Pirates Roll over Quad City, Punching Their Ticket to 2024 IFL Playoffs

Sports stats



IFL Massachusetts Pirates

Pirates Roll over Quad City, Punching Their Ticket to 2024 IFL Playoffs

July 6, 2024 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release


LOWELL, Mass. - The Massachusetts Pirates clinched a spot in the playoffs by defeating the Quad City Steamwheelers 52-35 in their final regular-season home game on a Monday night at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.

Alejandro Bennifield led the offense with 132 passing yards and five touchdowns, completing 13 of 15 passes. Thomas Owens caught four passes for 36 yards, all resulting in touchdowns, while Jimmie Robinson excelled in the running game with 65 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

Defensively, Jaiden Woodbey stepped up in Calvin Bundage's absence with a game-high seven tackles, including one for a loss, and two pass breakups. The defensive backs from Massachusetts played a significant role in Judd Erickson's poor passing performance. Devin Hafford, Cyrus Fagan, and CJ Holmes each recorded two pass breakups. Erickson finished the game with 66 passing yards and two touchdowns on 11 of 28 passing attempts.

"Woodbey's been very steady the last couple of weeks that he's played linebacker," head coach Rod Miller said. "He got the full nod tonight, and he and Calvin split a little bit last week. But he got the full nod tonight, and he took advantage of the opportunity, and that's what we wanted. So, he came in and stepped in-it's like he was a starter-and played very well."

Quad City started the game with possession, but the Pirates' defense came out strong, forcing a fourth-and-15 situation. The Steamwheelers kicker, Kyle Kaplan, successfully kicked a 41-yard field goal, giving Quad City an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter.

Jimmie Robinson ran the kickoff back for 26 yards, setting up the drive with two consecutive rushes that netted him a total of five yards. On third-and-5, Alejandro Bennifield found Hassan Beydoun for an eight-yard reception, securing a first down for Massachusetts. Bennifield then scrambled for 12 yards on a quarterback sneak before Jimmie Robinson dashed three yards for a touchdown. Despite Henry Nell's missed extra point attempt, the touchdown gave the Pirates a 6-3 lead.

"Robinson is the model of consistency," Miller said. "I say every week that he's one of the best players in the league and that he's the best back in the league. He shows up every week, not just here and there; he's consistent. And if he keeps playing like that, we're riding his team on his back, and he's taking us a long way."

Quad City answered with a four-yard rush by Judd Erickson to start their possession. A pass interference penalty against Massachusetts advanced the Steamwheelers to the Massachusetts 11-yard line. Three plays later, Erickson connected with Ka'Ron Ashley for a touchdown, allowing Quad City to regain the lead at 10-7.

In just three plays, the Pirates countered with a touchdown. It started with a six-yard pass to Teo Redding, followed by a five-yard rush by Robinson. Bennifield then connected with Robinson for a 15-yard touchdown, giving Massachusetts a 13-10 lead as the first quarter came to a close. This touchdown also marked Robinson's 60th career touchdown.

"We're using everything we can for momentum," Miller said. "We're talking about just playing sharp in all three phases for the whole game. And if we get opportunities to capitalize, then we have to capitalize on them. Our Focus has been to capitalize on as many opportunities as we can."

Buoyed by Robinson's touchdown, the Pirates capitalized on the momentum. As the second quarter began, the Steamwheelers started their drive with an eight-yard rush by Edward Vander, but Paris Ford tackled Warren Newman III two yards behind the line on the subsequent play. The Pirates' defense then pressured the Steamwheelers into two incomplete passes, with Jaiden Woodbey deflecting one on fourth down, resulting in a turnover on downs.

Right after the crucial fourth-down stop, Robinson sprinted 26 yards for a touchdown, giving the Pirates a 20-10 lead. This marked Robinson's third touchdown of the game and his 50th rushing touchdown of his career. However, Quad City swiftly answered back. Jarrod Harrington returned the kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown, narrowing the Massachusetts lead to 20-17. This touchdown was Harrington's fourth kickoff return for a touchdown this season.

"We didn't like giving up that long kickoff return," Miller said. "Of course, we don't want to do that. But special teams-wise, all those points add up."

However, Massachusetts started their drive with a 36-yard pass to Darren Carrington, setting up a first-and-goal at the four-yard line for the Pirates. Shortly afterward, Bennifield found Thomas Owens for a three-yard touchdown, extending the Pirates lead to 27-17.

The Pirates showcased strong defense, forcing Quad City to attempt a fourth-down conversion. Cyrus Fagan deflected the pass on fourth down, but a penalty against him granted the Steamwheelers a new set of downs. On first down, Newman was tackled again in the backfield, this time by Israel Antwine. Erickson completed a pass to Keyvan Rudd for an eight-yard gain, followed by an incomplete pass, leading to another fourth down. Quad City then turned to Kaplan, who successfully kicked a 20-yard field goal, reducing the Massachusetts lead to 27-20, a single-score difference.

"You know, we fought through, and that was a hard drive, and the guys stepped up," Miller said. "I won't tell them to stop playing because they give us a penalty. In my opinion, we keep playing. The guys never lost intensity or focus. And that was our main thing, to keep playing."

With 1:29 left in the first half, Massachusetts started their drive. As the clock ticked down, Bennifield attempted a deep pass but was intercepted by Quad City defensive back Darreon Jackson, marking Bennifield's fifth interception of the season. The Steamwheelers then turned to Kaplan again to narrow the deficit, but his 37-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left as the first half came to a close.

The Pirates opened the second half with possession of the ball, starting with an eight-yard run by Robinson and then a 14-yard reception by Hassan Beydoun. The drive concluded with an 11-yard touchdown catch by Thomas Owens, extending the Pirates lead to 35-20 after Henry Nell executed a dropkick for two points on the extra point attempt. This touchdown marked Owens' 80th career touchdown reception.

"We got the dropkick, and his PATs have been nearly perfect," Miller said. "It's critical that Nell is being consistent, especially on PATs. That's what you really ask for your kicker to be really consistent in the PATs and everything else we will take as a bonus."

Quad City started the second half with a five-yard rush by Vander, but on the next play, Julius Turner sacked Erickson for a seven-yard loss. Erickson then completed a 15-yard pass to Rudd for a first down, but Turner quickly responded with a three-yard tackle for a loss on the next play. After two incompletions, the Steamwheelers opted for Kaplan to attempt a 24-yard field goal, which he missed, resulting in a turnover on downs.

For the first time in the game, the Pirates offense was halted. Bennifield gained five yards on a rush, followed by a two-yard run by Robinson. On third down, Bennifield was sacked by Jaylin Swan for a loss of 10 yards, prompting Nell to attempt a 64-yard field goal on the next play, which he missed.

Quad City swiftly scored on the ensuing drive as Edward Vander rushed for a 30-yard touchdown in one play. The Steamwheelers opted for a two-point conversion, which was successful as Vander ran it into the end zone again. With the touchdown and the two-point conversion, the score narrowed to a one-score lead for the Pirates, 36-28, with 3:54 remaining in the third quarter.

Bennifield nearly broke free for a touchdown on a quarterback sneak, scrambling for 15 yards before being brought down by Quad City defensive back Dreko Statham with a shoestring tackle. Two short runs by Robinson and a false start penalty set the Pirates back, facing a third-and-eight at the ten-yard line. Bennifield connected with Beydoun for a four-yard gain, and on fourth-and-4, Bennifield found Owens in the back of the end zone for his third touchdown of the game, extending Massachusetts' lead to 42-28 as the third quarter came to a close.

The Pirates had Quad City pinned deep, but on third and 21, Erickson found Rudd for a completion. Rudd fumbled, and Newman recovered after the ball bounced favorably towards him. Erickson then rushed for 14 yards on fourth-and-7, securing a first down for the Steamwheelers. Two plays later, Quad City scored as Erickson connected with Newman once more, narrowing the Pirates lead to 42-35.

After Robinson returned the kickoff 29 yards, the Pirates began their drive near midfield. Bennifield completed a six-yard pass to Carrington, and on the next play, he found Owens for a 16-yard touchdown. This marked Owens' fourth and final receiving touchdown of the game, extending the Pirates lead to 49-35.

"The 81 touchdowns tell you he's been a big part of this organization ever since he's been here," Miller said. "We're going to use him just like the rest of the guys. Once we get Zico back, we'll have a good crew to keep counting on. Those guys are showing up, and we need them to show up every game."

Massachusetts unleashed a stifling defense that shut down the Quad City offense. Initially, Fagan disrupted a pass aimed at Newman, followed by Paris Ford breaking up a pass intended for Vander. Despite Vander's subsequent six-yard rush, Quad City opted to go for it on fourth down, only for Woodbey to deflect the pass once again, resulting in a turnover on downs.

The Pirates then focused on running down the clock and managed to drive downfield, culminating in a 20-yard field goal. The scoring drive, lasting just over two minutes, extended their lead to 52-35, which ultimately stood as the game's final score.

"We've been working on communicating and playing as a unit," Miller said. "We've been working on that for the last couple of weeks. Those guys came in, and now they're finally getting used to us and getting comfortable. So, it's big for us to start playing together and communicating, and you saw the final product of that tonight. These guys are really starting to gel together."

Following their victory that secured a playoff spot, Miller highlighted the team's determination, stating, "We're not going to leave it in anybody else's hands. We want to make sure we take care of business. Now we're playing for seeding, so every game is a championship game for us."

• Discuss this story on the Indoor Football League message board...

Indoor Football League Stories from July 6, 2024


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.

Other Recent Massachusetts Pirates Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central