Massachusetts
Local roundup: Massachusetts Pirates to play Indoor Football League playoff game in Texas
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.
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.
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.
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.
Another local joined him in the top 10. James Capps III of Tewksbury drove to sixth.
Originally Published: