PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ - Thrust into the spotlight for his first career start in the IFL, Pirates running back Dominic Roberto delivered a breakout performance, leading the offense in scrimmage yards and touchdowns during the team's loss to the Northern Arizona Wranglers.

The Fayetteville, NC, native rushed for 56 yards and two touchdowns on 13 attempts, also proving effective in the passing game with six catches for a total of 40 yards.

In the absence of running back Pooka Williams, Roberto was prepared to take on the workload of one of the leading rushers in the IFL, trusting himself and his teammates to execute.

"Trusting my practice and trusting my guys around me; [the offensive line] did a great job," Roberto said. "Just trusting my ability to make plays."

Roberto was a significant factor in the Pirates' 10-7 lead at halftime. Massachusetts jumped out to an early lead within the first few minutes of the game after he found open space in the trenches, breaking free for his first rushing score.

Heavily reliant on their running back, the Pirates sustained a near 10-minute offensive drive, largely influenced by the ability of Roberto to fight through contact for every extra yard.

However, the Pirates could not sustain their lead, quickly falling behind by several scores in the second half.

The Wranglers took note of the workload the Pirates were handing Roberto and began stacking the box in the third quarter, forcing Massachusetts to progress down the field in the passing game.

While the Pirates' offensive line held its own, preventing Northern Arizona from breaking into the backfield, the team's ever-changing coverage and presence at the second level made it difficult for Pirates quarterback Kenji Bahar to connect with his receivers.

Bahar threw two interceptions in the second half. Massachusetts completed only one full drive up until there were nine minutes left in the fourth quarter. 

The Pirates finished the outing with ten total penalties. Roberto believes that a more disciplined and error-free performance will lead to a more successful offense for Massachusetts.

"We need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot," Roberto said. "We also need to get in the red zone — we're right there in short distance — and we just have to make those plays and score."

Although the Wranglers did everything they could to slow down Roberto on the ground, he made himself effective in the pass game to make a late fourth-quarter push, helping lead the Pirates' offense to two touchdowns.

Bahar squeezed the ball past the goal line on a quarterback run. One drive later, Roberto followed his blocker perfectly into the end zone for his second rushing score of the night.

Massachusetts, now 2-5 on the season, will head back to Lowell, MA, to play the 5-2 Jacksonville Sharks. The team will look to players like Roberto to create more scoring opportunities as they look to take control of the season series against Jacksonville, 2-1.

"At the end of the day, we just need to execute, regroup, and do our jobs," Roberto concluded.
 

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