Pirates Versus Green Bay on Friday Night
July 17, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
LOWELL, MA - The Massachusetts Pirates look to keep their playoff hopes alive on Friday night as they face the Green Bay Blizzard on the road at the Resch Center with kickoff scheduled for 8:05 Eastern time. The Pirates (7-7) are one game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference in the Indoor Football League with just two games remaining.
Both teams are desperate for victory as the Pirates trail the Tulsa Oilers (8-6) for a postseason berth. Green Bay at 9-5 is tied with Jacksonville for second place and still has hope of securing a home playoff game. The Blizzard are just one game back of first place, Quad City (10-4), with two games to play.
The Series:
The Pirates own an all-time record of 6-4 over the Blizzard, including a playoff victory last season.
The Last Meeting: May 27, The Tsongas Center, Lowell, MA
Pirates quarterback Kenji Bahar threw five touchdown passes, including three to Thomas Owens, but it was not enough as the Green Bay Blizzard prevailed 47-35 at the Tsongas Center. Bahar was 20 of 32 passing for 177 yards with one interception. Running Back Pooka Williams Jr. gained 60 yards on 14 carries and had six receptions for 49 yards. Wideout Isaiah Coulter also had six receptions for 51 yards. Teo Redding had three catches for 23 yards with two touchdowns. The Pirates trailed by two points early in the third quarter but could get no closer. Green Bay quarterback Max Meylor was 16 of 26 passing for 155 yards with four touchdowns against no interceptions. He also ran eight times for 45 yards and two more scores.
The Last Time Out:
Pirates quarterback Kenji Bahar threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, but it was not enough as the Tulsa Oilers defeated Massachusetts 35-28 in double overtime at the BOK Center on Saturday. Thomas Owens caught two touchdown passes in the first half, and Teo Redding added another as Massachusetts led 21-14 at the half. After a scoreless third quarter, Tulsa quarterback Sam Castronova and Pirates QB Kenji Bahar exchanged short touchdown runs as Massachusetts led 28-21 with 7:20 to play.
The Oilers would tie the game for a second time as Castronova threw a four-yard swing pass to Sheldon Augustine with 4:02 remaining in regulation. Neither team scored in the first overtime. The second session began with Castronova bobbling a snap. He picked it up and threw a ten-yard touchdown pass to Augustine for a 35-28 lead.
The Pirates' second possession in overtime saw Pooka Williams Jr. gain five yards on first down. The second play was disastrous as a low snap rolled past Bahar, who would eventually fall on the ball back on his 15-yard line. An incomplete pass led to a fourth and 25 Hail Mary pass to the end zone that was swatted away, giving the Oilers the 35-28 victory.
The Blizzard posted one of its biggest wins of the season last Saturday night at Vibrant Arena at the Mark in Moline, IL, as they defeated the first-place Quad City Steamwheelers 58-52. The Blizzard never trailed, and quarterback Max Meylor controlled the game, completing 17 of 22 passes for 200 yards. He threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers with just one interception. He was also the game's leading rusher with 16 carries for 73 yards and three scores. His top target was TJ Davis, who had five receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown. The defense was led by Kevin Ransom, who had 5.5 tackles with one for a loss while breaking up one pass.
Former Pirates defensive back Momodou Mbye had five tackles with an interception and two passes broken up for the Blizzard.
Team Stats: (Includes IFL Rankings)
Through 14 games the Pirates are scoring 40 points per game which is 11th in the IFL while giving up 38.2 per contest which ranks second. On offense Massachusetts is sixth in total offense averaging 224.3 yards per game. The Pirates are eighth in the league in rushing, gaining 87.5 yards per game and seventh in passing at 138.5 yards per night.
Defensively, the Pirates are the only team in the IFL holding opponents under 200 yards per game, yielding just 195.9. Massachusetts is number two against the run, allowing 60.3 yards per contest and second vs. the pass at 134.9 yards each game.
Green Bay has the number one scoring offense in the IFL, averaging 51.7 points per game. The Blizzard is second in total offense, gaining 244.8 yards per contest. They are ranked sixth in rushing (91.6 yards per game) and in passing with an average of 153.2 yards per outing.
Defensively, Green Bay is ranked 11th, allowing 45.2 points per game. They are 13th against the run, allowing 86.8 yards on average, and 12th vs. the pass, giving up 155.7 yards per game.
Players to Watch: (Includes IFL Rankings Through 14 Games)
Pirates running back Pooka Williams Jr. leads the IFL in rushing attempts with 181. He is second with 714 rushing yards. He has scored ten rushing touchdowns and averages 3.9 yards per game, along with 64.9 rushing yards per game (3rd). Williams also has 47 receptions, which ranks ninth in the IFL. He has 340 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Pirates quarterback Kenji Bahar has completed 190 (3rd) of 264 passes (8th) for 1,935 yards (5th) with 36 touchdowns (5th) and 13 interceptions. He averages 138 passing yards per game, which is tenth in the IFL. His completion percentage is fourth best in the league at 71.9 percent. Bahar is also second in rushing touchdowns with 25 on the season. He is fifth in the league in scoring with 156 points and averages 10.7 points per game, which is fourth.
His top receivers are Teo Redding, who has 44 receptions for 539 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Thomas Owens with 39 catches for 508 yards and 15 touchdowns, which ranks eighth in the league.
Defensively, Marquis Waters is eighth in the league with 12 tackles for a loss and second with 6.5 sacks. He is the Pirates' leading tackler with 60 stops. Defensive back DJ Daniel is fourth in the IFL with 11 passes broken up and ranks eighth with 12 passes defended. He also has three interceptions. Michael Mason has 6.5 tackles for a loss in just seven games.
For the Blizzard, quarterback Max Meylor leads the team in passing and rushing. As a runner, he has carried 144 times (6th) for 631 yards (3rd) with 23 touchdowns (3rd). He averages 5.3 yards per carry (93rd) and 45.1 yards per game (10th). As a passer, he has completed 56.9 percent of his passes, 173 (5th) out of 304 attempts (3rd). He has seven interceptions and 48 touchdown passes, which is best in the IFL. His 2,141 yards passing ranks second. He averages 152.9 yards per game (9th). Meylor is number four in total yards with an average of 198 per contest, and he is sixth in scoring with 10 points per game.
Green Bay's top receiver is TJ Davis, who has 44 receptions for 594 yards (8th) and 17 touchdowns (3rd).
Kicker Andrew Mevis averages 9.8 points per game to lead kickers in IFL. He has converted 93.2 % of his extra points (69 of 74) and 76.4 % of his field goals, making 13 of 17 this season.
On defense, the Blizzard is led by Nijul Canada, who is seventh in the league with 70 tackles. Kevin Ransom is fourth in IFL with 15 passes defended and second with 12 passes broken up. He has three interceptions. Allen Henry leads Green Bay with 10.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks.
The Coaches:
Tom Menas (5-4), 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 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 to 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.
The Blizzard is coached by Corey Roberson, the Indoor Football League Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2024. This is his sixth season as Head Coach and his first as General Manager. His all-time record (including a playoff mark of 1-2) is 46 wins and 46 losses. He is 4 and 6 lifetime against the Pirates.
Last season, Roberson's team finished as the first seed in the IFL Eastern Conference and won its first playoff game in over ten years before losing to the Pirates in the Conference Title Game.
Roberson played nine years of indoor professional football as a defensive back. He was an assistant coach with the Blizzard from 2012-2018. A 2003 graduate of Lakeland University, Roberson was a two-time unanimous all-conference selection and a two-year captain. He ranks third all-time in school history in career interceptions.
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