Pirates Over Storm 69-55
June 26, 2022 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
Sioux Falls, SD - The Pirates first trip to the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, SD, was one for the record book as Massachusetts defeated the Storm 69-55.
Most importantly with the victory, the defending champions of the Indoor Football League have clinched a berth in the upcoming playoffs. Massachusetts is now 9-4 while the Storm falls to 7-7. The franchise has now reached the postseason in every year of its existence. The 69 points scored are the most ever by the Pirates in an IFL game. Massachusetts sweeps the two-game season series from Sioux Falls and it marks the first time the Pirates have won back-to-back games since week three of the season.
Pirate's quarterback Taz Wilson threw for seven touchdowns and ran for two more. His touchdown responsibility of nine set a Pirates single game record eclipsing the mark of eight that was held by Sean Brackett, set back on July 21, 2018 against the Carolina Cobras.
Pirate's defensive back Aarion-Maxey Penton returned an interception 48-yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. It was the third "pick-six" in his Pirates' career making him the team's All-Time leader in that category.
This was also the best game in the career of Pirates' receiver Darren Carrington. The wideout had nine receptions for 130 yards and four touchdowns.
The Pirates started fast, taking the opening kickoff and drove 37 yards in four plays as quarterback Taz Wilson ran 14 yards to set up a first and goal at the ten-yard line. Wilson hit wide receiver Jovon Durante with a ten-yard strike for a seven-nothing lead.
Sioux Falls answered with a 21-yard field goal from Sawyer Petre, but Wilson came right back for Massachusetts, leading a six-play, 39-yard drive that featured receiver Thomas Owens. Owens pulled in a 29-yard reception to get the Pirates in the red zone and then caught a nine-yard TD pass; the fiftieth scoring reception of his career. The Pirates led 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Petre added his second field goal of the game to start quarter number two. His 30-yarder put the Storm down 14-6. The Pirates needed only one play to up their lead. Wilson found Owens on a blown coverage and 40-yards later the score was 20-13 as Josh Gable's point after was no good.
Sioux Falls had its best drive of the half as running back Nate Chavious caught a 13-yard pass from quarterback Dalton Sneed and then scored on a 24-yard touchdown run and the Storm trailed 20-13 with 9:07 remaining in the half. The Massachusetts offense could not be stopped as Wilson capped a 6-play, 33-yard drive with a one-yard plunge giving the Pirates a 26-13 lead.
The Pirates nabbed the game's first turnover as defensive back Chucky Williams recovered a Carlos Thompson fumble at the four-yard line as the Storm was approaching the end zone. Two plays later the Pirates cashed in as Wilson connected with Darren Carrington with a 36-yard strike and led 33-13.
The Storm kept pace as Sneed found Donnie Corley with a three-yard TD pass and trailed 33-20. In the final 15 seconds of the half the Pirates marched to the Sioux Falls 17. Gable kicked a 32-yard field goal and Massachusetts led 36-20 at intermission.
Sioux Falls tallied on its first possession of the third quarter as Sneed scored on a leap from the three-yard line to finish off a five-play, 28-yard drive. The Pirates kept the Storm at arm's length as Wilson hit Carrington with his second touchdown of the game with a nine-yard pass for a 43-27 lead.
With 5:52 remaining in the third, Sneed scored his second rushing touchdown of the game for the Storm with a 24-yard scamper to make it a nine-point affair. Then the Storm got the break they needed as the Pirates fumbled a snap that was recovered by Keontae Chavies. The opportunity was wasted as on first and goal from the eight, Sneed was intercepted by Aarion Maxey-Penton who made a diving catch at the two. Maxey-Penton sprang to his feet and raced 48 yards for a touchdown and Massachusetts led 49-34 as the third quarter came to a close. For Maxey-Penton, it was his fifth interception of the season.
The game was far from over as both teams combined for 41 points in the final quarter.
The final 15 minutes began with Gable kicking off to the Storm's Nate Chavious who returned the kick 51 yards for a touchdown and Sioux Falls was right back in the game, trailing 49-41. Wilson led Massachusetts on a six-play, 26-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Carrington from eight yards. The ensuing two-point conversion failed and the score read Massachusetts 55 - Sioux Falls 41.
Sneed engineered a five-play, 45-yard drive and scored his third rushing touchdown of the night from two yards out to make the score 55-48 with 5:35 to play.
The Pirates biggest special teams play of the night took place on the ensuing kickoff as Deddrick Thomas returned it 42 yards to the Sioux Falls nine-yard line. On the next play Wilson teamed up with Carrington on a nine-yard scoring play, giving the Pirates a 62-48 advantage. Sneed came right back with a ten-yard TD pass to Thompson, but the Massachusetts kick return team made another big play to lock up the game. Maxey-Penton returned Petre's kick 30 yards to the Sioux Falls 15. The Pirates advanced the ball to the one where Wilson sneaked it in to make the final score 69-55 Massachusetts. The Storm's final drive ended at the Pirates four-yard line as Reggie Floyd sacked Sneed to effectively end the game.
For the Pirates Wilson finished the game 17 of 22 passing for 245 yards for seven touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran ten times for 25 yards and two scores. Thomas had four carries for 41 yards and returned seven kicks for 128 yards equaling 169 all-purpose yards. Carrington was the game's leading receiver with nine receptions for 130 yards and four touchdowns. Owens added five catches for 96 yards and two scores. Defensively Williams had 11 tackles and recovered a fumble. Williams leads Massachusetts All-Time with five fumble recoveries. Floyd had eight tackles including a sack and a pass broken up.
For the Storm, Sneed was 13 of 22 passing for 171 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also was the game's leading rusher with 107 yards on 13 carries with three touchdowns. Chavious had 14 rushes for 73 yards and a score. He also had two catches for 22 yards and two kick returns for 66 (including the 51-yard TD return) for a total of 161 all-purpose yards. Sioux Falls' leading receiver was Tim Keith with four catches for 53 yards. Thompson added four receptions for 48 yards and a TD. Vince Sellers led the Storm defense with nine tackles.
The Pirates will continue their three-game road trip next week in Des Moines, IA against the Barnstormers.
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