IFL Orlando Pirates

Pirates Face Knight Hawks in Week 13 Matchup

Published on June 9, 2023 under Indoor Football League (IFL)
Orlando Pirates News Release


The Massachusetts Pirates look to continue their three-game winning streak and remain perfect at home when they host the Vegas Knight Hawks at Phoenix Field at the DCU Center on Saturday at 6:05 pm. CT.

The Pirates are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference at 7-3. That record gives them the second-best record in the Indoor Football League, just one game behind the Frisco Fighters. Las Vegas is currently 4-6, tied for fifth place in the Western Conference. The Knight Hawks are on a two-game losing streak.

The Last Time Out:

The Pirates posted their most impressive victory of the season in a 72-58 win over the Frisco Fighters at Phoenix Field at the DCU Center and are now 5-0 at home this season. The game featured 12 lead changes with the Pirates grabbing the lead for good with 10:46 remaining when quarterback Anthony Russo connected with wide receiver Thomas Owens with a seven-yard touchdown pass. Russo finished the game 12 of 16 for 201 yards with eight passing touchdowns and one interception. His eight passing touchdowns tied a single-game franchise record that was set by Sean Brackett on July 21, 2018 against the Carolina Cobras. Owens led Massachusetts with five receptions for 66 yards and three scores. Isaac Zico had four catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns while Darren Carrington had two receptions, both for touchdowns.

Running back Jimmie Robinson totaled 192 all-purpose yards with 11 carries for 69 yards and a score, one reception for a 20-yard touchdown and five kickoff returns for 103 yards. Pirates' kicker Josh Gable established single-game records with five "deuces" and 16 kicking points.

Defensively, linebacker Calvin Bundage starred in his return to the Pirates leading the team with ten tackles along with a tackle for a loss and an interception that gave Massachusetts its first defensive stop of the game with 5:58 remaining. Defensive lineman Ezekiel Rose added nine tackles along with a half sack and a quarterback hurry. Defensive back Chris Ingram added an interception.

Frisco quarterback TJ Edwards was nine of 23 passing for 90 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ran 14 times for 73 yards and four scores. Former Pirates' running back Martez Carter led the Fighters with 134 yards on 16 carries with one touchdown.

The 72 points scored by the Pirates tied a single-game record that was set on April 28, 2018 in a victory at Lehigh Valley and established a record for points in a home game, eclipsing the 68 scored in a win over the Arizona Rattlers on July 18, 2021.

The Knight Hawks dropped a 42-41 decision to the Tucson Sugar Skulls at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV. Vegas led 20-13 at halftime and built a 41-27 advantage in the fourth quarter when quarterback Daquan Neal hit Caleb Holley with a 44-yard touchdown pass, but rushing touchdowns by Ramone Atkins and Mike Jones gave the Sugar Skulls the victory.

Neal finished the game 16 of 21 for 228 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He was also the Knight Hawks leading rusher with 12 carries for 56 yards and two scores. Caleb Holley was his top target with five receptions for 103 yards and a score. Quentin Randolph added five catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Gabe McCoy led the defense with nine tackles along with a half sack.

The Series:

The Pirates are 0-1 all-time against Vegas.

The Last Meeting: May 1, 2022, Vegas 46 - Massachusetts 44

Pirates quarterback Alejandro Bennifield ran for three touchdowns and passed for two more, but it was not enough as the Vegas Knight Hawks defeated Massachusetts 46-44 at Phoenix Field at the DCU Center.

The third quarter belonged to Vegas as they held the Pirates scoreless while finding the end zone twice. Elad Covaliu grabbed his second touchdown pass of the game from Jerod Evans on a 19-yard catch and run and Jordan McCray added his second of the afternoon, pulling in a four-yard strike and after three quarters, the Knight Hawks led 39-30.

The Pirates came back with eight points to open the final quarter. Bennifield drove the team 30 yards in seven plays and connected with Isaac Zico on third and goal from the five for a score. His two-point conversion pass to Thomas Owens left the Pirates down by a point at 39-38.

Evans and the Knight Hawks didn't flinch. Evans drove his team 45 yards in three plays for the winning margin as he found the end zone on a 15-yard scamper with 9:27 to play to make the score 46-38. The Pirates took one last shot starting on their own 15-yard line. Bennifield completed four passes in a drive that covered 35 yards in seven plays. On third and goal from the one, the Pirates' QB scored his third rushing touchdown of the game. Going for the tie, Bennifield's two-point pass attempt was broken up, leaving Massachusetts down by two. Vegas ran out the clock for the 46-44 victory.

For the Pirates, Deddrick Thomas was the leading rusher with seven carries for 33 yards and a touchdown. Bennifield added 21 yards on seven attempts and three scores. The Pirates' QB was 15 of 21 for 172 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. His leading receivers were Darren Carrington who had five receptions for 59 yards, Zico with four catches for 48 yards and a touchdown and Johnathon Johnson who added three receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown. Defensively Koby Quansah had nine tackles.

Team Stats: (Includes IFL Ranking)

The Pirates are scoring 53.0 points per game which is third in the IFL. The defense is allowing 50.6 (12th). Vegas is netting 43.6 points per game (eighth) while yielding 44.3 (sixth). This game will feature two of the top three offenses in the league as the Knight Hawks rank first at 258.4 yards per game while the Pirates are third less than two yards behind at 256.5. Both teams throw the ball very well as Vegas is second in passing yards per game at 188.9 while the Pirates are fourth at 181.8 per contest. When it comes to offensive efficiency, Massachusetts is second with a rating of 181.2 while Vegas ranks fourth at 170.5. The Pirates offensive line is second in the IFL allowing just two sacks this season.

The Pirates should have an edge on Special Teams as they rank second in field goal percentage (.462) to the Knights Hawks .308 (eighth). Massachusetts is third in extra-point percentage (.895) while Vegas is eighth (.820).

The Pirates are third in the league on third down conversions with a success rate of 53.1. The Knight Hawks are third on fourth down conversions at 63.6 percent and number two defensively, holding opponents on fourth down at a rate of 38.9 percent.

Players to Watch: (Includes IFL Ranking)

Jimmie Robinson of Massachusetts is third in the IFL gaining 65.9 yards per game. He has rushed 106 times (4th) for 593 yards (second) for an average of 5.6 yards per carry (ninth) with 17 rushing touchdowns. (fourth).

Robinson is also fourth in the IFL in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game. His 23 total touchdowns are third in the league. Robinson is sixth in the IFL with a kickoff return average of 22.6. Robinson is also number one in the league averaging 143.9 all-purpose yards per game. His total of 1,295 yards also leads the league.

Davonte Sapp-Lynch of Vegas is ninth with 93.8 all-purpose yards per game.

Pirates' quarterback Anthony Russo has completed 136 passes (second) in 213 attempts (third) for a completion percentage of 63.8 (10th). He has thrown 37 touchdowns (first) with six interceptions and has 1,634 passing yards (first). He is averaging 181.6 yards per game (third) with an efficiency rating of 180.0 (third). Russo is eighth in the league averaging 185.6 yards of total offense and ranks sixth with 1,670 total yards.

Quarterback Daquan Neal of the Knight Hawks is 98 (seventh) of 165 (ninth) for a completion percentage of 59.4. He has 1,489 yards (third) with 30 touchdowns (fourth) and seven interceptions. He averages 186.1 passing yards per game (second) with an efficiency rating of 186.7 (seventh). Neal ranks first in the IFL with 224.4 yards of total offense per game and is fifth with 1,795 yards of total offense.

Pirates' wide receiver Isaac Zico leads the IFL with 59 receptions and 865 yards. His 14 touchdown receptions rank fifth. He averages 14.6 per reception (10th), 5.9 catches per game (firstst) and 86.5 yards per game (first). Thomas Owens of the Pirates has 38 receptions for 566 yards (sixth) with 13 touchdowns (eighth). He averages 14.9 yards per catch (eighth), 3.8 receptions per contest and 56.6 yards per game (10th).

Quentin Randolph of Vegas has pulled in 41 passes this season (ninth) for 631 yards (third) with 12 scores. He averages 15.4 yards per catch (fifth), 4.6 receptions per game and 70.1 yards per contest (second). Teammate Caleb Holley is tied for fifth with 15.4 yards per catch. He has 32 receptions for 492 yards with 13 touchdowns (ninth).

Pirates' kicker Josh Gable is fourth in field goal percentage at 46.2 on the season (6 of 13). Gable is fourth in points per game at 6.9. His 69 total points are fourth in the IFL. He is also 51 of 57 on extra points. Steve Artigue is tenth at 30.8 percent (4 of 13). He averages 5.3 points per contest and is 41 of 50 on point after touchdowns.

Defensively, Ezekiel Rose of the Pirates is tied for sixth in the league with 3.5 sacks on the season. Defensive back Harlan Miller is tied for fifth in the league with eight passes defended. Jaquez Jackson of Vegas is ninth in the league with seven tackles for a loss.

The Head Coaches:

Mark Stoute is now 7-3 as the Head Coach of the Pirates. Stoute joined the organization in June of 2021 as a senior advisor. He served as Offensive Coordinator last season.

Stoute is the fifth head coach in Pirates history and has 27 years of coaching experience in the indoor game. He had his most success as a head coach from 2012 to 2016 with the Cedar Rapids Titans leading them to four-straight playoff appearances. After an impressive 2013 season, Stoute was named the IFL Coach of the Year.

Mike Davis is in his second season with the Vegas Knight Hawks as Head Coach and General Manager with an all-time record of 10-16. Previously, Davis served as the Defensive Line Coach for the CFL's Toronto Argonauts in 2020. From 2016-2019, he was the Manager of Player Personnel for the Saskatchewan RoughRiders. He also served as the Defensive Line Coach for the team during the 2019-20 season.

Before coaching in Canada, Davis had a six-year stretch as the head coach of the IFL's Nebraska Danger, which began in 2010. During that time, he led his team to three consecutive conference championships. Davis also spent five years in the Arena Football League and was Assistant General Manager of the Omaha Beef.

A native of Blacksburg, VA, Davis played college football at Virginia Tech.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Indoor Football League Stories from June 9, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central