Gladiators lose home opener, 32-26

Opening their Indoor Football League season at home for the first time in team history, the Duke City Gladiators came out on the short end of a 32-26 final with the San Diego Strike Force Monday evening in the Rio Rancho Events Center.

Duke City (0-1) scored six plays into the game.

The Gladiators led 7-6 at the end of the first quarter, but were down, 13-10, at halftime. Ernesto Lacayo’s 44-yard field goal on the final play of the first half made it a three-point deficit.

A 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Javin Kilgo to Tyron Laughinghouse, plus a point-after by Lacayo, were the only points in the third period, which ended with the Gladiators holding a 17-13 lead.

Oddly, comparing the time of possession in the third quarter, the Strike Force (1-0) had the ball for almost 13 minutes without a point. That Gladiators scoring drive took only 59 seconds.

San Diego had the ball as the fourth quarter began and scored on a short rush, with a pass for a two-point conversion failing, and the Strike Force had the lead to keep, 19-17.

A Kilgo pass was picked off on the Gladiators’ next possession, and San Diego padded its lead after another short run into the end zone.

Down but not out, the Gladiators took advantage of an onside kick by San Diego that the Gladiators returned to the 11. Eight plays later, a 6-yard TD pass from Kilgo to Gourney Sloan, plus a Lacayo PAT, made it a 26-25 Duke City lead.

San Diego then scored the game’s final TD with 17 seconds left in the game. Duke City got the ball back, by Kilgo was intercepted and the Strike Force ran out the clock.

By game’s end, the biggest difference was on offense, where San Diego ran 51 plays to Duke City’s 36, and had a 173-71 advantage in total offense; the Gladiators managed only 10 rushing yards.

Former Duke City QB Nate Davis was 17 of 33 for 173 yards, with one TD and one interception.

Kilgo was 9 of 21 for 71 yards, with two TDs but three picks.

Duke City also lost a player during the game, as Aaron Jackson was carted off the turf. Until his injury, Jackson had eight solo tackles in the game.

Duke City is back in action Friday at Frisco, returning to the Events Center for just one game in April, when they play host to the Tucson Sugar Skulls at 6:05 p.m. on April 6.