Pirates Snap Two-Game Losing Streak
April 29, 2023 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
The Massachusetts Pirates returned home on Friday to host the Iowa Barnstormers. The Pirates entered Friday's game on a two-game losing streak and were looking to get back in the win column. Iowa entered the game 0-4 and were searching for their first victory of the season.
The first drive of the game began with an impressive kickoff return by Thomas Owens that started the Pirates at the Iowa 23-yard line. On just the second snap of the drive, running back Jimmie Robinson rushed for a touchdown. After Josh Gable made the PAT, the Pirates got out to an early 7-0 lead. The Barnstormers were unable to score on the ensuing drive, keeping the score at 7-0. On the following Pirates drive, Darren Carrington caught a deep pass from Anthony Russo for a touchdown, bringing the Pirates lead to 14-0 after a Josh Gable PAT. The Barnstormers failed to score again on their next possession, allowing the Pirates to take their 14-0 lead into the second quarter.
On just their second play of the second quarter, Pirates quarterback Anthony Russo handed the ball to Jimmie Robinson and he did the rest, with a 36-yard rushing touchdown, his second of the night, to extend the Pirates lead to 20-0 with Gable missing the PAT. When the Barnstormers got the ball back, they were stalled once again, keeping the score at 20-0. To keep the momentum going, Thomas Owens caught a long touchdown pass from Russo and Gable made the PAT to extend the Pirates lead to 27-0.
On the following drive, the Barnstormers got their first score of the game with wide receiver Keshaun Taylor scoring his first touchdown of the season on a 15- yard pass from quarterback Jonathan Bane. Kicker Gabriel Rui would make the PAT, making the score 27-7. After the Pirates turned the ball over on downs on their next possession, the Barnstormers got the ball back at the Pirates 20-yard line. A holding penalty was called against the Pirates on fourth down and the Barnstormers scored again with wide receiver Caleb Smith catching a three-yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead to 27-14 going into halftime after a Rui PAT.
On the first snap of the second half, Iowa turned the ball over when Pirates defensive lineman Ezekiel Rose punched the ball out of Jonathan Bane's hands. Linebacker Brendon White recovered the fumble, putting the Pirates in Iowa territory. The very next play, Jimmie Robinson shook off two Iowa defenders for the eight-yard touchdown run, his third of the night. Gable's PAT extended the lead to 34-14. The Barnstormers answered on the following drive when Bane threw a deep ball to Taylor for his second touchdown of the night. Rui's PAT made it 34-21. The Barnstormers prevented the Pirates from scoring on the following possession. However, after they were driving down the field and looking for their next score, running back Antonio Wimbush coughed up the ball and Pirates defensive back Aarion Maxey-Penton recovered the fumble. After the fumble recovery, Jimmie Robinson made the Barnstormers pay, scoring his fourth touchdown. Gable's PAT made it 41-21.
As the third quarter wrapped up, Johnathan Bane led his offense down the field into Pirates territory. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Bane found Smith again for a three-yard passing touchdown, which was also Smith's second of the game. Rui's PAT was good, and the score was now 41-28. On the ensuing kickoff, Rui drilled a field goal from the kicking tee, scoring a deuce for Iowa and making the score 41-30. The Pirates immediately answered back as Jimmie Robinson ran the ball for a 45-yard touchdown on a toss sweep, his fifth touchdown of the game. With a Thomas Owens two-point conversion, the Pirates extended their lead to 49-30. Iowa responded with Bane finding Smith in the back of the endzone for his third touchdown as the score was now 49-36, with the Pirates blocking the attempted Rui PAT.
The Barnstormers followed their score by attempting an onside kick, which the Pirates recovered. Jimmie Robinson capitalized immediately, by scoring his sixth touchdown of the day on the ensuing snap. After Gable's PAT, the Pirates were now up by 20 points, 56-36. That would be the final score as the Pirates snapped their two-game losing streak, moving to 3-2 on the season and 3-0 at home.
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Indoor Football League Stories from April 29, 2023
- Storm Host Quad City in Week Four Rematch - Sioux Falls Storm
- Pirates Snap Two-Game Losing Streak - Massachusetts Pirates
- Battle of California - Strike Force Host the Panthers in Week Seven - San Diego Strike Force
- Wranglers Knock Down Vegas Knight Hawks, 36-27 - Northern Arizona Wranglers
- Pirates Defeat Barnstormers 56-36 - Massachusetts Pirates
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