Pirates Look to Rebound against Blizzard
June 10, 2022 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
WORCESTER, MA - The Massachusetts Pirates return home to Phoenix Field at the DCU Center on Saturday to face the Green Bay Blizzard at 7:05 pm (eastern). The Pirates (7-4) continue to have the fourth-best record in the Indoor Football League this season, but they have struggled with the Blizzard (5-7). Green Bay owns an all-time 2-1 record over the Pirates.
The Last Time Out:
The Pirates held a 43-35 lead with 27 seconds remaining only to lose to the Duke City Gladiators, 51-43 in New Mexico at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Gladiators quarterback Ramone Atkins engineered a ten-point final drive scoring on a two-yard run with two seconds remaining. He then threw a two-point conversion pass to Dello Davis to tie the contest. Kicker Kevin Goessling followed by drilling the ensuing kickoff the length of the field for a "Deuce" to give the Gladiators a 45-43 lead.
Massachusetts had one final chance for victory as kicker Josh Gable attempted a 59-yard field goal. The kick was blocked by defensive lineman Mason Newton. The ball was recovered by the Pirates Martez Carter who attempted a return. Carter had the ball stripped by defensive back Roderick Chapman and DT Jimmy Thomas. The fumble was recovered by linebacker Byron Cooper who returned it eight yards for a touchdown making the final score 51-43.
For the Pirates, quarterback Talseem Wilson, who started in his first game with the franchise, finished the game 12 of 18 passing for 161 yards with three touchdowns. Running back Deddrick Thomas was the Pirates leading rusher with eight carries for 38 yards and two scores. Wilson rushed 11 times for 34 yards. Wide receiver Thomas Owens was the top receiver in the contest with six catches for 88 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, Aarion Maxey-Penton led Massachusetts with seven tackles. Fellow defensive back Cheatham Norrils had two interceptions, four stops and broke up a pass.
The Blizzard outscored the Quad City Steamwheelers 17-0 in the final quarter enroute to a 31-13 home victory at the Resch Center. Blizzard quarterback Jack Sheehan was nine of 16 passing for 101 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He was also Green Bay's leading rusher with 11 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown. Running back Tim Whitfield added 40 yards rushing on seven carries with a touchdown. The Blizzard's top receiver was Whitfield who had five catches for 39 yards. Keshaun Taylor added two receptions for 44 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Defensively, DB Momodou Mbye had eight tackles, forced a fumble and recovered another. Defensive back Tre Claybourne added seven tackles, forced a fumble and broke up two passes and linebacker James Brown recorded six tackles, 1.5 sacks, blocked a kick and had two quarterback hurries.
The Last Meeting: Green Bay 38-31 (Overtime)
April 16, 2022 - The Resch Center, Green Bay, WI.
The Pirates held a 23-10 lead after three quarters and trailing by one point with ten seconds remaining in the game, Massachusetts quarterback Alejandro Bennifield connected with a wide-open Martez Carter from eight yards out for a score. Bennifield went back to Carter for a two-point conversion pass and the Pirates led 31-24.
Green Bay had ten seconds to work some magic, and it did. Starting from his own seven, Jack Sheehan hit Dez Stewart with a seven-yard pass. With four seconds left, Sheehan threw a Hail Mary to the end zone and Stewart made the TD reception in traffic with no time remaining. Nick Jaworski added the point after making the score 31 all and the game headed to overtime.
The Pirates may have been their own worst enemy in the extra session. Corrion Ballard intercepted Sheehan but Massachusetts was flagged for nine men on the field and hit with an unsportsman conduct penalty. A second unsportsman call against the Pirates enabled Sheehan to score from a yard out giving Green Bay a 38-31 lead.
The Pirates did make a first down on its possession, but on fourth and goal at the 11, Bennifield's pass to Carter was incomplete and the Blizzard had pulled off the upset.
Massachusetts controlled everything but the scoreboard; with more rushing yards (51-30) and passing yards (180-157) but penalties were their undoing, receiving 14 for 97 yards to Green Bay's three for 21.
Bennifield finished the game 19 of 28 for 180 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Carter had 13 carries for 30 yards and Owens was the top receiver with seven receptions for 83 yards and three scores. Koby Quansah led all Massachusetts defenders with eight solo tackles, including a sack.
Sheehan finished the game 17 of 30 for 167 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He was the Blizzard's leading rusher with five carries for 23 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Stewart was his top target and the game's leading receiver with eight catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. Defensive back Momodou Mbye led all tacklers with eight solo and three assists for a total of 11 stops.
Team Stats:
The Pirates average 38.6 points per game on offense and are allowing 36.9 defensively. The Massachusetts offense averages 210.8 yards per game and is second in the IFL with a third-down conversion rate of 47.9 percent.
Green Bay averages 31.4 points per game while its defense is yielding 30.8 points per contest. The Blizzard is fourth in the IFL converting its fourth-down chances at a rate of 53.3 percent.
Players to Watch: (Indicates IFL Ranking)
At this time Massachusetts United Bowl MVP quarterback Alejandro Bennifield remains on the short-term injured reserve list. He is in the top ten in every category including passing yards per game with 153.4 which is second in the IFL.
Green Bay quarterback Jack Sheehan has completed 129 passes (4th) of 223 attempts (1st) with eight interceptions (3rd) for 1,388 yards (3rd) and 31 touchdowns (4th). Sheehan averages 138.8 yards per game (6th).
Pirates wide receiver Thomas Owens has 46 receptions (2nd) for 591 yards (2nd) with 15 touchdowns (2nd). Owens averages 12.8 yards per reception (10th), 4.1 catches per game (6th) and 53.7 receiving yards per game (4th). He is also ninth in the IFL in scoring averaging 9.5 points per game.
Pirates wide receiver Isaac Zico currently ranks tenth in the IFL averaging 61.9 all-purpose yards per game.
Blizzard wideout Keshaun Taylor has 38 receptions ((7th) for 434 yards and 16 touchdowns (1st). He averages 11.4 yards per reception, 3.2 catches per game and averages 36.2 yards per
contest.
Green Bay has one of the top kickers in the league in Nick Jaworski who ranks fourth with 6.2 kicking points per game. He has accounted for 74 points (4th) as he has made 41 of 43 extra-point attempts and 11 of 39 field goals.
Pirates defensive back Aarion Maxey-Penton leads the IFL with four interceptions. He is also second in the league with 17 passes defended and 13 passes broken up. Teammate Lukas Denis is ninth in the league with three interceptions.
Green Bay defensive back Tre Claybourne is third with 10 passes broken up and fourth with 12 passes defended. Blizzard linebacker James Brown is first in the IFL in three categories including tackles (95), tackles per game (8.5), and tackles for a loss (14). Brown also has four sacks (7th). Defensive back Momodou Mbye has 83 tackles (3rd) and averages 7.5 tackles per game (4th). Defensive lineman Deldrick Canty is tied for second in the IFL with two forced fumbles.
The Coaches:
Both coaches have a defensive perspective as they were defensive backs in their playing days.
Pirates first-year head coach Rayshaun Kizer was the Defensive Coordinator and assistant head coach for the champions of the IFL last season. The former five-time All-Arena League DB and native of Euclid, OH, Kizer played his college ball at Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio. In 2007 he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Jets. He went on to have two stints in the Canadian Football League and a stellar career in arena ball in the AF2 and AFL. Playing for Orlando in 2011, Kizer set an Arena Football League single-season record with 16 interceptions.
Corey Roberson was named head coach in Green Bay in 2019. Roberson played nine seasons of indoor football. His stops included Rapid City, Billings, Wyoming and finished in 2010 with the Green Bay Blizzard. As a coach, he spent the next three seasons as a special teams and skills position coach then took over the defensive coordinator duties in 2014. From 2014 to 2018, he continued to assist with special teams and defense.
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