PIRATES OVERTAKE STRIKE FORCE
SAN DIEGO, CA – Pirates quarterback Alejandro Bennifield passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more as Massachusetts defeated the San Diego Strike Force 51 to 30 Monday night on the road at the Pechanga Sports Arena in the first ever meeting between the two teams. The Pirates are now 5-2 on the season while the Strike Force fell to 2-5.
The Pirates started quickly taking the opening kickoff and driving 34 yards in five plays to open the scoring. After a 10-yard pass from quarterback Alejandro Bennifield to wideout Isaac Zico, Massachusetts ran the ball four straight times with Deddrick Thomas carrying the final three yards for a touchdown. Craig Peterson’s extra point was good for a seven to nothing lead.
After a short kickoff, San Diego drove the ball to the Pirates six-yard line. On second and goal, Strike Force quarterback Steven Cluley’s pass in the end zone was intercepted by defensive back Khalid Wooten. Massachusetts would convert the turnover into points, marching 45 yards in four plays with Bennifield hitting Zico in stride in the end zone with a 19-yard pass for a 14-0 lead.
San Diego answered with a short nine-yard, penalty-filled drive with Marques Rodgers scoring on a one-yard run to close within seven points and the quarter ended with the Pirates leading 14-7.
The second quarter began with San Diego kicker Victor Leventritt attempting a 53-yard field goal. The snap sailed over his head and Leventritt recovered in the end zone where he was tackled by linebacker Titus Davis for a safety and a 16-7 Pirates advantage.
The Strike Force then made a stand as Ishmael Adams intercepted Bennifield with 13:49 remaining in the half. San Diego drove 41 yards in nine plays with Rodgers scoring on a nifty four-yard scamper. The point after was good, leaving the home team down by two.
The Pirates came right back as Jovon Durante returned the kickoff 25 yards to the San Diego 20-yard line. Three plays later it was Thomas scoring his second touchdown of the night on a nine-yard run and the Pirates led 22-14 with 51 seconds to play in the half. That was just enough time for Leventritt to make a 44-yard field goal in the final 20 ticks and San Diego trailed 22-17 at the break.
The Strike Force opened the third quarter with Leventritt connecting on a 46-yard field goal to close the deficit to two points, 22-20. The Pirates first possession of the second half also resulted in points with a six-play, 40-yard drive that culminated with Bennifield hitting wide receiver Thomas Owens with a 15-yard TD pass, giving Massachusetts a 29-20 lead as the quarter ended.
The final quarter began just like the third with Leventritt making his third field goal of the game with a 23 yarder, but the Pirates would keep the Strike Force at arm’s length as Durante brought the kickoff back 26 yards to the San Diego 16. Bennifield then ran three consecutive times and scored on an eight-yard run. He then threw a two-point conversion pass to Zico to make the score 37-20, Massachusetts.
Rodgers continued his impressive night with a 21-yard touchdown reception from Cluley with 12:47 to play to trail by seven, but Bennifield went to the air to widen the lead. He completed four straight passes with the final toss caught by Owens from eight yards out for a 44-30 advantage.
Cluley then went for everything on the next play from scrimmage, passing from his own goal line, but his bomb was intercepted by the Pirates Aarion Maxey-Penton, who returned the ball 41 yards to the nine-yard line. For Maxey-Penton it was his fourth interception of the season. The Pirates would outscore the Strike Force 22-10 in the final quarter as on the next play, Bennifield connected with Owens for his second touchdown of the game with a nine-yarder to cap the scoring at 51-30.
The Pirates will continue their road trip in Phoenix on Saturday, when they will face the Arizona Rattlers at 9:05 pm eastern time.