The Morgan Hill-based Bay Area Panthers of the Indoor Football League closed the regular season with a 45-30 win over the Massachusetts Pirates on July 25. The victory improved the team’s record to 13-3—best in the IFL—and enhanced their standing heading into the post-season.
The Panthers already held the top playoff seed in the Western Conference.
The eight-team IFL playoffs commence this weekend. The Panthers—who won the IFL national championship in 2023—will have their first contest on Aug. 3 at San Jose’s SAP Center, their home field. The time of that game is tentatively set for 5:05pm. The opponent will be the Western Conference’s fourth seed, the Vegas Knight Hawks. The Panthers won the previous two meetings with the Hawks, 44-31 on June 14 on the road, and 55-54 on July 11 at home.
In the season finale in Worcester, Mass., the Panthers built a 28-15 halftime lead and rolled on from there. Quarterback Liam Thompson led the way with 6-of-13 passing for 69 yards and a touchdown, coupled with 16 rushes for 93 yards and three scores.
Tyrese Chambers, who played in college at Maryland and Florida International, led the receiving with four catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns.
Massachusetts was paced by former Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, the Big Ten all-time passing yardage leader and brother of the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa.
But the Panthers’ defense was up to the test. On the Pirates’ first possession, the Panthers started off with a sack and a Joe Foucha interception. The Bay Area’s IFL Rookie of the Year Josh Jones then tossed a 31-yard score to Chambers for the game’s initial score. A later touchdown catch improved Chambers’ season total to 15 for the season.
Foucha, who played at LSU and Arkansas, picked off his second pass on the Pirates’ next possession. The Panthers converted behind wideout Trey Goodman’s three-yard scoring run for a 14-0 lead. The defense sparkled all night, nabbing three interceptions and recording a safety and holding once on downs.
For the season, the Panthers have been led by Jones, with 175-for-302 passing for 38 touchdowns. On the ground, it has been Jones again, with 175 rushes for 771 yards and 20 touchdowns. Top pass-catcher for the Panthers has been Chambers, with 43 receptions for 570 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Winning for the community
The Panthers call the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center their official training facility and are prominent members of the community.
In early May, the Panthers took part in the Third Annual Tee It Up Fore Mental Health golf tournament, held at San Jose’s Cinnabar Hills Golf Club.
Founded by members of the Santa Clara Fire Department and the San Jose Police Department, the event was created by first responders, for first responders. The shared mission is to shine a light on the mental health challenges faced by firefighters, police officers and paramedics.
The Panthers were represented at the event by Axel Perez, Jaime Navarro and Liam Thompson. Through attendance and financial contribution, the Panthers backed nonprofit partners, including First Responders Resiliency, Inc. and Runestone Ranch, which provide vital mental health services, resilience training and support to first responders and their families.
Also in May, the Panthers supported the Ninth Annual Pop-a-Cork fundraiser in support of Rebekah Children’s Services and its Kneaded Culinary Academy.
Held at MOHI Ranch in Morgan Hill, the event raised vital funds to uplift youth and families across Santa Clara County. Players BJ Taufalele, RZ McCorker and Sidney Walker teamed up with Chef Carlos for a live cooking demo.
The Panthers also contributed four VIP game tickets to the evening’s silent auction, helping support Rebekah’s mission of transforming lives through mental health care, education and job training.
On June 6, the Panthers welcomed students from AchieveKids for a special visit to the team’s practice.
Serving children and young adults with special needs for over 60 years in Palo Alto and San Jose, AchieveKids empowers students to thrive through tailored educational and mental health services. During their visit, the entire Panthers team and coaching staff participated by teaching the students football skills and drills, giving them a hands-on experience of the sport.
The students got to feel the energy of a Panthers practice up close, meet the players and gain insight into the hard work and dedication behind game day.
The Panthers also participated in “Panthers Give Back: Community Night. Celebrating Community On and Off the Field.” The event honored local heroes, volunteers and nonprofit organizations. Included organizations included 49ers PREP, Resource Area for Teaching, the American Cancer Society and The City Eats, which feeds unhoused and low-income communities.
In June, the Panthers joined in Morgan Hill’s Summer Kickoff & Twilight Market. The event transformed a portion of downtown’s East Third Street into a high-energy block party. Panthers players, coaches and front office staff participated and there were interactive football-themed programs and kids-themed activities.
“The Bay Area Panthers are proud to be part of this celebration and connect with the South County community in such a vibrant setting,” said David Eisenberg, Team President of the Bay Area Panthers. “We’re excited to bring the energy of Panthers football to downtown Morgan Hill and participate in events that celebrate local pride and strengthen community connections.”
