Gladiators pull off a Nail-Biter 69-66 over Predators

The Cleveland Gladiators came to Cleveland with high hopes.  After a home playoff victory over the Orlando Predators, they head to Georgia with the same high hopes.

In their first year in Cleveland, the Gladiators earned a trip to the post-season by going 9-7.  While faltering a bit down the stretch, they won the last game, getting into the playoffs and securing home-field advantage for at least one game by landing the fourth spot in the eight-seeded playoff picture of their conference.  The Orlando Predators came in with the very same record.   In their regular season meeting on 5/9, the Gladiators won 62-43.  Orlandowas without Defensive end Rob Shroeder and defensive back Jason Perry. 

Playoff atmosphere loomed large at Quicken Loans Arena in beautiful downtown Cleveland.  The crowd was loud, definitely allowing the Gladiators an advantage.  Much of the first half, it didn’t look good for the home squad.

Orlandoreceiver Chris Gasner sacrificed life and limb on the Predators first touchdown, diving into the stands and hauling down the catch.

Raymond Philyaw struck right back with a 25 yard strike, hitting Robert Redd right on the numbers. 

The Gladiator kickoff coverage was non-existent through most of the game, and they gave up a fifty-plus yard runback.  On the ensuing extra point, the snap was high, and Orlandokicker Dan Frantz pulled it to the right, hitting the crossbar.  20-14 Orlando. 

The first big break of the contest came on a bull-rush by Orlando’s Marlon Moye-Moore.  He sent Raymond Philyaw back-peddling.  Philyaw pump-faked, fumbled, and Triple M recovered.  The Gladiators challenged the call, contending an incomplete pass.  After a lengthy review, the play stood as called.

As the second quarter opened, the Predators coughed the ball right back to the Gladiators, negating their turnover advantage with a hand-off miscue.  Philyaw looked out of sorts after the fumble, throwing into coverage, badly under-throwing, and flipping one into the stands, making it fourth and ten from the Gladiator six yard line.  Cleveland went for it, and the Orlando defense held, taking over on downs. 

If you are counting, that made three defensive stops in a row?  THAT IS UNDHEARD OF!!  Orlando broke the string of stops, scoring on a third and six with a pass to the right corner.  Yet again they missed the extra point, making it 26-14.  The extra point misses would eventually come back to haunt them. 

Cleveland continued to shoot themselves in the foot offensively, negating a fantastic touchdown catch with an illegal formation.  Regaining their pose, they came right back to the other corner of the end-zone and scored, narrowing the gap to 26-21

On the next Predator possession, DB defensive back Brandon Hefflin picked off a tipped Shane Stafford pass.  Even with the fumble on the return, the Gladiators kept possession on the Orlando five.  On a fourth and four, Orlando jumped off-sides, almost giving the Gladiator offense a first down. The fourth and one false start went against Cleveland, making it fourth and six, requiring the Gladiators to kick a field goal, narrowing the gap to 26-24. 

After the kickoff Odie Armstrong, a 270 lb fullback rumbled 31 yards to the house after a catch and a hurdle over a pack of Gladiator players, opening up an Orlando 33-24 lead. 

Brandon Hefflin came up huge yet again, picking off his second pass of the evening with 10.8 seconds left on the clock and giving the Gladiators a chance to take the lead going into the half.  A little two yard pass to Redd moved the ball out to the sixteen.  One play later, same play, the Gladiators were all the way down to the 12 yard line, easy pickings for Jason Ball.  He planted it firmly through, giving Cleveland a 34-33 lead heading into the half.

In the third quarter, ball in hand, the Gladiators stormed out of the gate, opening the second half with a 25 yard TD pass to Redd laid in beautifully by QB Raymond Philyaw.

Randy Hymes returned the favor when he  took a three yard pass and turned it into a touchdown with some nifty juking. 

With 3:40 left in the third, the Gladiators’ Philyaw lobbed an ill-advised pass into the corner and the jump ball was picked off.  Orlando got the upper hand immediately, scoring on bad coverage by the Cleveland defense. 

With 9:07 left in the game, the defense let a stop slip away.  Bryant Shaw had Stafford wrapped up for no gain, but let him escape for the score.  This would be the last of Orlando’s leads. 

After Cleveland scored again, taking a 62-60 lead, Orlando drove all the way to the Cleveland 4 yard line and appeared poised to retake the lead. 

Orlando QB Stafford complete a pass to Toliver on the four, Toliver staggered, fell,, and lost the ball.  Hefflin scooped up the loose rock for his third turnover of the game with 2:04 seconds remaining.  Orlando challenged the call to no avail. FUMBLE!! 

The Gladiators went deep twice, going for and coming up big on a catch by Otis Amey at Orlando’s 8 yard line.  A TD here might ice the game.  And there it was.  A running play up the gut by Willis Marshall and the Gladiators stormed ahead 69-60 with 51.9 seconds to go.  RAISE THE ROOF BABY!! 

Ironically, Mike Brown was in attendance when Byron Davis opted out of his contract as reported by ESPN and the information was passed on to said reporter by good friend Scott, who’d called earlier and was told Brown was in attendence.  A quick check of the luxury box did not show Davis in there however.   Bummer.  The feeling was short-lived though.

The onside kick with 20.7 seconds remaining was recovered by Otis Amey.  Amey gobbled the ball back off the turf one play later after a Gladiator fumble almost gave the Predators new life. 

Three throws into the crowd ran out the clock.  And there it was 69-66.  The Cleveland Gladiators are 1-0 in the history of their postseason. 

A jovial group of Gladiators interviewed afterward, stating it was just one win and there was plenty more to do.  Georgia will make sure they have their hands full.