Pirates Tangled in Tucson, Fall 47-26 to Sugar Skulls
May 11, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
Massachusetts Pirates battle for yardage against the Tucson Sugar Skulls
(Massachusetts Pirates)
TUCSON, AZ - In a battle of ball carriers named Williams, Pirates running back Pooka Williams Jr. rushed for a career high 145 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns, but it was not enough as the Tucson Sugar Skulls (3-3) defeated Massachusetts 47-26 at the Tucson Convention Center. Sugar Skulls running back Jamyest Williams rushed for 121 yards with three touchdowns on 12 carries for the victors. The Pirates fall to 2-4 on the season as new Head Coach Tom Menas sees a setback in his first game.
Defense ruled from the outset as neither offense would score on the first five possessions. Pirates' defensive backs Matt Elam and Destin Mack intercepted Sugar Skulls quarterback Jorge Reyna on Tucson's first two drives. Yet, the Skulls took the lead as Ahmad Lyons intercepted a Kenji Bahar pass and returned it six yards for a touchdown. Kevin Macias added the point after, and with 3:42 remaining in the opening quarter, Tucson led 7-0.
The Pirates answered with a five-play, 42-yard drive with Pooka Williams Jr. capping it off with a 15-yard touchdown run. Josh Gable's extra point closed the scoring with the first quarter tied at seven.
The second quarter saw both teams finding their rhythm offensively. Tucson took a 13-7 lead as Jamyest Williams scored on an eight-yard run. Massachusetts then took its first lead of the game as Bahar finished a six-play, 30-yard march with a six-yard touchdown run. Gable added the PAT for a 14-13 advantage.
Tucson regained the lead with 54 seconds to play in the half as Williams scored his second rushing touchdown from 14 yards out, and the Sugar Skulls had a 19-14 halftime advantage.
The lead expanded to 26-14 as Jerome Buckner took the second-half kickoff 48 yards to the house for a touchdown. The Tucson defense then stopped the Pirates inside the ten-yard line for the second time in the game and took over at their own seven. Six plays and 47 yards later, it was Williams scoring on a five-yard run as his third rushing touchdown gave the Skulls a 19-point, 33-14 lead with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter.
Williams Jr. brought the Pirates back with a 16-yard touchdown run, and with 16 seconds left in the third, Massachusetts trailed 33-20.
In the final quarter, the Sugar Skulls got their first passing touchdown of the game as Reyna found Larry Harrington on a four-yard route, pushing the lead to 40-20. Bahar notched his second rushing touchdown with 6:47 remaining. His five-yard run put the Pirates down by 14, 40-26.
Drew Dixon caught a 19-yard touchdown pass with 60 seconds to play to give the Skulls their largest lead and their final points of the night, 47-26.
For the Pirates, Bahar was 7 of 27 passing for 107 yards and an interception. He ran three times for 49 yards and two scores. Williams Jr. was the game's leading rusher with 145 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns. He also had two receptions for six yards. Teo Redding led Massachusetts with 39 yards on two receptions. The defense was led by Marquis Waters, who had five and a half tackles with three sacks for 18 yards. Matt Elam and Tye Smith each had five tackles. Elam added an interception.
For the Sugar Skulls, Reyna was 9 of 16 passing for 130 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. His top target was Harrington with four receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown. Williams had three rushing touchdowns and 121 yards on 12 attempts. Defensively, Jalen Perkins had five and a half tackles, and Lyons added a "pick-six" and a fumble recovery.
The Pirates will continue their road trip playing on Sunday, May 18, in Prescott Valley against the Northern Arizona Wranglers.
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