Panthers Travel to Pirates in 2025 Regular Season Finale
IFL Bay Area Panthers

Panthers Travel to Pirates in 2025 Regular Season Finale

Published on July 24, 2025 under Indoor Football League (IFL)
Bay Area Panthers News Release


The Bay Area Panthers (12-3) return to action this Friday at 4:05 PM PT versus the Massachusetts Pirates (7-8) in what will be their concluding contest of the 2025 Indoor Football League regular season.

As a caveat, the Panthers' upcoming trip to Lowell, MA will be their longest flight of the year. Additionally, Bay Area has never registered a win over the Pirates, losing both head-to-head meetings throughout league history.

The Panthers enter the finale after trouncing the Tucson Sugar Skulls last Saturday night, which earned Bay Area the Western Conference's No. 1 seed. However, before preparing for an opening-round playoff bid at San Jose's SAP Center (vs. San Diego or Vegas), the priority is on getting through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The Pirates had a down season by their standards. Despite winning the Eastern Conference in 2024, Massachusetts will miss the IFL playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Additionally, a loss for the Pirates on Friday-sending them to 7-9-would result in their only losing campaign to date.

Massachusetts is coming off a lopsided defeat in Week 18 at the Green Bay Blizzard, 56-27. Still, Bay Area will be prepping diligently for the dual-threat abilities of Pirates quarterback Kenji Bahar. Quietly, Bahar has over 200 completions in 2025, which leaves him second in the league.

Of course, the Panthers' defense likes their chances in any matchup. In Week 19, Bay Area is leading the IFL by allowing only 34.3 PPG. Safety Tyrese Wright ranks fifth in tackles (77) this year while defensive end Tevaughn Grant is third in sacks (5.5). Over the top, defensive back Trae Meadows paces the league with seven interceptions.

The Bay Area rushing tandem of quarterback Josh Jones and tailback Josh Tomas will see its toughest challenge yet. Jones has more rushing yards (771) than anyone currently playing while the hyper-athletic Tomas is extremely tough to square up, but the Pirates are the IFL's stingiest bunch when it comes to stopping the run; Massachusetts is surrendering just 54.7 rushing YPG in 2025.

Expect a defensive battle at the Tsongas Center-situated on the campus of UMass Lowell-this Friday evening, which of course fits the MO of both head coaches on hand: Rob Keefe and Tom Menas.

Menas has actually led a team to victory over Bay Area this season but it was not with the Pirates. Mena was previously with the San Antonio Gunslingers, guiding that group to a narrow win at SAP Center in Week 2-I'd imagine Coach Keefe and the Panthers have not forgotten this.

"The mindset going into it is that no matter who we face, we know we're going to get their best, so we always want to put our best foot forward," Panthers linebacker Wes Bowers expressed on Tuesday. "That starts by making sure we are the best we can be daily," he continued.

Bay Area will wrap up the 2025 regular season at Massachusetts on Friday, July 25 at 4:05 PM PT. Fans can livestream the action from Tsongas Center with a subscription to the IFL Network, or tune in to the radio broadcast on KNBR 1050. As always, the official watch party is happening at The Plex in San Jose!

The Panthers will remain on the road until their playoff contest on Sunday, August 3. Postseason tickets-including single-game, season, group, and suite experiences-are available now through Ticketmaster.

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Indoor Football League Stories from July 24, 2025


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