Post by DiamondThief on Jun 4, 2022 20:36:10 GMT -8
Gladiators 51, Pirates 43
6/4/22 --
RIO RANCHO, NM - There may be no other place in the football world than the Indoor Football League where a team can score 16 points in two seconds and emerge with a win.
That's just what the Duke City Gladiators were able to do tonight as they overtook the visiting Massachusetts Pirates by an overall margin of 51-43. But, there's a lot to unpack in those last two seconds. The Pirates led 43-35 in the final seconds when Ramone Atkins plunged in from a yard out. Atkins hit Dello Davison the right side of the end zone for the two-point conversion to tie the game with just those two ticks on the clock. That gave the Gladiators a chance to go ahead with a deuce on the kickoff. Kevin Goessling's attempt at the two-pointer was not only between the uprights, but could have gone threw from 10 yards further. It put Duke City up by two. The Pirates elected to try a 59-yard field goal, but Josh Gable's try was blocked and returned for a touchdown.to extend the margin to eight points.
The win moves the Gladiators to 6-5 on the season and 4-2 on the home. The Pirates fall to 7-4 and 2-3 on the road. This was the first-ever meeting between the teams, and the only meeting between them this season. Prior to last season, the Pirates moved to the IFL from the National Arena League and the Gladiators moved to the IFL from Champions Indoor Football.
Massachusetts scored on its opening drive when Tasleem Wilson hit Thomas Owens for a 13-yard score. Duke City countered with a 31-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Ramone Atkins to Gregory Dent, Jr. with 9:32 left in the opening quarter. With the Pirates driving deep into Duke City territory, Byron Cooper sacked Wilson, forcing a fumble on the play. Dent, who plays both sides of the ball, recovered the fumble for the Gladiators. Atkins' 14-yard run up the middle put the Gladiators up 14-7 with under a minute to go in the quarter.
Deddrick Thomas rushed around the right side for a 10-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14 apiece with 13:23 left in the second quarter. Atkins scored for the Gladiators on a two-yard run up the middle midway through the second. The Pirates cut into the lead with just under two minutes left with a 22-yard field goal from Josh Gable. The Gladiators drove deep, but were unable to score before time expired in the half. Duke City took a 21-17 lead into the half.
The Gladiators scored on the opening drive of the second half when Devontae Jackson rushed around the left side from a yard out. Wilson hit Darren Carrington for a 15-yard touchdown strike. with 6:43 left in the quarter. Atkins was intercepted by Cheatham Norrils of the Pirates on the Gladiators' next drive and Massachusetts was back in business. Thomas gave the Pirates their first lead of the game with a 12-yard scamper to the end zone. The Pirates led 30-28 at the end of three.
Massachusetts forced a Duke City turnover on downs to get the ball back at their own 21 yard line. The Pirates extended their lead on Martez Carter's two-yard run. Norrils intercepted Atkins at the goal line, so the Pirates had the ball back with a 37-28 lead with 6:50 left. the Gladiators blocked Josh Gable's short field goal try which was recovered by D'Darrin Primes who returned it to the house to pull the Gladiators to within two points with two minutes left in regulation. The Gladiators tried an onside kick, but it was recovered by the Pirates at the one-yard line. Fortunately for Duke City an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the bank backed the Pirates up to Duke City's 16. The Pirates went up by eight on a nine-yard pass from Wilson to Jovon Durante. That set up the fireworks in those last two seconds.
Atkins threw for a pair of touchdowns and rushed for another two for the Gladiators. Wilson, just signed earlier in the week after having started the season with the Sioux Falls Storm this season, tossed two touchdowns.
The Pirates will host the Green Bay Blizzard on July 11 at 4:05 p.m. The Gladiators will visit the Fighters on July 11 at 5:05 p.m. All times mentioned are pacific time. Click for our SCtoC Indoor Football League schedule.
6/4/22 --
RIO RANCHO, NM - There may be no other place in the football world than the Indoor Football League where a team can score 16 points in two seconds and emerge with a win.
That's just what the Duke City Gladiators were able to do tonight as they overtook the visiting Massachusetts Pirates by an overall margin of 51-43. But, there's a lot to unpack in those last two seconds. The Pirates led 43-35 in the final seconds when Ramone Atkins plunged in from a yard out. Atkins hit Dello Davison the right side of the end zone for the two-point conversion to tie the game with just those two ticks on the clock. That gave the Gladiators a chance to go ahead with a deuce on the kickoff. Kevin Goessling's attempt at the two-pointer was not only between the uprights, but could have gone threw from 10 yards further. It put Duke City up by two. The Pirates elected to try a 59-yard field goal, but Josh Gable's try was blocked and returned for a touchdown.to extend the margin to eight points.
The win moves the Gladiators to 6-5 on the season and 4-2 on the home. The Pirates fall to 7-4 and 2-3 on the road. This was the first-ever meeting between the teams, and the only meeting between them this season. Prior to last season, the Pirates moved to the IFL from the National Arena League and the Gladiators moved to the IFL from Champions Indoor Football.
Massachusetts scored on its opening drive when Tasleem Wilson hit Thomas Owens for a 13-yard score. Duke City countered with a 31-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Ramone Atkins to Gregory Dent, Jr. with 9:32 left in the opening quarter. With the Pirates driving deep into Duke City territory, Byron Cooper sacked Wilson, forcing a fumble on the play. Dent, who plays both sides of the ball, recovered the fumble for the Gladiators. Atkins' 14-yard run up the middle put the Gladiators up 14-7 with under a minute to go in the quarter.
Deddrick Thomas rushed around the right side for a 10-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14 apiece with 13:23 left in the second quarter. Atkins scored for the Gladiators on a two-yard run up the middle midway through the second. The Pirates cut into the lead with just under two minutes left with a 22-yard field goal from Josh Gable. The Gladiators drove deep, but were unable to score before time expired in the half. Duke City took a 21-17 lead into the half.
The Gladiators scored on the opening drive of the second half when Devontae Jackson rushed around the left side from a yard out. Wilson hit Darren Carrington for a 15-yard touchdown strike. with 6:43 left in the quarter. Atkins was intercepted by Cheatham Norrils of the Pirates on the Gladiators' next drive and Massachusetts was back in business. Thomas gave the Pirates their first lead of the game with a 12-yard scamper to the end zone. The Pirates led 30-28 at the end of three.
Massachusetts forced a Duke City turnover on downs to get the ball back at their own 21 yard line. The Pirates extended their lead on Martez Carter's two-yard run. Norrils intercepted Atkins at the goal line, so the Pirates had the ball back with a 37-28 lead with 6:50 left. the Gladiators blocked Josh Gable's short field goal try which was recovered by D'Darrin Primes who returned it to the house to pull the Gladiators to within two points with two minutes left in regulation. The Gladiators tried an onside kick, but it was recovered by the Pirates at the one-yard line. Fortunately for Duke City an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the bank backed the Pirates up to Duke City's 16. The Pirates went up by eight on a nine-yard pass from Wilson to Jovon Durante. That set up the fireworks in those last two seconds.
Atkins threw for a pair of touchdowns and rushed for another two for the Gladiators. Wilson, just signed earlier in the week after having started the season with the Sioux Falls Storm this season, tossed two touchdowns.
The Pirates will host the Green Bay Blizzard on July 11 at 4:05 p.m. The Gladiators will visit the Fighters on July 11 at 5:05 p.m. All times mentioned are pacific time. Click for our SCtoC Indoor Football League schedule.
Both games, as well as all IFL games this season, will be streamed live on the IFL's Official YouTube Channel. SCtoC will present previews of those, and all, games this season. Those previews will be posted on the board of the home team in each game.
- ANM
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