The Fishers Freight dropped the first game in their young history at the Tsongas Center in Lowell Massachusetts, 50-47, to the Pirates in a close, hard fought battle.  Massachusetts was in the IFL championship game last season but went into this game 0-2.  The Pirates needed a win and the Freight were wanting to go 3-0, but it was not to be for the team from Fishers Saturday night.

Coach Dixie Wooten was not hesitant to change things up during this game.  Mike Baloga once again struggled as the Freight kicker and the Freight went to 2-point conversion attempts after touchdowns.  Starting quarterback Jiya Wright was pulled in the 4th quarter for backup Keegan Shoemaker, who threw his first IFL touchdown pass early in the 4th quarter.

The Pirates had struggled with their kicking game this season and brought back a kicker they had on the roster previously, Josh Gable, who kicked the winning field goal with 1 second remaining in the game.

There were some outstanding plays by the Freight, a team that refused to give up when they were down.  Shawn Steele came up with an interception with less than 3 minutes left in Quarter 4, setting up a long pass play from Shoemaker to JT Stokes who made an acrobatic catch the took him over the boards, but he held on to the ball for a completion.  The Freight then scored to tie the contest at 47 each.  Devin Hafford came up with a kickoff touchdown.

It was a 22-yard field goal by Gable that won the game for the Pirates, 50-47.

The Pirates are now 1-2 and the Freight are 2-1. The Freight will face Dixie Wooten’s former team, the Bay Area Panthers, where he coached for 2 years before joining the Freight, Saturday, April 19, at the Fishers Event Center, 7pm kickoff.