. While their rushing game ranks in the middle of the pack with 82.8 rushing yards per game (8th), their passing attack is exceptional. Arizona averages 165.9 passing yards per game (4th) and has accumulated 2,987 passing yards this season (4th).

The Pirates are renowned for their strong defense, allowing just 199.8 yards per game, the second-lowest in the league, and conceding only 39.7 points per game, which ranks third. In contrast, the Arizona Rattlers give up 221.3 yards per game (7th) and restrict opponents to 43 points per game (5th).

Offensively, the Pirates average 42.9 points per game (8th) and 219.7 yards per game (10th). Arizona has struggled against the run, giving up 88.8 rushing yards per game (2nd most), which plays to the strength of Jimmie Robinson and the Pirates, who average 84.9 rushing yards (7th). However, the Pirates may face difficulties through the air, as Arizona boasts a strong pass defense, allowing just 132.5 passing yards per game (3rd).

Players to Watch: (Includes IFL Rankings)
Jimmie Robinson of the Pirates is the IFL’s leading rusher with 1,107 yards on 238 carries, ranking first in total rushing yards. He has scored 31 rushing touchdowns, placing him third in the league, and averages 65.1 yards per game, which is second-best. Robinson also averages 4.7 yards per carry and leads the league with 154.1 all-purpose yards per game.

Shannon Brooks, running back for Arizona, is just behind Robinson in touchdowns, scoring 30 this season, placing him fourth in the league. Brooks has accumulated 607 rushing yards (7th) on 164 attempts (4th). Additionally, quarterback Dalton Sneed is a significant rusher for the team, with 361 rushing yards (18th) and 14 rushing touchdowns (14th).

Pirates quarterback Alejandro Bennifield has completed 192 of 290 passing attempts, ranking sixth and seventh in the league, respectively, with a completion rate of 66.2% (5th). He has thrown for 42 touchdowns (6th) and seven interceptions, amassing 2,056 yards (6th). Bennifield averages 128.5 yards per game (11th) and has an efficiency rating of 168.7 (8th).

As a passer, Sneed has completed 192 of 298 attempts, ranking fifth in both categories, with a 64.4% completion rate (10th). He has thrown for 44 touchdowns (5th) and nine interceptions, totaling 2,194 yards (5th) and averaging 156.7 yards per game (7th). His efficiency rating is 169 (7th).

Wide receiver Teo Redding leads the Pirates with 56 receptions, 688 yards (13th), and 14 touchdowns. He averages 12.3 yards per catch and 38.2 yards per game. Thomas Owens is a significant contributor with 20 receiving touchdowns this season (6th). For the Rattlers, Jamal Miles has 69 receptions for 689 yards (12th) and 16 touchdowns (10th). Corey Reed Jr. adds 46 catches for 655 yards (16th) and 13 touchdowns, averaging 14.2 yards per reception (8th) and 54.6 yards per game (7th).

Arizona’s secondary has been outstanding this season, with Davontae Merriweather leading the team in total tackles with 76 (9th in the league). He also has 13 passes defended (15th) and four interceptions (12th). Jermaine Doubs has been a standout as well, recording 22 passes defended (3rd) and six interceptions (6th). He has accumulated 111 yards off interceptions, ranking second in the league, and leads the league with two pick-sixes this season.

Defensively, the Massachusetts Pirates excel with a standout performance from their defensive line. Guy Thomas leads the team with 57 total tackles (23rd in the league), 16.5 tackles for loss (5th), and 4.5 sacks (T11th). Julius Turner has also been impressive, recording 11 tackles for loss (16th) and 4.5 sacks (T11th). In the secondary, Cyrus Fagan has 15 passes defended (12th), three interceptions (19th), and has forced two fumbles (T3rd). Teammate Paris Ford has also forced two fumbles (T3rd).

The Coaches:
This is Rod Miller’s first season as Head Coach of the Massachusetts Pirates and he is the sixth Head Coach in the history of the franchise. He is also the Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach. He is 9-8 leading the Pirates.
Miller was the Defensive Coordinator for the Vegas Knight Hawks last season. His last stint as head coach was in Bismarck from 2019 through 2022 before the Bucks suspended operations. Miller was also a head coach in the China Arena Football League with the Qingdao Clipper. Prior to that, he led the Omaha Beef, the Trenton Steel and the Laredo Rattlesnakes.

Kevin Guy will be entering his 15th season as the Head Coach and current President of the Rattlers. Guy was awarded the 2021 Indoor Football League Executive of the Year, Coach of the Year and Franchise of the Year. This is the first time an individual has won the Executive of the Year and Coach of the Year. Under Guy’s direction, the Rattlers have appeared in eight championship games in the last 11 years, including winning four championships. During his 22 seasons coaching indoor football, Guy has compiled a regular season record of 250-82 (.753%). Guy is the winningest head coach in Arizona Rattlers history. In 2011 Guy earned NFL Network Coach of the Year honors after leading the Rattlers to an AFL record 18 wins.