Week 18 Preview
August 21, 2021 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
WORCESTER, MA -ÃÂ The Massachusetts Pirates look to re-write their record book in the last game of the regular season when they face the Iowa Barnstormers on Saturday night at Phoenix Field at the DCU Center at 7:30. The third place Pirates (10-3) can equal the team record for most victories in a season (11) with a win over the 6-5 Barnstormers who are currently in fourth place in the Indoor Football League. The 2018 Pirates were 11-5, thus a victory would give the 2021 edition the best regular season winning percentage in team history at .758.
The Pirates are also riding a seven-game win streak which is the best in franchise history and the longest by any team in the IFL this season. They have assured themselves of at least a top three finish and secured a first round home playoff game the weekend of August 27-29.
The Last Time Out:
On Sunday, the Pirates defense caused six turnovers, quarterback Sean Brackett threw four touchdown passes and wideout Laquvionte Gonzalez scored three times as they took down the Northern Arizona Wranglers 51-16 in Prescott Valley. The highlight of the game was a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown by Aarion Maxey-Penton. Brackett, making just his second start of the season, was 12 of 20 for 127 yards with four scores and one interception. His top receivers were Thomas Owens who had seven catches for 72 yards and a score and Gonzalez who had three receptions for 41 yards and two touchdowns. Gonzales also had a TD run of five-yards. Marquis Young was the leading rusher for Massachusetts with six carries for 15 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, three Massachusetts defensive backs led the way. Chucky Williams was the top tackler in the game with seven, including one for a loss and an interception. Santos Ramirez had six stops, 1.5 tackles for a loss and a pick, and Harlan Miller had an interception and recovered a fumble. Defensive lineman T.J. Barnes had two tackles for a loss.
It was the third time this season that the Pirates held an opponent under 20 points. Conversely, it was the fourth straight game in which the Pirates have scored 50 or more points.
Last week the Barnstormers clinched a playoff spot with a 55-49 overtime win over Sioux Falls. It was the third time this season that Iowa defeated the Storm. Trailing 49-42 with 5:52 to play, Storm quarterback Lorenzo Brown was sacked by Iowa's Kenton Bartlett who forced a fumble. The ball was recovered by Christopher Biggurs at the Sioux Falls 11-yard line. Barnstormers QB Daquan Neal ran for eight yards to the three and capped off the short drive with a three-yard TD run to tie the game. Both teams missed field goals in the final 2:26.
The Storm had the ball first to start the extra session and the drive ended at the one as Brown was stood up by Bartlett and Jay Washington. The Barnstormers took over and kept the ball on the ground with Evan Owens and Neal getting all of the touches. It was Evans who got the call on first and goal from the three and he took it into the end zone for the victory.
Neal finished the game 19 of 31 passing for 173 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He also ran the ball 15 times for 84 yard and three scores. Elad Covaliu had seven carries for 45 yards and a score and Owens had five rushes for 15 yards and the game winning touchdown. Carrington Thompson Sr. was Iowa's leading receiver with eight receptions for 82 yards and a TD. Linebacker Tony Jones and defensive back Jaylen Moore led Iowa with eight tackles each.
Team Stats:
The Pirates are now scoring 43.7 points per game; third best in the IFL. Their defense allows a league low of 34.2 points per game. Iowa is averaging 43.5 points per contest; fourth in the league and 42.5 points per game which ranks seventh.
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