Indoor Football: Pirates Defeat Storm, 49-41

Read Time:3 Minute, 19 Second

On Friday night, Indoor football invaded Tsongas Center as the Massachusetts Pirates (3-0) hosted the Sioux Falls Storm (0-2). So far so good for the Pirates as they have won their first two games of the season. These two teams had met four times in their histories with each team winning twice. In their first two games, the Pirates are averaging 35 points per game, 6th best in the league. They are allowing 30.5 a contest, the fourth-best in the league. On offense, they average 221 yards per game while giving up 186.0.

The coin toss was one by the Storm who decided to defer to the second half. The Pirates got the ball first and moved the football down the field. They would score on their first drive as Jimmie Robinson ran it into the endzone from 5 yards out to make it 7-0 Pirates. Sioux Falls was just as efficient with the football on their first try. Storm QB Billy Hall ran it in from 2 yards out and it was 7-7 with 7:34 left in the first quarter. The Storm would take the lead moments later as a bad snap to Pirates quarterback Bennifield resulted in a safety. The Storm had a 9-7 lead with 5:47 left. After the Pirates’ defense held on downs, the offense went back to work. It would end on a highlight reel catch by Thomas Owens, a one-handed grab in the back of the endzone off a Bennifield throw. The pass went for 32 yards and gave the Pirates the lead back at 14-9 with 1:07 left in the quarter. The Storm came right back and ended the first quarter with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Billy Hall to Kenbrez Bell as time expired.

Sioux Falls took a 16-14 lead into the second quarter. The Pirates’ ground game was working and gave the team the lead back. Robinson, off an option pitch, went in from seven yards out. The Pirates were back in front at 20-16 with 8:26 to go before halftime. Hall came right back for the Storm with a quarterback keeper of 3 yards and another TD, Storm up 23-20. The Pirates scored again just before the half, Benniefield to Robinson, who had a great first half (3 TDs). This one was for four yards. With 12 seconds left, the Pirates took a 28-23 lead to the locker room.

The third quarter started with the Storm missing a 27-yard FG. The Pirates took advantage with a 45-yard pass and catch from Bennifield to Issac Zico making it a 34-23 Pirates. As is the case of indoor football, the points kept coming. Hall found Xavier Jackson for another score and it was now 34-29 with 7:38 to go in the third. The Pirates added another TD pass from Bennifield to Teo Redding making it 42-29 with 4:46 left.

It stayed that way heading to the fourth quarter. The Storm struck again, Hall to Jackson, but this time the extra point was no good 42-35 with plenty of time left. After a fumble by Bennifield did not cost his team, he found Owens the next time he had the ball. With 5:52 left Massachusetts was up 49-35. The Storm made it close again behind the legs of Hall who ran one in this time around the right end 49-41 with 3:28 to go. The Pirates try to ice the game with a 45-yard FG. However, the try was short and was returned by Carlos Thompson of the Storm set up deep in Pirates territory it looked like the Storm was going to give themselves a shot at tying the game. But the Pirates’ defense came up with big plays to keep the Storm out of the endzone and take the game 49-41.