0
0
On Monday night, the Massachusetts Pirates (8-6, 8-4) had two things going on at their final home game of the regular season at Tsongas Center before a crowd of 2,872. First, it was Military Appreciation Night. Second, with a win in their last home game, the Pirates would clinch a spot in the IFL playoffs. They were facing a team in the Quad City Steamwheelers (6-7), that they lost to back on April 20 by a 54-43 score. Monday night was more about making the playoffs than avenging an earlier defeat.
This game also featured two of the better running backs in the IFL. Pirates RB Jimmy Robinson leads the league with 163 carries for 746 yards. His 20 rushing touchdowns place him fifth in the league. For Quad City, Edward Vander has 17 rushing TDs which is good for eighth in the league. He has 100 carries for 424 yards. The carries put him eighth in the league. The yards have him ninth. Both teams are pretty good with the football. The Pirates offense averages 40.9 points a game (twelfth in the IFL), and Quad City is at 44.2 ( ninth best in the league). On defense, the Pirates allow 38.4 points per game, third best in the league. The Steamwheelers give up 46.8 which is the eleventh best in the league.
The Pirates won the coin toss, but they decided to defer to the second half. Quad City began the game with the football. That drive resulted in a 33-yard FG that was good and it gave the Steamwheelers a 3-0 lead. A holding penalty stopped what could have been a better result for Quad City. The Pirates first drive resulted in a three-yard TD run around the right side by Jimmy Robinson. It was his 21st rushing touchdown of the season. The extra point was no good and with 7:44 left in the first quarter, the Pirates had a 6-3 lead.
It would take Quad City all of the very next drive to retake the lead. A 9-yard TD pass from QB Judd Erickson to Ka’ron Ashley who just crossed the goal line on a crossing route from left to right. The extra point was good and the Steamwheelers were back in front at 10-6 with 3:46 to play in the quarter. Robinson not only runs the ball, but he can catch it too. On the next possession, he showed that by taking a pass in the left flat from Pirates QB Alejandro Bennifield and running into the endzone for a 14-yard catch and run TD. The extra point was good and the Pirates were back in front as the first quarter came to an end at 13-10.
After the Pirates’ defense did its thing by stopping Quad City on downs, it would take the home team only one play to cash in. From their own 24-yard line, Bennfield handed the ball to Robinson and he did the rest. A 26-yard TD run down the right side gave Massachusetts a 20-10 lead with 11:39 left in the half. The score was his third of the night and his 50th career rushing touchdown. The Steamwheelers got that score back on the ensuing kickoff as Jarrod Harrington took it and ran it back for a touchdown. The Pirates lead was now 20-17 with 10:44 left in the half.
The Pirates passing game added to the score on a 39-yard catch and run down the left sidelines by Darren Carrington Jr. setting the team up at the Quad City 3-yard line. On third down, Bennifield hit Thomas Owens for a three-yard TD catch and a 27-17 lead with 6:19 left in the half. As the half was winding down, Quad City added three more points on a 21-yard FG by Kyle Kaplan to make it a seven-point game at 27-20 Massachusetts with 1:29 to go. Quad City’s defense came up with a big play with 24 seconds left as Darren Jackson picked off a Bennifield pass in the middle of the field. However, there would be no harm from the turnover as the Pirate’s defense took care of business and kept the Steamwheelers off the scoreboard as a 33-yard FG by Kaplain was no good. Halftime arrived with the Pirates up 27-20.
The Massachusetts Pirates started the third quarter with the ball. Their offense did not miss a beat with the halftime break. Benniefield found Owens in the endzone for another touchdown. It was now 35-20 Pirates with 11:35 left in the quarter. The Pirates’ defense once again did the job forcing a 26-yard field goal that was no good on the next drive. At this point, a playoff berth was looking really good. Quad City got themselves back in the game with a 30-yard touchdown run from Edward Vander down the right sidelines. He would make two tacklers miss on his way to the end zone. Quad City went for two and was successful as Vander took a handoff and went around the left end to score. With 3;54 left it was now 35-28 Pirates. As the third quarter clock expired the Pirates scored again. This time a 5-yard TD pass from Bennifield to Owens (third TD catch of the night). 45-28 at the end of three.
Quad City gave themselves another chance to score in the fourth. They were helped out by a PI call against the Pirates. From the Pirates’ three-yard line, they converted for a three-yard score to bring them back to within seven at 42-35 with 9:00 minutes left. The Massachusetts Pirates struck again on a 16-yard TD pass to Owens, his fourth of the game. For Pirates QB Bennifield it was his fifth TD pass of the game. With 6:51 left it was 49-35 Pirates. For the third time on Monday night, the Pirates’ defense turned over Quad City on downs on their next time with the ball. The Pirates turned that into a field goal of 21 yards by Henry Neil to make it a 52-35 game with 1:16 left. The Pirates defense held for the fourth time. All that was needed was to run out the clock. The Massachusetts Pirates took the game 52-35 and clinched a playoff spot. A big night offensively from Robinson with three scores, Owens with four TD catches, and Bennifield with five touchdown passes. They also had a defense that did its job with four stops.
After the game, head coach Rod Miller gave the media a few minutes. He thought his team “played together and communicated.” The team’s goal according to the coach was “to get some stops.” As far as his RB Jimmy Robinson goes, Miller said he is the best running back and best player in the IFL. Hard to argue with the numbers he has put up. The Pirates will finish the regular season on the road before heading back to the playoffs.
Author Profile
