Menas Identifies Encouraging Signs in Pirates' 35-28 Loss to Oilers
July 15, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
TULSA, OK - During a Week 17 matchup, the Massachusetts Pirates fell to the Tulsa Oilers 35-28 in a double-overtime nail-biter that came down to an unsuccessful Hail Mary attempt. While Saturday night was not the Pirates' best showing, Head Coach Tom Menas identified building blocks that the team can build off of in the final two games of the regular season.
Within the first minute of the fourth quarter, Tulsa tied the game at 21 with back-to-back scores going unanswered. The Oilers possessed all of the momentum with the crowd on their side. The Massachusetts offense needed an answer, but Kenji Bahar and his unit trotted out to the turf under 115 decibels of crowd noise.
Leading the offense to the Tulsa six-yard line, Bahar received a poor snap, having to pick up the ball several yards behind the line of scrimmage. Despite the unexpected setback, the 6'3", 205-pound quarterback trudged forward to the left side of his offensive line, fighting through a couple of defenders to reach the two-yard line. In an attempt to silence the crowd, Bahar faked a handoff to running back Pooka Williams and broke into the end zone to lead 28-21.
Following another Oilers touchdown to even the score at 28 with four minutes remaining in regulation, Bahar, with the help of Williams and a crucial first-down catch by wide receiver Teo Redding, led the Pirates' offense 29 yards down the field to the opposing nine-yard line to set up an opportunity for a game-winning field goal. Although the kick trailed wide of the goalposts, the offense did exactly what it needed to do under immense pressure.
Menas mentioned effort as a core element of the game that the team needs to build off of, pairing it with proper execution.
"Effort was there, but execution was not," said Menas. "So we have to build off of the effort part - the effort part is all heart. Now, we have to attach the brain to the heart and not make mistakes, not [committing] self-inflicted wounds ... We have to be more disciplined."
Massachusetts had a couple of chances to uphold its lead or close out the game in the second half and first overtime sequence; however, the factor that harmed the team the most was penalties. On several occasions throughout the matchup, an advantage held by the offense or defense was wiped away by an unnecessary penalty, directly leading to an advantage or score for Tulsa.
On an Oilers' offensive drive in between the third and fourth quarters, Tulsa was looking to tie, and a defensive pass interference call on third down against the Pirates placed the Oilers' offense at the Massachusetts two-yard line with a new set of downs. However, Pirates linebacker Marquis Waters hadn't quit on the defensive stand yet, breaking into the backfield to shut down a designed quarterback run for a loss of two.
One play later, Massachusetts was called for illegal defense, replaying the down and moving Tulsa back to the two-yard line. Despite a strong effort from Waters and defensive back Smoke Monday to stuff back-to-back goal-line runs, forcing fourth down, the Pirates were flagged for an illegal blitz on a successful fourth-down stop. The call granted the Oilers another set of downs beginning at the one-yard line, and Tulsa scored on their first attempt to tie the game.
Just as the offense did in the final quarter to keep the team's winning chances alive, the Massachusetts defense showcased immense effort, but poor execution resulted in a failed attempt to hold onto the lead.
"Once that ball is snapped, you have to have the brain to go with the heart, and you have to have [the players] working in conjunction with each other on mistakes and on execution," said Menas. "We're not far. I wish this season were about five more games longer. I think you'd really see the Massachusetts Pirates that have come ... Our goal right now is to go 2-0 and get in as the fourth seed. I plan on being in Quad City three weeks from now."
Heading into the final two games of the regular season, the Pirates are on the outside looking in, trailing a game behind the No. 4 seed Tulsa Oilers. Massachusetts will be critically tested in matchups against the 9-5 Green Bay Blizzard on July 18 and the 11-3 Bay Area Panthers on July 25 - contests that will make or break the franchise's 2025 season.
While disappointed the team couldn't move a step closer to clinching a playoff berth, Menas remains transparent with his players, continuing to have a positive mindset about the possibility of his team bouncing back and quickly moving on from the loss.
"Like I told [the players], we're not done," said Menas. "You have to have the opportunity, and we have an opportunity. Unfortunately, any options of having a bad game are now gone. We have to beat [the Blizzard] in Green Bay. We have to beat Bay Area at home, and we need help from other teams. We need Tulsa to lose a game while we're winning - whereas if we could've controlled our own destiny for the most part tonight, I explained that to them, and that's part of the learning process as a professional athlete. When you have opportunities, you can't squander them."
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- Menas Identifies Encouraging Signs in Pirates' 35-28 Loss to Oilers - Massachusetts Pirates
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