Post by alecs on May 21, 2023 18:37:57 GMT -8
Strike Force 57, Gladiators 44
5/21/23 --
SAN DIEGO, CA - In a matchup many fans had circled on their calendars after April's trade that sent QB Nate Davis from the Gladiators to the Strike Force, Davis got the chance to play against his former team in a key Western Conference clash at Pechanga Arena on Sunday night. Davis put in a vintage performance, leading San Diego to a 57-44 victory over Duke City.
Duke City received the opening kickoff of the game, but were thwarted on a 4th-and-goal from the Strike Force three yard line, with Charles McCullum unable to find Troy Evans in the endzone. The defensive stand allowed San Diego to strike first and take a 7-0 lead on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Davis to Kentrez Bell. Duke City could not find a response, going four and out on their next possession resulting in Ernesto Lacayo coming up short on a 55-yard field goal attempt. The Strike Force would take possession of the ball as the first quarter came to a close.
The first play of the second quarter was another Davis to Bell touchdown connection - this time from 31 yards out. Duke City's next possession would mirror their first, with a 4th-and-goal situation from San Diego's two yard line. On this occasion, they called on the field goal unit, and Ernesto Lacayo put Duke City on the board with an 18-yard field goal to trim the San Diego lead to 14-3. The Strike Force found an answer on their next drive with a one-yard TD run from Eddie Vander, extending their lead to 18 points. The Gladiators would finally execute the big play three plays later on a 30-yard touchdown pass from McCullum to Tyron Laughinghouse. San Diego would come right back with another touchdown, courtesy of a 27-yard touchdown pass from Davis to Bell for the third time in the half. The Gladiators took their next possession deep into the one-minute warning, and got a pivotal five-yard touchdown pass from McCullum to Xavier Amey to bring the score back to 28-17, favoring San Diego. Kevin Goessling got an opportunity at a 32-yard field goal at the buzzer, but pushed it wide left as time expired. Nonetheless, San Diego carried the 28-17 lead into the locker room at the half.
San Diego received the second half kickoff and picked up right where they left off. Davis went back to his favorite target in Bell on a six-yard touchdown pass, the duo's fourth connection of the contest. Duke City got a hand on Goessling's extra point attempt to keep the game 34-17. After Duke City's Nazir Streater nearly returned a short kickoff for a touchdown, Charles McCullum pounded in a two-yard rushing score, cutting the lead to ten points. But the Strike Force continued their usual ways on offense, scoring another touchdown with a Davis eight-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Thompson. San Diego added a deuce from Goessling on the kickoff which bumped San Diego's lead to 43-24. Desperate to get back into the game, Duke City responded with a six-yard touchdown pass from McCullum to Evans. On the final play of the quarter, Davis again found Thompson on a 30-yard touchdown pass, with Goessling providing the extra point as time expired, giving San Diego a 50-31 lead after 45 minutes.
Duke City got another big play, a 31-yard touchdown pass from McCullum to Evans early in the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion did not connect, so Duke City still trailed 50-37. The Gladiators would finally get the takeaway it so desperately needed, forcing a strip-sack of Nate Davis, and Gregory Hancock of the Gladiators recovered the loose ball inside the San Diego five yard line. The next play saw McCullum find Tim Whitfield on a three-yard checkdown touchdown pass, making it a one-score contest 50-44. The next drive for the Strike Force saw several dead ball fouls called against Duke City, and it was Eddie Vander on another one-yard touchdown rush which restored the two-possession lead for the Strike Force. Because of multiple in-the-bank penalties enforced after the kickoff, the next possession for the Gladiators started inside their own one yard line. That's when Terin Adams made the decisive play of the game, intercepting a pass intended for Laughinghouse to put the game away. San Diego would run out the rest of the clock from there to finalize the 57-44 victory.
Nate Davis was masterful in the winning effort for San Diego, completing 14-of-20 passes for 208 yards, with six touchdowns and no interceptions, with just the lost fumble in the 4th quarter as his only hiccup of the evening. Eddie Vander rushed 17 times for 50 yards for two touchdowns and added a catch for nine yards in the passing game. Kentrez Bell led all Strike Force receivers with six catches for 105 yards and four touchdowns, while Carlos Thompson accounted for two touchdowns of his own on three catches for 59 yards.
Charles McCullum was 17-of-25 passing for the Gladiators, accumulating 167 yards through the air, with five touchdowns and the late fourth-quarter interception in the losing effort. He also contributed four carries for 12 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Tim Whitfield carried 10 times for 34 scoreless yards to lead the Gladiators in rushing and added 5 catches for 15 yards and a touchdown as a receiver. Tyron Laughinghouse was their leading receiver, hauling in five catches for 67 yards and one touchdown. Both of the catches for Troy Evans this evening went for touchdowns.
The outcome of this game puts both Duke City and San Diego at 3-5 to close out Week 10 action. All seven Western Conference teams now have at least three wins, and the gap between first and last place in the West has been narrowed to just two games, making this a wide-open playoff race as the season enters the final nine weeks. The win was also the first ever for the Strike Force against Duke City, having gone 0-for-4 in their previous meetings in franchise history. The teams have no future matchups in the regular season.
The Strike Force will take a trip to Moline, Illinois to face the Quad City Steamwheelers on Saturday May 27 for a 5:05 p.m. kickoff. The Gladiators will head back home to Albuquerque and host the Northern Arizona Wranglers on Saturday May 27; also for a 5:05 p.m. kickoff. All times listed are pacific daylight time. Click for our complete 2023 IFL Schedule.
5/21/23 --
SAN DIEGO, CA - In a matchup many fans had circled on their calendars after April's trade that sent QB Nate Davis from the Gladiators to the Strike Force, Davis got the chance to play against his former team in a key Western Conference clash at Pechanga Arena on Sunday night. Davis put in a vintage performance, leading San Diego to a 57-44 victory over Duke City.
Duke City received the opening kickoff of the game, but were thwarted on a 4th-and-goal from the Strike Force three yard line, with Charles McCullum unable to find Troy Evans in the endzone. The defensive stand allowed San Diego to strike first and take a 7-0 lead on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Davis to Kentrez Bell. Duke City could not find a response, going four and out on their next possession resulting in Ernesto Lacayo coming up short on a 55-yard field goal attempt. The Strike Force would take possession of the ball as the first quarter came to a close.
The first play of the second quarter was another Davis to Bell touchdown connection - this time from 31 yards out. Duke City's next possession would mirror their first, with a 4th-and-goal situation from San Diego's two yard line. On this occasion, they called on the field goal unit, and Ernesto Lacayo put Duke City on the board with an 18-yard field goal to trim the San Diego lead to 14-3. The Strike Force found an answer on their next drive with a one-yard TD run from Eddie Vander, extending their lead to 18 points. The Gladiators would finally execute the big play three plays later on a 30-yard touchdown pass from McCullum to Tyron Laughinghouse. San Diego would come right back with another touchdown, courtesy of a 27-yard touchdown pass from Davis to Bell for the third time in the half. The Gladiators took their next possession deep into the one-minute warning, and got a pivotal five-yard touchdown pass from McCullum to Xavier Amey to bring the score back to 28-17, favoring San Diego. Kevin Goessling got an opportunity at a 32-yard field goal at the buzzer, but pushed it wide left as time expired. Nonetheless, San Diego carried the 28-17 lead into the locker room at the half.
San Diego received the second half kickoff and picked up right where they left off. Davis went back to his favorite target in Bell on a six-yard touchdown pass, the duo's fourth connection of the contest. Duke City got a hand on Goessling's extra point attempt to keep the game 34-17. After Duke City's Nazir Streater nearly returned a short kickoff for a touchdown, Charles McCullum pounded in a two-yard rushing score, cutting the lead to ten points. But the Strike Force continued their usual ways on offense, scoring another touchdown with a Davis eight-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Thompson. San Diego added a deuce from Goessling on the kickoff which bumped San Diego's lead to 43-24. Desperate to get back into the game, Duke City responded with a six-yard touchdown pass from McCullum to Evans. On the final play of the quarter, Davis again found Thompson on a 30-yard touchdown pass, with Goessling providing the extra point as time expired, giving San Diego a 50-31 lead after 45 minutes.
Duke City got another big play, a 31-yard touchdown pass from McCullum to Evans early in the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion did not connect, so Duke City still trailed 50-37. The Gladiators would finally get the takeaway it so desperately needed, forcing a strip-sack of Nate Davis, and Gregory Hancock of the Gladiators recovered the loose ball inside the San Diego five yard line. The next play saw McCullum find Tim Whitfield on a three-yard checkdown touchdown pass, making it a one-score contest 50-44. The next drive for the Strike Force saw several dead ball fouls called against Duke City, and it was Eddie Vander on another one-yard touchdown rush which restored the two-possession lead for the Strike Force. Because of multiple in-the-bank penalties enforced after the kickoff, the next possession for the Gladiators started inside their own one yard line. That's when Terin Adams made the decisive play of the game, intercepting a pass intended for Laughinghouse to put the game away. San Diego would run out the rest of the clock from there to finalize the 57-44 victory.
Nate Davis was masterful in the winning effort for San Diego, completing 14-of-20 passes for 208 yards, with six touchdowns and no interceptions, with just the lost fumble in the 4th quarter as his only hiccup of the evening. Eddie Vander rushed 17 times for 50 yards for two touchdowns and added a catch for nine yards in the passing game. Kentrez Bell led all Strike Force receivers with six catches for 105 yards and four touchdowns, while Carlos Thompson accounted for two touchdowns of his own on three catches for 59 yards.
Charles McCullum was 17-of-25 passing for the Gladiators, accumulating 167 yards through the air, with five touchdowns and the late fourth-quarter interception in the losing effort. He also contributed four carries for 12 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Tim Whitfield carried 10 times for 34 scoreless yards to lead the Gladiators in rushing and added 5 catches for 15 yards and a touchdown as a receiver. Tyron Laughinghouse was their leading receiver, hauling in five catches for 67 yards and one touchdown. Both of the catches for Troy Evans this evening went for touchdowns.
The outcome of this game puts both Duke City and San Diego at 3-5 to close out Week 10 action. All seven Western Conference teams now have at least three wins, and the gap between first and last place in the West has been narrowed to just two games, making this a wide-open playoff race as the season enters the final nine weeks. The win was also the first ever for the Strike Force against Duke City, having gone 0-for-4 in their previous meetings in franchise history. The teams have no future matchups in the regular season.
The Strike Force will take a trip to Moline, Illinois to face the Quad City Steamwheelers on Saturday May 27 for a 5:05 p.m. kickoff. The Gladiators will head back home to Albuquerque and host the Northern Arizona Wranglers on Saturday May 27; also for a 5:05 p.m. kickoff. All times listed are pacific daylight time. Click for our complete 2023 IFL 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.
- AS
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