by Mick Moninghoff

LOWELL- The Massachusetts Pirates (0-1) will look for their first win of the season as they face the Quad City Steamwheelers (1-0) at the Tsongas Center at 7:05 pm (eastern). The Pirates will look to avoid an 0-2 record to start the season for the first time since 2019.

All-Time vs. Quad City: All-time the Pirates are 3 – 3 against the Steamwheelers. That includes a one-point playoff loss to the Steamwheelers in 2022.

The Last Time Out: Pirates running back Pooka Williams ran for three touchdowns and had 105 all-purpose yards, but it was not enough as the Jacksonville Sharks defeated the Pirates 46 – 25 in the IFL 2025 season opener at the Tsongas Center. Williams rushed for 46 yards on 14 carries and was the Pirates leading receiver with five receptions for 31 yards. He also returned three kickoffs for 28 yards. The Massachusetts defense did cause four turnovers and was led by Guy Thomas who had five tackles and a sack. Sal Lupoli Jr. also had five tackles.

Quad City quarterback Daquan Neal ran for three touchdowns and passed for two more as the Steamwheelers defeated the Green Bay Blizzard 39-37 at XUSD Field at Vibrant Arena at The MARK in Moline, IL last Friday night. Quad City trailed 17-13 at the half but controlled the second half as Neal connected with Davion Johnson on a long touchdown pass to take a 25 – 20 lead. In the final quarter Neal scored on his third rushing touchdown of the night and Johnson added a three-yard TD run in the final minute for a 39 -29 lead. The Blizzard scored eight points in the final seconds but came up short.

The Last Meeting (July 1, 2024): Pirates wide receiver Thomas Owens caught four touchdown passes and running back Jimmie Robinson ran for two scores and caught another as Massachusetts defeated the Steamwheelers 52 to 32 at the Tsongas Center. Pirates quarterback Alejandro Bennifield was 13 of 15 passing for 132 yards with five touchdowns. Jaiden Woodbey led the defense with 6.5 tackles including one for a loss.

The Coaches: This will be the second stop for Frederick Griggs as a head coach. Before coming to the Pirates Griggs was the Head Coach of the Duke City Gladiators. Including a playoff game, his all-time record in Duke City was 6 and 21. His combined record is 6 – 22.

Griggs became the interim Head Coach of the Duke City Gladiators in 2022 as the team faced the Arizona Rattlers in the first round of the Indoor Football League playoffs. He served as Head Coach from 2023 until late in the 2024 season.

Griggs spent seven years with the Duke City Gladiators as a player, General Manager and Head Coach. He helped Duke City to back-to-back Champions Indoor Football titles earning league Defensive MVP and Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. He later served as General Manager and ultimately as Head Coach.

Griggs started his professional career in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders. He transitioned to the indoor game with four teams before joining Duke City. Griggs played with the Cedar Rapids Titans (IFL), the Bloomington Edge and the Kansas City Phantoms (both in the CIF).

An All-State high school linebacker in Tallahassee, Florida, Griggs became a two-time All-American while playing safety and cornerback at NAIA William Penn University in Iowa.

Cory Ross has been the Head Coach of the Steamwheelers since the team returned to Quad City in 2018. He has led the team to the postseason in two different leagues. In 2022 he guided Quad City to the IFL title game against Northern Arizona. In 2021, when the Steamwheelers paused operations, Ross served as Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator of the Bismarck Bucks, helping that franchise to its first-ever IFL postseason berth. From 2015-2017, Ross served as the Head Coach of the Omaha Beef, earning a berth in the 2017 CIF League Championship Game.

As a player, Ross played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2006-2008. He also played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions from 2009-2011, winning UFL Offensive MVP honors in 2010. Collegiately, Ross played running back at the University of Nebraska and ranked fourth in school history with 3,472 total yards from scrimmage. In his final game, Ross was named the 2005 Alamo Bowl MVPas Nebraska defeated Michigan 32-28.