Freight Lose Hard-Fought Battle in Massachusetts
April 12, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Fishers Freight News Release
FISHERS - The Fishers Freight took their undefeated record on the road to Lowell, MA, to take on the Massachusetts Pirates. It was an offensive showcase in the first half and the Massachusetts Pirates would never relinquish the lead and hold on for a 50-47 win.
FIRST QUARTER
The Pirates took their first drive down for a TD off the back of a crucial pass interference call on third down against the Freight. The Pirates would score on a QB sneak and make the game 7-0.
It would not take long for the Freight to respond as Jiya Wright took the first play from scrimmage down to the five-yard line with this incredible hurdle. Wright would later punch it in on the sneak to cut the deficit to one after a Michael Baloga missed field goal.
Massachusetts would respond with a deep touchdown on 4th and 6, as Theo Redding would come down with the ball in triple coverage.
The Freight offense wouldn't even touch the football before their next score as Devin Hafford would take it to the house on the kickoff for the first-ever kick return touchdown in team history.
The quarter would end with the Pirates up one, 14-13.
SECOND QUARTER
The Pirates would start the quarter off with another rushing touchdown to put them up 21-13.
After another strong return by the Freight special teams unit, the offense only took one play to score as Shavarez Smith caught the deflection from Matt Elam. After another Michael Baloga missed field goal, the Freight would trail 21-19.
Isaiah Coulter would come down and score on the ensuing Pirates possession after the kickoff for the Freight would hit the scoreboard in the Tsongas Arena.
With just over 3:30 on the clock, the Freight would punch it on another Jiya Wright tush push touchdown. The ensuing two-point try would fail, and the Pirates would lead 27-25.
A third Pirates QB sneak would give them a 33-25 lead with just under a minute remaining in the half. An incomplete pass to J.T. Stokes on an untimed down would end the first half with Massachusetts up by eight points.
THIRD QUARTER
Devin Hafford picked up right where he left off as he took the opening kickoff of the second half the entire length of the field for a 58-yard kick return TD. The two-point conversion would fail for the Freight, and they would start the half down 33-31 after the Hafford kick return TD.
The Pirates close out the third quarter with another tush push touchdown and lead after 45 minutes by a score of 40-31.
FOURTH QUARTER
Keegan Shoemaker replaced Jiya Wright for the Freight to start the fourth quarter and didn't waste any time. On a 4th and 5, Shoemaker found J.T. Stokes for the first passing touchdown of Shoemaker's IFL career. Baloga would make the extra point to cut the deficit 40-38.
The Freight would receive a point on the kickoff as the Pirates did not get the ball out of the end zone, but Aaron Jackson would be called for unnecessary roughness, bringing the ball out to the 20 for the Pirates. Massachusetts would drive down, and Thomas Owens would score his first receiving touchdown of the season to put the Pirates up 47-39.
After a failed Freight drive, Shawn Steele would give his offense back the football with his first interception of the season. That would set up Keegan Shoemaker and the offense to drive down and tie the game on a Jon Lewis receiving touchdown and Shavarez Smith two-point conversion, the first successful conversion for the Freight in this game.
With 58 seconds remaining, the Pirates would get the ball into field goal range, thanks to a long reception by Pooka Williams. Josh Gable would end the game by kicking a successful 22-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Pirates their first win of the season by a score of 50-47.
Indoor Football League Stories from April 12, 2025
- Barnstormers Fall to Steamwheelers on the Road - Iowa Barnstormers
- Freight Lose Hard-Fought Battle in Massachusetts - Fishers Freight
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