Despite limping into the playoffs, the Massachusetts Pirates are one of the eight teams to make the Indoor Football League’s postseason.
The third-seeded Pirates (8-8) will attempt to upset the second-seeded Frisco Fighters (13-3). The teams will clash Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas in a first-round Eastern Conference game.
In its first season in Lowell playing out of the Tsongas Center, Massachusetts looked like one of the best teams in the IFL during the first month.
The Pirates captured a thrilling 44-40 win over a strong Green Bay Blizzard team in its season opener on the road. Green Bay went on to capture the No. 1 seed.
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The Pirates followed that up with three straight wins at home to start at 4-0 thanks to victories over the Jacksonville Sharks (26-21), Sioux Falls Storm (49-41) and Iowa Barnstormers (52-29).
But they have been unable to duplicate that magic down the stretch. Massachusetts went 3-5 on the road and ended the regular season with two straight losses. In the Pirates’ last game, they fell 44-22 to the Tulsa, Oilers in their worst loss of the season.
In that game, former Westford Academy quarterback Connor Degenhardt scored a pair of touchdowns.
Massachusetts and Frisco waged a terrific battle in the regular season. On June 1 in Texas, the Fighters held off the Pirates, 52-48.
If the Pirates go on the road and upset Frisco, they will meet the winner of No. 4 Quad City and No. 1 Green Bay, who open the playoffs Friday.
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In the Western Conference, No. 3 Arizona will visit No. 2 Vegas on Saturday and No. 4 San Diego will play at No. 1 Bay Area on Sunday.
Future River Hawk
The UMass Lowell baseball program has received a commitment from a talented New York infielder.
Tyler McKillop announced recently on social media his intention to play for head coach Nick Barese and his staff. A 6-1, 180-pound shortstop/third baseman, McKillop is coming off a terrific junior season at Bayport-Blue Point High School.
He hit .377 with a .500 on-base percentage, .492 slugging, 23 hits, 16 RBI, 12 walks and six steals.
New WHS coach
Wilmington High boys basketball players are set to meet their new coach on Thursday.
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Former Methuen High coach Anthony Faradie will coach the Wildcat varsity program. He’s considered a very solid hire as he did a terrific job turning around the Rangers in the tough Merrimack Valley Conference.
Faradie lives in Wilmington and works in Medford so changing coaching jobs will certainly help his commute.
Faradie posted a 125-103 record at Methuen, including a 49-29 mark since the pandemic. Prior to coaching in Methuen, he coached six seasons at Medford.
Witkum victorious
The worth was wait it for Westford’s Ed Witkum on Saturday night in North Woodstock, N.H.
In the final race of the night – six divisions were in action – at White Mountain Motorsports Park, Witkum drove to victory to capture the debut of the Little Webb’s 350 Supermodified Series. Witkum wasn’t deterred by a major caution on lap 14 as he led for all 40 laps during a dominating performance.
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Another local joined him in the top 10. James Capps III of Tewksbury drove to sixth.
Westford resident Ed Witkum, center, celebrates after winning the Little Webb’s 350 Supermodified race last Saturday night in New Hampshire. (John Raper photo)
The girls’ hockey regular season tipped off last week. See our updated Top 20 poll, and our first Players of the Week.
Chloe Bryda, Bishop Feehan — In a 5-1 win over reigning Division 1 state champion St. Mary’s, the senior scored a hat trick to power the No. 13 Shamrocks.
Lucy Irwin, Central Catholic — The junior helped the Raiders to a 2-0-0 week with two goals and an assist in Thursday’s 4-2 win over Beverly/Danvers and a pair of tallies in Saturday’s 7-1 win over Cambridge.
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Talia Martucci, Winthrop — After finishing last season on 99 points, the Salem State-bound senior scored her 100th career point assisting the opening goal, then proceeded to score a hat trick to lead the No. 12 Vikings past Medford, 7-0, on Saturday.
Kelsey MacPherson, Hopkinton/Dover-Sherborn — The eighth-grader started her high school career with a thrilling week, notching her first goal and assist in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Norwood before tallying four goals and an assist in Monday’s 6-2 victory over Medway/Ashland.
Paige Nottingham, HPNA — The senior defender got involved plenty in No. 10 HPNA’s opener, providing a goal and three assists in a 7-0 takedown of Longmeadow.
Khloe Schultz, Sandwich ― The MVP of the Judy Gormley Cup, the junior supplied a goal and an assist in the No. 16 Blue Knights’ 10-1 opening round win over Barnstable before scoring a hat trick in the 6-3 win over NSA in the final Sunday as the Knights captured the first tournament crown of the new season.
Two new supermarkets popped up in the eastern part of Massachusetts last week, according to reports.
The Fresh Market, a chain of supermarkets based in Greensboro, North Carolina, opened two new locations, one in Mansfield at 280 School St.and another in Framingham at 84 Worcester Road, according to the Boston Business Journal.
Previously, The Fresh Market only had one Massachusetts location in Hingham at 11 Essington Dr., MetroWest Daily News reported.
The Fresh Market will offer meals such as in-house smoked pit BBQ, Businesswire reported.
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“The Fresh Market really shines during the holiday season, and we are thrilled to bring The Fresh Market experience to Mansfield and Framingham,” Jason Potter, the CEO of The Fresh Market, said in a statement to Businesswire. “The Fresh Market is the fresh food destination for our guests, offering high-quality products and convenient options that inspire delicious meals and create memorable occasions.”
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