Pirates Defeat Jacksonville, Putting an End to Their Three-Game Losing Streak
June 28, 2024 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Massachusetts Pirates ended their three-game losing streak by defeating the Jacksonville Sharks 44-30 at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday night in Jacksonville.
Jimmie Robinson's impressive performance continued to shine as he amassed 109 rushing yards, caught four passes for 36 yards, and scored three touchdowns, crucial in propelling the Pirates passed the Sharks. Defensively, Cyrus Fagan was a standout, recording six tackles, including one for a loss of two yards, along with an interception and two pass breakups, effectively shutting down Jacksonville's offense on multiple occasions.
The Pirates started with the ball in excellent field position after Jimmie Robinson returned the opening kickoff for 33 yards, setting up the Massachusetts offense on the Jacksonville 19-yard line. However, the Sharks defense came out strong, stopping them three times and forcing a short-field goal attempt. The recently acquired Henry Nell successfully kicked his first field goal since returning to the IFL, giving the Pirates an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter.
Jacksonville started their drive with a big play as Fred Payton Jr. connected with Jaedon Stoshak for a 14-yard gain. Two plays later, Payton rolled out to his right and found Stoshak again for a 12-yard gain. Then, Payton pitched the ball to running back Joshua Mack, who fumbled but quickly recovered the ball and sprinted to the end zone. This score put Jacksonville ahead 6-3. Although they missed the extra point, Kevin Didio-Weber compensated by hitting a deuce on the kickoff, extending the Sharks lead to 8-3.
To start the ensuing drive, Jacksonville's defensive backs forced two incomplete passes as Alejandro Bennifield struggled to find an open target. However, on third-and-10, backed up in their own end zone, Bennifield connected with Teo Redding for a quick 16-yard gain. Shortly after, Robinson broke free for a 10-yard run. On the next play, Bennifield found Redding again, who ran into the end zone from 16 yards out, putting the Pirates back in front 10-8 with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Sharks responded with a drive that began with a 17-yard run by Payton as the first quarter ended. At the start of the second quarter, the Pirates' defense forced two incompletions, leading to a fourth-and-1 situation in the red zone. The Sharks chose to go for it, with Payton targeting Breon Michel in the end zone, but CJ Holmes knocked the ball out of his hands, resulting in a turnover on downs with the Pirates taking over at their eight-yard line.
The Pirates next drive featured Robinson prominently, with back-to-back rushes of six and 12 yards. Two plays later, Robinson dove into the end zone on a six-yard touchdown run, increasing the Massachusetts lead to 17-8 with 7:51 left in the second quarter.
Jacksonville continued their aerial assault, with Payton connecting with Michel for an eight-yard gain, followed by a 14-yard catch and run by Mack. A defensive pass interference penalty on Cyrus Fagan brought Jacksonville to the four-yard line. However, the Massachusetts defense held firm as Jaiden Woodbey tackled Payton in the backfield on first-and-goal, and Fagan deflected passes on both second and third down. Jacksonville then brought on the special teams unit, and Didio-Weber made the chip-shot field goal on fourth down, making it a one-score game at 17-11, with the Pirates still leading.
As the second quarter neared its end, Darren Carrington stepped out of bounds after a 12-yard gain, followed by an impressive 11-yard run by Robinson, who broke four tackles. Bennifield then faked a pitch to Robinson and found Thomas Owens streaking in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, extending the Pirates lead to 24-11 with 48 seconds remaining in the first half.
With less than a minute remaining in the first half, the Sharks drive started with Woodbey wrapping up Isaiah Johnson at the line of scrimmage for no gain on first down. Adam Plant Jr. then swatted down a pass on second down. On third down, Payton scrambled for eight yards, paving the way for a swift out-of-bounds pass to Stoshak for an extra five yards. Subsequently, Didio-Weber was called in for a 33-yard field goal, which he executed successfully, cutting the Massachusetts lead to 24-14 as the first half came to a close.
Jacksonville started the second half with possession, but their drive began with Sam Montgomery sacking Payton on first down, resulting in a loss of three yards. The Pirates' defense then forced an incomplete pass on second down, with Fagan knocking the ball away. On third and long, another incomplete pass forced the Sharks to attempt a field goal from their own one-yard line. The kick fell short and was returned by Robinson, who nearly ran the length of the field, going 56 yards, before being tackled at the two-yard line. On first down in the red zone, Bennifield waltzed into the endzone untouched on a two-yard rush, furthering the Pirates lead 31-14.
Jacksonville started their drive with a quick two-yard gain on a Mack rush but followed it with an incompletion. On third down, Payton found Stoshak for a significant 27-yard catch-and-run. In the red zone on first down, Payton targeted Stoshak in the endzone, but Fagan intercepted the pass and brought it back to the four-yard line.
The following Massachusetts drive started with two modest gains and an incomplete pass, leading to a critical fourth-and-1 situation. The Pirates called a timeout to deliberate whether to go for it, but they ultimately opted for a 47-yard field goal attempt, which missed wide left. With a renewed possession deep in their own endzone, Payton unleashed a deep pass to DJ Stubbs, who sprinted 40 yards for a touchdown, swiftly reducing the Pirates' lead to 31-21.
The Pirates started their drive from midfield, relying heavily on Robinson. He gained four yards rushing and then added 12 yards on a reception. On first-and-goal, Bennifield faked the handoff to Robinson, who ran a flat route and made a spectacular leaping touchdown catch. The touchdown extended the Pirates lead to 37-21, despite the missed extra point as the third quarter came to a close.
Payton started the subsequent Jacksonville drive with an 11-yard scramble. He then connected with Mack for a gain of eight yards, followed by another 13-yard run by Payton, advancing the Sharks offense to the 11-yard line. The Pirates' defense tightened up with two consecutive stops, setting up a third-and-9 situation. However, Payton lofted the ball just over Fagan's outstretched hands to find Stoshak in the back of the endzone for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Didio-Weber hit another deuce on the kickoff, narrowing the Massachusetts lead to seven at 37-30 with just under ten minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Massachusetts started its drive with an 11-yard pass to Robinson. However, an ineligible receiver penalty on the next play pushed the Pirates back to their own 10-yard line, facing a first-and-15. Bennifield then connected with Redding for a 15-yard gain, advancing Massachusetts to the Jacksonville 24-yard line. A pass interference penalty against Jacksonville moved the Pirates to the two-yard line, where Bennifield rushed into the endzone, making it a 14-point lead, 44-30, with 3:37 left in the fourth quarter.
Stoshak ran back the kickoff 30 yards, positioning Jacksonville at their own 20-yard line. Payton completed a seven-yard pass to Michel, followed by a five-yard throw to Mack for a Sharks first down. The Pirates' defense then forced two incomplete passes, setting up a crucial third-and-eight with one minute left. Payton attempted a pass to Stoshak in the back of the endzone, but it sailed over his reach, bringing up fourth down. Payton's next pass to Mack went out of bounds, resulting in a turnover on downs.
The Pirates took a knee to run out the remainder of the game, securing a return to the win column with a decisive 44-30 victory over the Jacksonville Sharks.
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