Tavian Thomas rolls to 3 TD’s in his first IFL game

by Ben Gottschalk

The Massachusetts Pirates entered the game with an undefeated record and reaffirmed their supremacy with another commanding performance. In a Friday night clash at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, MA, the Pirates secured victory against the Iowa Barnstormers, 54-29.

The Pirates (4-0) dominant offensive performance was spearheaded by power back Tavion Thomas, who amassed 122 rushing yards, 17 receiving yards, and three touchdowns in his debut IFL game. Thomas’s outstanding performance earned him the title of Player of the Game.

“It’s an honor and a blessing to have earned the title of player of the game, especially in my first game, but I couldn’t have done it without my guys,” Tavion Thomas said. “They were pushing me all week in practice, and it helped a lot.”

Pirates defenders stormed the Barnstormers backfield all night long

The Barnstormers (0-3) started the game with the ball and quickly gained some ground, going 3-3 with two rushes by quarterback Darius-James Peterson. However, the momentum shifted when the Pirates defense sprang into action. Calvin Bundage delivered a pivotal sack on the ensuing play, followed closely by Guy Thomas nearly securing one of his own. Despite a series of penalties that gave Iowa more chances to drive downfield, the Barnstormers were ultimately stopped on fourth and 14, resulting in a turnover on downs.

“Every time I’m out there, I tell my guy Calvin to get home,” Eugene Ford said. “All that means is get to the quarterback and do what you do. As long as he does what he is supposed to do, our defense is going to have a good turnout.”

The Pirates kicked off their first offensive series with a 37-yard pass to Isaac Zico, propelling Massachusetts to a 7-0 lead with 9:34 remaining in the first quarter. This catch marked Zico’s 35th career touchdown, pushing him past 2,000 career all-purpose yards. However, Iowa swiftly retaliated with a lightning-fast response, as Quian Williams dashed 55 yards on a kickoff return for a touchdown, swiftly knotting the game at 7-7.

“Those 2,000 all-purpose yards show who he is,” Pirates head coach Rod Miller said. “It shows consistency, and he’s also been a leader for this team. He’s been one of the top receivers in this league for a while now, and he’s going to do the same thing this year, too.”

Massachusetts decided to slow the game down a bit on their ensuing drive, heavily involving Tavion Thomas, who earned the starting position over the IFL’s leading rusher, Jimmie Robinson. Thomas became the focal point of the drive, being targeted four times, and consistently gained five or more yards with each touch. However, Bennifield deviated from the pattern by executing a fake handoff to Thomas and opting to carry the ball himself, securing his fourth rushing touchdown of the season and reclaiming the lead at 14-7.

“I was just happy to be out there,” Thomas said. “It felt good because it’s been a minute since I was on the field. But being around the guys was great. Everyone did their jobs, including receivers and linemen, so it made it easy for me. I felt like a kid again.”

Once more, Williams showcased his prowess on the kickoff return, this time advancing the ball 32 yards, setting up the Barnstormers offense with good field position. However, a fumble by Iowa running back Rob Washington, coupled with several incomplete passes, left the Barnstormers with no choice but to attempt a 43-yard field goal. Calvin Bundage dashed their hopes by blocking the field goal attempt, allowing Matt Elam to scoop it up and charge ahead to the Barnstormers’ 16-yard line as the first quarter came to a close.

“Our goal was to try and get four stops today, and we probably should have more because we got sloppy in the second half,” Miller said. “But getting six stops is huge, and when you get that many stops, you’re supposed to be up by a ton of points.”

The second quarter kicked off with a penalty for defensive offsides. Immediately after, Thomas showcased his skills by evading two tackles on an 11-yard rush, securing his first career touchdown in an IFL game. This score extended Massachusetts’ lead to 21-7 early in the second quarter.

The ensuing Barnstormers’ offensive series started with a pass deflection by Julius Turner, prompting a swift timeout. Following the break, Matt Elam and Kenneth Durden delivered a colossal hit on Iowa running back Rob Washington, resulting in another timeout. Subsequently, Peterson attempted a deep pass, but it sailed well over its intended target, leading to Iowa kicker Gabe Rui’s 44-yard field goal attempt, which veered wide left, leaving the Barnstormers without any points on the drive.

On the first play of the subsequent drive, Pirates quarterback Alejandro Bennifield stepped up in the pocket and delivered a precise pass to Teo Redding. However, it grazed off Redding’s fingertips and was intercepted by Iowa defensive back Jefferson Fritz. Upon review, the ruling was overturned, deeming it an incomplete pass.

Following two modest gains from Thomas’s rushes, the Pirates faced a crucial third down and six on their own ten-yard line. Bennifield attempted a deep pass to Redding, narrowly missing their connection. Yet, Barnstormers defensive back J’Von France collided with Redding against the boards after the play, granting the Pirates an extension to their drive.

Given a renewed opportunity, the Pirates seized the moment and quickly advanced to the 9-yard line. However, their progress was halted by an offensive holding penalty and several incomplete passes, compelling them to settle for a field goal. The successful kick extended their lead to 24-7 with 4:28 left in the second quarter.

The Barnstormers initiated their drive with a seven-yard gain courtesy of former league-leading rusher Peterson. However, their momentum was swiftly interrupted when Eugene Ford disrupted a pass on the ensuing play, narrowly getting an interception.

“That was our strong point,” Miller said. “Our goal was to eliminate Peterson’s run game and force him to pass the ball. We just took away his running lanes and escape angles as well. That was our focus all week, and the guys paid attention to detail today.”

Facing a third and five, Calvin Bundage leaped over an offensive lineman to apply pressure on Peterson, prompting a quick release, but defensive back Kenneth Durden’s aggressive coverage forced an incomplete pass as his opponent was sent over the boards. Despite advancing downfield to the 3-yard line, the Pirates defense rose to the occasion. Calvin Bundage deflected a pass, leading to Eugene Ford’s interception on the goal line.

“We teased him last week about having two breakups when they should’ve been interceptions,” Miller said. “But he got his two interceptions today, and probably even could have had a third. We are happy for him, though; that’s why we got him here. He finished second in the league in interceptions last year, and we wanted him to do the same thing for us this year.”

“I played this quarterback last year, so I know his game, and history repeats itself,” Ford added. “I know once he gets pressured, he throws the ball up. So, when he does throw it up, I’m a ball hog, and I’ve got to make sure I get to it. But it feels good to make up for those missed interceptions from last week.”

The Pirates began the second half with possession and relied on Thomas to lead their offensive charge. Thomas delivered with a 14-yard run, swiftly followed by a 9-yard touchdown run on the subsequent play. This marked his second career touchdown, propelling the Pirates to a commanding 31-7 lead.

Iowa executed a methodical march downfield, commencing from midfield at 10:32 and culminating in a touchdown at 6:30. Rob Washington’s touchdown narrowed the Massachusetts lead to 31-14. However, the Pirates swiftly extinguished any burgeoning hope on the Barnstormers’ sideline. Isaac Zico’s 53-yard kickoff return extended the lead to 24 points, now commanding a 38-14 advantage.

Williams attempted to replicate his previous success but was brought down after a 38-yard return, positioning the Barnstormers on the 13-yard line to commence their drive. Despite facing two defensive stops, backup quarterback Kyle King scrambled into the end zone for a touchdown, narrowing the lead to 38-21.

Massachusetts started their next drive with possession at midfield. Following a 5 yard run by Thomas and a substantial 16 yard run again by Thomas on the following play, the Pirates found themselves in a first-and-goal position as the third quarter concluded.

Backup quarterback Connor Degenhardt stepped in for Bennifield at the start of the fourth quarter and promptly left his mark by throwing his first career touchdown pass to Dallas Daniels. This touchdown also marked Daniels’ first career touchdown reception, extending the Pirates’ lead to 45-21.

“He needed to get experience,” Miller said. “We were up by a couple of touchdowns, and our plan was to try and work a few guys in. You never know what’s going to happen in a game, so it’s great to get those guys experience just in case, especially if it’s your backup QB; getting him some reps is important.”

On the Barnstormers opening play of the subsequent drive, King attempted a deep pass, only for Eugene Ford to intercept it, marking his second interception of the night and third of the season. Capitalizing on the turnover, the Pirates started their drive with a 10-yard reception. However, a mishap occurred when the snap sailed over Degenhardt’s head. Fortunately, Degenhardt managed to recover the loose ball, albeit resulting in a fourth and 25 situation, prompting the Pirates to punt.

Iowa seized the opportunity presented by the Pirates previous drive, with King launching a 37-yard pass, which was successfully caught by Williams over his shoulder. Opting for a two-point conversion, the Barnstormers narrowed the score to 45-29 with 6:27 remaining in the game.

“It was a gamble because he was fresh off the bench, so we tried to put pressure on him,” Miller said. “He ended up getting one of our defensive backs turned around, which resulted in a completion. After that, we decided we were going to stay in the zone. That’s just the gamble you have to take trying to put pressure on a fresh quarterback.”

Iowa attempted an onside kick, and it was recovered by Isaac Zico, granting the Pirates a favorable field position within the red zone to kick off their drive. In just one play, Thomas crossed the goal line for his third touchdown of the night, extending Massachusetts’ lead to 52-29 with 4:49 left in the game.

“He’s a big-time back,” Miller said. “He was a big-time player in college at Utah, and we knew he could be something special here. It was just a matter of getting into shape and getting him ready to go, and when an opportunity presented itself, he took advantage of it. We are going to be in a really good thunder and lightning situation with our two backs.”

On Iowa’s final possession of the night, they incurred several penalties, resulting in Julius Turner sacking King in the endzone for a safety to cap off the drive. This ran up the score further, with the Pirates now leading 54-29, a score that would remain unchanged as the final whistle blew, securing the Massachusetts Pirates’ undefeated 4-0 record to start the season.