Duke City Gladiators notebook: Helping out on Election Day, new additions, four-game homestand

It’s been a joyous June for the Duke City Gladiators.

The Indoor Football League team won it’s first game of the season on June 1 and then on June 4, the team showed its strength and endurance off the field by assisting Bernalillo County in the primary election. Also the Gladiators still have three home games to play this month and are hoping some new players help the turn their season around.

Making your vote count

Since Gladiators’ owner Gina Thomas took control of the franchise in 2019, she’s encouraged the team’s players help with Bernalillo County elections. The players’ primary responsibility on Election Day is to carry heavy boxes stuffed with ballots to where county officials need them to be throughout the day and into the night.

“The Gladiators help us every single year, and without the Gladiators, it would probably add an hour to the evening,” said Bernalillo Country Clerk Linda Stover.

Thomas noted the importance of voting is a driving force behind her decision to encourage players volunteer on Election Day.

“Voting is a privilege, not every country gets to vote,” she said. “So, we have the ability as a society to change what’s going on in our cities and our states; we have that ability through elections.”

Gladiators linebacker Jayson Serda said being involved in community elections is in line with the team’s goals.

“We love helping out,” he said.

New players

On the field, the Gladiators have limped to a 1-9 record with six quarterbacks having started those 10 games.

But the team hopes new additions Hasan Muhammad-Rogers at quarterback and Tamorrion Terry at wide receiver will help stabilize the offense.

Muhammad-Rogers has played various positions throughout his football career, which include stints at Illinois State University and Lincoln University of Missouri, an HBCU based in Jefferson City.

“I make the biggest impact on the game being a quarterback,” he said. “I love the spotlight; I love the moment; I love the ups and the downs of the position.”

He’ll have a big target in the 6-foot-3 Terry, who’s the 10th leading pass-catcher in Florida State history.

Terry signed with the Seattle Seahawks after going undrafted in 2021 but was released after he and 10 others were indicted on charges related to a fatal nightclub shooting in 2018, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Terry eventually pleaded guilty to two felony counts of making a false statement, for which he received probation, according to On3.com.

Muhammad-Rogers and Terry were huge in the Gladiators’ 46-45 road loss to the San Antonio Gunslingers on Saturday. Muhammad-Rogers, who split time with Javin Kilgo at quarterback, threw only five passes but three of them went for touchdowns — all to Terry.

Muhammad-Rogers finished 5-for-6 for 117 yards and also ran 11 times for 82 yards and recorded two rushing touchdowns. Muhammad-Rogers helped account for all five Gladiators touchdowns in the game.

Terry led the team in receptions (6), receiving yards (136) and receiving touchdowns (3).

Terry started the season with the IFL’s Jacksonville Sharks and was recently traded to the Gladiators. He said he hopes to take on a leadership role with his new team.

“They brought me here to win games, be that voice and be that leader … I have to lock in even more,” he said.

Home sweet home

After being on the road for four straight weeks (which included a 21-20 win over the Tucson Sugar Skulls on June 1), the Gladiators return home to the Rio Rancho Events Center for four consecutive games.

The team’s homestand begins this Saturday, with a game against the Vegas Knight Hawks. Kickoff is 6:05 p.m.

The Gladiators also play home games on June 22 and 29 and July 7.

Though the Gladiators sit in last place in the Western Division, the team is not out of the playoffs, and putting a string of wins together at home could keep their playoff dreams alive.