Pirates vs. Quad City Saturday

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IFL Massachusetts Pirates

Pirates vs. Quad City Saturday

June 26, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release


LOWELL, MA - The Pirates take their 6-5 record on the road to XUSD Field at Vibrant Arena at The MARK in Moline, IL, to face the first-place Quad City Steamwheelers. The Pirates, who are on a four-game winning streak, are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference of the Indoor Football League, sitting just percentage points behind Tulsa for the final playoff spot in the division with five games remaining. The Steamwheelers lead the East with a 9 and 3 record.

The Last Meeting - March 28, The Tsongas Center, Lowell, MA

Pirates quarterback Kenji Bahar scored three times and threw his first touchdown pass of the season, but Massachusetts could not hold a third-quarter lead and lost 37-33 to the Steamwheelers.

Leading 7-6 after one, and in the second quarter, it was Kenji Bahar finding Teo Redding with a three-yard touchdown as Massachusetts trailed 14-13. Redding finished the game with four receptions for 27 yards and a touchdown.

The Steamwheelers closed out the half with Kyle Kaplan kicking a 38-yard field goal for a 17-13 advantage. In the second half, the Pirates' defense got its third turnover of the night as on fourth and one from the 14-yard line, Jordan Vesey ran for a first down but Matt Elam forced his second fumble of the contest as Marquis Waters recovered. The Pirates then drove 26 yards in six plays with Dominic Roberto getting a two-yard touchdown run to give Massachusetts a 20-17 lead. Roberto carried 12 times for 40 yards in his first game with the Pirates.

Vesey would find redemption on the next two possessions. He ended the quarter by catching an 11-yard touchdown pass from Daquan Neal to put the Steamwheelers up 23-20.

In the final quarter, after turning the Pirates over on downs, Neal and company were facing a fourth and ten at the 23. Neal threw to Vesey for a score and a 30-20 advantage. The Pirates would come right back with a seven-play, 40-yard drive that ended with Bahar scoring on a two-yard plunge, and Massachusetts trailed 30-27 with 3:38 remaining.

The game took a dramatic turn as Camron Harrell returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards for a touchdown, hurdling Massachusetts Kicker Tim Bleekrode at the 15-yard line on his way to the end zone, making it 37-27 Steamwheelers.

Bahar drove the Pirates to the final points of the game with 16 seconds left as he scored on a one-yard run for the 37-33 final. The Pirates' quarterback was the team's leading rusher with 43 yards on 12 rushing attempts. He was also 13 of 29 passing for 92 yards and a touchdown. Thomas Owens was his leading receiver with five catches for 29 yards.

Defensively, for Massachusetts, Marquis Waters, Jeblonski Green Jr., and Dominic Quewon each had four tackles. Waters forced one fumble and recovered another, and Quewon added a sack.

All-Time vs. Quad City:

All-time, the Pirates are 3 - 4 against the Steamwheelers. That includes a one-point playoff loss to the Steamwheelers in 2022.

The Last Time Out:

Pirates quarterback Kenji Bahar was 14 of 18 passing for 156 yards and four touchdowns as Massachusetts defeated the Tulsa Oilers 58-37 last Saturday night at the Tsongas Center. Bahar rushed for two more scores as the Pirates moved to 6-5 on the season and have now won four straight games.

With five seconds left in the half, Bahar finished off a six-play 32-yard drive that concluded with Teo Redding making his first touchdown grab of the game. Thomas Owens followed with a two-point conversion reception for a 21-14 halftime lead. It would be the third and final lead change of the game.

The Pirates' defense opened the second half by stopping Tulsa on four straight plays from deep in their own territory. Taking over on the Oilers' 11, it took just three plays to score as Bahar tossed an eight-yard pass to Pooka Williams. Leading 28-14, Bahar connected with Redding on a 30-yard strike for six. Reading fought off the coverage from Kentrell Pierce, making a circus catch in the back of the end zone for a 34-14 advantage. The quarter ended 34-21, Pirates.

Massachusetts started the final quarter with Josh Gable kicking a 29-yard field goal for a 37-21 advantage. A 34-yard kickoff return by Sheldon Augustine gave the Oilers great field position at the Pirates' 11-yard line. The Massachusetts defense held on fourth and two at the four with defensive back Smoke Monday defending a pass and forcing a turnover on downs. The following play saw Behar going deep to Redding on a 47-yard scoring play and a 44-21 lead with 10:49 to play. Late touchdowns by Bahar on a five-yard run and a Thomas Owens 12-yard kickoff return for a touchdown secured the win.

Redding had five receptions for 100 yards and three touchdowns. Williams was the game's leading rusher with 14 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Guy Thomas and Matt Elam each had six tackles. Thomas also had two tackles for a loss. Michael Mason also had two tackles for a loss for the winners.

Last Saturday night at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, the Steamwheelers had no answers for the Sharks in a 65-33 loss as the home team scored on every possession. Sharks quarterback Tyler Huff was 10 of 11 passing for 73 yards and three passing touchdowns. He also ran 19 times for 188 and four scores.

QC QB DeQuan Neal was 16 of 24 and threw for 188 yards with a touchdown and one interception while rushing for 22 yards and two touchdowns. Jarrod Ware Jr. carried six times for 23 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 14 yards. Keyvan Rudd was the leading receiver for the Wheelers, catching four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Bubba Arslanian recorded 9.5 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss.

Team Stats: (Includes IFL Ranking)

The Pirates' offense is averaging 40.4 points per game (10th) and gaining 220.3 yards per contest (8th). Massachusetts is second best in the IFL, converting on third down 49.5 percent of the time. The Pirates continue to run the ball effectively as they are sixth in rushing with an average of 88.7 yards per game.

The Pirates' defense is allowing 37.6 points per game (2nd) and is number one, giving up just 199.1 yards per game. They also allow the fewest number of first downs each night at 14.5. The defense is fourth vs. the rush, allowing 64.5 yards per night.

The Pirates' offensive and defensive lines are the best in the IFL, allowing just 4 sacks while sacking opposing quarterbacks 17 times.

In the Red Zone, Massachusetts is second as opponents convert at a rate of 69.4 percent, and on third down, foes are successful less than 50 percent at 49.5 (8th). The defense on fourth down is even better, ranked first with a 31.3 opponent success rate.

The Steamwheelers score 42.9 points per game (7th) and allow 39.3 (5th). Their offense gains 208.6 yards per game (13th) and rushes for 93.8 yards per game (4th).

The Quad City defense gives up 233.7 yards per game (10th) but is second in defensive efficiency with a rating of 116.9. The Wheelers are second with 16 sacks, third with 18 interceptions, third with eight forced fumbles, and second with nine fumble recoveries.

Players to Watch (Includes IFL Ranking)

Pirates running back Pooka Williams has rushed 133 times (2nd) for 549 yards (2nd) with ten touchdowns. He averages 68.6 yards per game (2nd) and averages 103.0 all-purpose yards per game (5th). Quarterback Kenji Bahar has 17 rushing touchdowns, which ranks fifth. Steamwheelers QB DaQuan Neal has rushed 87 times *8th) for 429 yards (7th) with 12 touchdowns (10th) and averages 4.9 yards per carry (9th).

When it comes to passing, Bahar of the Pirates is 144 (6th) of 235 (6th) with nine interceptions (T 3rd) and completes 61.3 percent of his throws (10th). He has 1,438 passing yards (6th) with 25 TD passes (8th).

Neal has completed 103 passes for 177 yards (8th) with five interceptions for a 58.2 completion percentage. He has thrown for 1260 yards (8th) with 26 touchdowns (6th) and has an efficiency rating of 160.9 (6th).

The Pirates will have the top two receivers in the game with Teo Redding with 35 receptions for 466 yards (T 9th) and nine touchdowns while averaging 13.3 yards per catch (10th) and 46.6 yards per game. Thomas Owens has 29 receptions for 351 yards with ten touchdowns. He averages 12.1 per catch and 31.9 yards per game.

The Steamwheelers will have the top kick returner with Cameron Harrell, who averages 23.5 yards per return (4th).

Two of the top ten field goal kickers will be on the field as Josh Gable of Massachusetts is tied for seventh with seven makes on the year. Kyle Kaplan of Quad City is second with 12 made field goals

The IFL's top tackler in Alan Arslanian of Quad City, has 102.5 on the season. Teammate KeShaun Moore leads the IFL in three categories with 18.5 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, and four forced fumbles.

Marquis Waters of the Pirates has 11.6 tackles for a loss (6th) and is second with six sacks. DJ Dale is fifth with 4.5 sacks. Qaadir Sheppard of Quad City also has 4.5 sacks (8th).

Camron Harrell of the Steamwheelers is one of the top defensive backs in the league as he has defended an IFL-best 21 passes, is first with 16 passes broken up, and is second with five interceptions. David Cagle is tied for second with three fumble recoveries.

The Coaches:

Tom Menas (4-2), 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 2020-2021, 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.

Cory Ross has been the Head Coach of the Steamwheelers since the team returned to Quad City in 2018. He has led the team to the postseason in two different leagues. In 2022, he guided Quad City to the IFL title game against Northern Arizona. In 2021, when the Steamwheelers paused operations, Ross served as Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator of the Bismarck Bucks, helping that franchise to its first-ever IFL postseason berth. From 2015-2017, Ross served as the Head Coach of the Omaha Beef, earning a berth in the 2017 CIF League Championship Game.

As a player, Ross played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2006-2008. He also played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions from 2009-2011, winning UFL Offensive MVP honors in 2010. Collegiately, Ross played running back at the University of Nebraska and ranked fourth in school history with 3,472 total yards from scrimmage. In his final game, Ross was named the 2005 Alamo Bowl MVP as Nebraska defeated Michigan 32-28.



Indoor Football League Stories from June 26, 2025


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