CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Gladiators made a defensive statement tonight as they took over the game in the second half and held the Tampa Bay Storm to only 29 points and got their first win of the season with a final score of 41-29 in front of the 11,892 fans at the Q.
Not only was the team without their starting QB Chris Dieker, but an hour or so before the game, coach Steve Thonn was taken to the hospital for reasons unknown but is said to just be an illness.
Once again, the Gladiators started off sluggish in the first quarter. Larry Beavers was returning the opening kickoff and fumbled around the 7 yard line which gave the Storm excellent field position and the early score after an Adam Kennedy 2- yard rushing touchdown.
A missed extra point attempt put the storm up 6-0. A solid drive for Gladiators QB Dennis Harvilla, who got the nod to start for Dieker, was spoiled when a hand off to Phillip-Keith Manley was fumbled and recovered by the Storm at their own 6 yard line.
Tampa Bay capitalized on the turnover with a 42 yard drive and capped off with a 18 yard touchdown to Phillip Barnett. 12-0 Storm lead at this point.
The second quarter was started off with a nice 42 yard drive by Cleveland which led to a 9 yard touchdown grab by Thyron Lewis that dug themselves out of that hole and gave the offense a boost. An interception at the 4 yard line and a 4 yard touchdown pass from Havrilla to Collin Taylor put the Gladiators up 14-12 to end the half.
Kennedy was knocked out of the game early in the third quarter and the Storm turned to back up QB Jonathan Bane. In his first few snaps, he threw a pass in the front corner of the endzone to connect with V’Keon Lacey to put the Storm up 19-14.
Another Havrilla to Taylor connection made it a back and fourth game between the teams as Cleveland was up 21-19. After another Tampa Bay score, Gladiators get the ball back but couldn’t get the yards they needed and turned the ball over on downs.
Tampa Bay had the ball at the Cleveland one yard line but couldn’t punch the ball in after 2 run attempts and overthrown passes.
Cleveland’s ball on the one-yard line. The fourth quarter was all Cleveland at that point. Although Tampa Bay had a field goal to put them up 29-28, but one more Collin Taylor touchdown, his third of the game, out them up 34-29 but failed to convert a 2 point conversion.
The Gladiators tried to tick the Storm and fooled everyone on trying an onside kick but didn’t recover so the ball is on the 9 yard line of Cleveland for Tampa Bay.
Joe Powell ended up picking off Bane in the endzone for his fourth interception in two game and his third returned for a touchdown which sealed the deal for the Storm who could just run the clock out at that point and Cleveland defeats Tampa Bay 41-29. Cleveland hosts the LA KISS next Saturday.
STATS: Tampa Bay
Adam Kennedy 11-20, 1 TD, 1 Rush TD, 2 int. Phillip Barnett 7 catches, 69 yards, 1 TD, Long 20
Dennis Havrilla 23-34, 219 yards, 5 TD, 1 int. Collin Taylor 69 5 catches, 69 yards, 3 TD, Long 26
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