Pirates Travel to Northern Arizona for Matchup on Sunday
May 15, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
Massachusetts Pirates line up against Fishers Freight
(Massachusetts Pirates)
LOWELL, MA - The Massachusetts Pirates continue their road trip in Arizona as they will face the Northern Arizona Wranglers on Sunday in Prescott Valley at the Findlay Toyota Center at 5:05 pm Eastern time. The 2-4 Pirates will look to keep the 0-6 Wranglers from the win column.
The Series:
The Wranglers hold a 2-1 advantage all-time over the Pirates.
The Last Meeting: May 18, 2024 - The Tsongas Center
Running back Jimmie Robinson scored five touchdowns and ran for 78 yards for the Pirates, but the Wranglers held on for a 41-40 victory. The third quarter ended with Massachusetts quarterback Alejandro Bennifield connecting with wideout Teo Redding on a 37-yard pass play to tie the game at 34. In the final quarter, Joshua Jones, who was 22 of 31 passing for 221 yards with five touchdowns, found Kobay White from 25 yards out to give the Wranglers a 41-34 lead with 11:16 remaining. Robinson scored his final touchdown with 2:11 to go, but a missed extra point left the Pirates one point short. Defensively, Calvin Bundage led Massachusetts with seven and a half tackles, with three tackles for a loss and a sack. Malik Sonnier paced Northern Arizona with eight stops.
The Last Time Out:
Last Saturday night in the Tucson Convention Center, Pirates running back Pooka Williams Jr. ran for a career high of 107 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns, but the Tucson Sugar Skulls prevailed 47-26. Tucson was led by Jamyest Williams, who ran for three touchdowns with 87 yards on 12 carries. Massachusetts Defensive backs Matt Elam and Destin Mack each had interceptions, while Marquis Waters added two sacks.
This past Sunday, the Wranglers lost to the San Diego Strike Force 40-29 at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, CA. Northern Arizona quarterback CJ Fowler was 17 of 27 passing for 140 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He also ran seven times for 45 yards and a score. His top target was Deshon Stoudemore, who had eight catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Kieran Page had five tackles and a forced fumble while Malik Sonnier added an interception. Nate Davis was 17 of 21 passing for 223 yards with four scores for San Diego. 103 of those yards went to John Maldonado, who had eight receptions and a touchdown.
Team : (Includes IFL Ranking)
The Pirates are scoring 35.2 points per game (10th) while allowing 43.7 (11th). They average 217.3 yards per game (6th) while giving up 207.8 (8th). The defense is fourth in the IFL vs. the pass, yielding just 121.4 yards per game. The Massachusetts lines are the best in the IFL. The offense has given up just four sacks, which is first, while the defense leads the league with eight and the most sack yards with 47. The offense is converting on third down at a rate of 49.1 percent (4th) while opponents are successful on third down just 36.8 percent of the time (3rd).
The Wranglers are 13th in scoring at 27.8 points per game while giving up 43.7 per contest (12th). The offense gains an average of 185 yards per night (13th) and allows just 200.7 (5th). The Northern Arizona defense is fourth vs. the run, holding opponents to just 60.7 yards per game.
Player Stats: (Includes IFL Ranking)
Pirates running back Pooka Williams Jr. has rushed 75 times (2nd) for 300 yards (3rd), has seven rushing touchdowns (10th), and averages 60 yards rushing per game (2nd). His 104.2 all-purpose yards per game is fifth in the league.
Quarterback Kenji Bahar is tied for the league lead with 12 rushing touchdowns. Bahar has completed 84 passes (3rd) of 145 attempts (4th) for a completion percentage of 57.9 (8th). He has ten touchdowns (T10), six interceptions (5th), has 842 passing yards (4th), and averages 137.3 per game (8th). Bahar's 12 points per game are tied for third in the IFL.
The Pirates top receivers are Thomas Owens who has 19 receptions for 233 yards and five touchdowns while Teo Redding has 19 grabs for 211 yards and four scores.
Kicker Josh Gable is fifth in the league, making 50 percent of his field goal attempts (three of six).
Defensively, Dominic Quewon has 2.5 sacks for the Pirates (5th) while defensive back Marcis Floyd has three interceptions (T4th).
Wranglers QB CJ Fowler is his team's leading rusher with 207 yards (9th) on 45 carries (10th) for an average of 41.4 yards per game (10th). Fowler is 67 of 124 passing for 585 yards (10th) with ten touchdowns (T10th). He also has seven interceptions (3rd) while completing 54 percent of his passes. He averages 117.2 passing yards per game.
Deshon Stoudemire is Northern Arizona's top target with 24 receptions (T4th) with 276 yards (8th), with four touchdowns. His four receptions per game rank fourth in the league. On defense, Mason Newton is eighth with 5.5 tackles for a loss.
The Coaches:
This game features two long-time successful coaches who are both looking for their first win with their new teams.
Tom Menas (0-1) will be coaching in just his second team with the Pirates. Menas, who began this year as the Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator of the San Antonio Gunslingers, became the eighth head coach in the history of the Pirates on April 30th of 2025. Menas, who coached the Gunslingers to an eight-and-eight record last season, began this year with an eight-point loss to Tulsa and then defeated Bay Area 28-21 on the road before his release. As a Head Coach, Menas has enjoyed success at the professional and collegiate levels. Before joining San Antonio, Menas was the Head Coach and General Manager of the Albany Empire of the National Arena League and led the franchise to back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022.
Menas has worked as an assistant coach in a few leagues. From 2020-2021, he was an Assistant Head Coach with the New Jersey Flight in the NAL. His first experience in the IFL was with the Green Bay Blizzard in 2019 as an offensive and defensive line coach. He also served as a Head Coach in the Rivals Professional Football League.
A native of Lapeer, MI, Menas won a NCFA National Championship as the Head Coach of Oakland University, as he led the Golden Grizzlies to a record of 23-1 from 2015 through 2017.
Other professional stops included working as a defensive line coach with the Toronto Argonauts from 2003 through 2005, with the team winning the Canadian Football League's Grey Cup Championship in 2004, and with the Detroit Fury of the Arena Football League from 2000-2002 as a running backs and linebackers coach.
A former guard at Kansas State University (1978-1983), Menas helped the Wildcats to their first-ever Bowl appearance. He then joined the Detroit Lions in 1983, but an injury cut short his NFL career. After his release by the Lions he signed with the San Antonio Gunslingers of the USFL where he played with the franchise through 1985.
The Wranglers are led by first-year Head Coach Ron James, who has over 30 years of experience. A long-time coach in the Arena Football League, James was AFL Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2017. He also coached with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League in 2018.
Images from this story
 Massachusetts Pirates wide receiver Teo Redding |
 Massachusetts Pirates quarterback Kenji Bahar on the run |
 Massachusetts Pirates line up against Fishers Freight |
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