The Fishers Freight kicked off their inaugural Indoor Football League (IFL) season in style, winning their first two games and bringing plenty of excitement to the new Fishers Event Center. However, since that second win at their home opener, the season has taken a tougher turn.

The Freight hit the road for a close contest against the Massachusetts Pirates, falling by just three points. Back at home, they faced the Bay Area Panthers and suffered a more decisive defeat.

Looking to regroup, Coach Dixie Wooten’s squad traveled to Des Moines Saturday night to take on the Iowa Barnstormers. Unfortunately, it turned into the toughest loss in the young franchise’s short history. Iowa, previously winless at 0-3, dominated the Freight with a 68-37 victory.

The Barnstormers’ sudden turnaround was fueled by the arrival of new quarterback James Cahoon, who brought a passing attack that had been missing from Iowa’s offense. His impact was immediate and overwhelming. Meanwhile, turnovers plagued the Freight — including a costly pick-six — and penalties at critical moments further derailed their efforts.

Despite the setbacks, the Freight showed some fight. In the fourth quarter, quarterback Keegan Shoemaker connected with Jordan Kress for a touchdown, pulling Fishers within one score of tying the game. But momentum quickly shifted again when Iowa’s Caleb Streat intercepted a Shoemaker pass and returned it for a touchdown, making it 52-37. From there, the Barnstormers pulled away, adding two more scores to seal the final margin.

With the loss, the Freight fall to 2-3 in their first IFL season. The road ahead doesn’t get any easier: Fishers will host the Eastern Division-leading Quad City Steamwheelers on Saturday, May 3, back at the Fishers Event Center. The season is still young, and the Freight have a real opportunity to turn things around. How they respond against a top opponent like Quad City will tell us a lot about the character of this first-year team.