The text message appeared on Greg Olson's cell phone last weekend while watching his daughter's soccer match. And then they started coming in bunches for the owner and right guard for the Racine Threat minor-league football team.

The mighty Chicago Thunder, four-time defending champions of the Mid-States Football League who were on a collision course with the Threat in a second-round game, were ousted in the playoffs.

How the previously unbeaten Thunder lost makes for a story that almost defies comprehension. Leading the first-year McHenry Pirates 48-10 with three minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Thunder starting putting in their reserves.

The Pirates went on to recover four onside kicks, return a fumble and an interception for scores and went on to beat the Thunder 49-48.

That same miracle team will be traveling to Kenosha Saturday for a 1 p.m. second-round game against the Threat at Ameche Field. With the Thunder out of the picture and the Threat (7-2) coming off an impressive 27-17 victory over the Leyden Lions - which ended their three-game losing streak to the Lions - an MSFL championship seems so much more attainable.

"It was very exciting," Olson said. "We put in a lot of hard work this week with film and practice and brainstorming and coming up with some schemes to make sure we don't fall into the same situation the Thunder did.

"To know that a giant of their size has been knocked down, we thought, 'Man this is in our reach. We control our own destiny.' It's very achievable to win the championship."

When the Threat played the Pirates July 11 at Ameche Field, they spotted McHenry a touchdown before scoring 35 unanswered points. But while the Pirates might be considered the less formidable challenge, but they proved last week that they're no pushover.

Leading the way is quarterback Brandon Benda, a former starter for Northern Illinois University who threw three touchdown passes against the Thunder, One of his receivers is Travann Hayes, who played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin.

Other standouts for the Pirates are outside linebacker Greg Burchardt, a former starter at the University of Illinois, and cornerback Michael Jenkins, who has 10 interceptions.

Tickets for Saturday's game at Ameche Field are $5 for adults and $2 for those ages 7-17. Children 6 and younger will be admitted free.