DUKE CITY DOMINATES FINAL SECONDS TO DOWN PIRATES
RIO RANCHO, NM – The Duke City Gladiators scored 16 points with two seconds showing on the clock, coming back to defeat the Massachusetts Pirates 51-43 Saturday night at the Rio Rancho Events Center in New Mexico.
The Gladiators (6-5) trailed the Pirates (7-4) 43-35 with 27 seconds to play, but quarterback Ramone Atkins drove Duke City 26 yards in four plays for a score. Atkins notched his third rushing touchdown of the game with a two-yard run with two seconds remaining. That put his team down by two points. He then threw a two-point conversion pass to Dello Davis, who went over the wall to tie the game at 43. Kicker Kevin Goessling followed by drilling the ensuing kickoff the length of the field for a “Deuce” to give the Gladiators a 45-43 lead. Massachusetts had one final chance for victory as kicker Josh Gable attempted a 59-yard field goal. The kick was blocked by Mason Newton. The ball was recovered by the Pirates Martez Carter who attempted a return. Carter had the ball stripped by Roderick Chapman and Jimmy Thomas. The fumble was recovered by Byron Cooper who returned it eight yards for a touchdown making the final score 51-43.
This was a close contest in the first half, but three defensive stops in the second half by the Pirates made the comeback by Duke City seem more unbelievable.
In the first quarter it took the Pirates only three plays to go 19 yards after a short kickoff as quarterback Tasleem Wilson threw his first touchdown pass as a Pirate to Thomas Owens from 13 yards out. Gable added the point after for a quick 7-0 lead.
Duke City came right back with a two-play drive that covered 46 yards. The final 31 yards came via a pass from Atkins to Gregory Dent Jr. for a touchdown. Goessling added the extra point to tie the game with 10:03 on the clock in the quarter.
The Pirates next possession saw them drive to the Duke City seven-yard line, but on third and goal, Cooper sacked Wilson who fumbled. The ball was recovered by Dent Jr. to end the Massachusetts scoring threat.
The Gladiators grabbed their first lead as Atkins led Duke City on a five-play, 40-yard drive to convert the turnover into points. Atkins 14-yard TD run put his team up 14-7 as the first quarter came to a close.
In the second quarter the Pirates took advantage of another short kickoff by Goessling as they started at the Gladiators 22. It took just three plays to tie the game as Deddrick Thomas scored on a nine-yard run. The Gladiators countered with an extended drive that took 5:33 off the clock. Atkins capped a five-play, 40-yard march as he scored his second touchdown of the game on a two-yard plunge to make the score 21-14.
The half ended with both teams missing out on touchdown possibilities. Massachusetts avoided an Uno as kick returner Jovon Durant brought a bounding kickoff out of his end zone to the one. On third and ten, Wilson went deep to Owens who pulled in a 34-yard reception to the Gladiators eight. The Pirates got as close as the two-yard line but had to settle for a 22-yard field goal from Gable to make the score 21-17.
Gable attempted an on-side kick that was recovered by Duke City at the 15. The Gladiators ended the half with an incomplete pass on third and goal from the one-yard line and the score remained 21-17 with Duke City up at intermission.
Duke City would pad its lead taking the ball to start the third quarter with Devontae Jackson scoring on a one-yard run to make the score 28-17. The Pirates answered with Wilson finding Darren Carrington II with an 11-yard toss as Massachusetts kept pace. Massachusetts then got its first defensive stop of the second half as defensive back Cheatham Norrils intercepted Atkins and returned it 17 yards to the Gladiators 22-yard line. Four plays later Thomas ran untouched into the end zone from 12 yards out and the Pirates held a 30-28 lead as the third quarter came to a close.
After the Pirates defense forced a turnover on downs they scored again in the final quarter with Carter running a 1-yard sweep for a 36-28 advantage. On the next play from scrimmage Norrils collected his second interception of the game picking off a pass that was intended for Davis in the end zone. The Pirates then drove to the Duke City three-yard line where their drive stalled. Gable attempted a 20-yard field goal that deflected off the helmet of an offensive lineman. The ball was recovered by D’Darrin Primes who returned it 28 yards for a touchdown and the Gladiators trailed 37-35.
The Pirates then recovered an on-side kick attempt and four plays later it was Jovon Durnate catching a nine-yard pass from Wilson and Massachusetts led 43-35 but a missed extra point gave Duke City hope with 39 seconds showing on the clock.
A dazzling kickoff return by Chapman to midfield led to Atkins throwing eight yards to Dent Jr. and a 13-yard pass to Davis, before going on the improbable 16-point run to finish the game.
For the Pirates Wilson finished the game 12 of 18 passing for 161 yards with three touchdowns. Thomas was the Pirates leading rusher with eight carries for 38 yards and two scores. Wilson rushed 11 times for 34 yards. Owens was the top receiver in the contest with six catches for 88 yards and a touchdown.
On defense Aaron Maxey-Penton led Massachusetts with seven tackles. Norrils had two interceptions, four stops and broke up a pass.
For Duke City, Atkins was 11 of 23 passing for 124 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was also the game’s leading rusher with five carries for 48 yards and three scores. His top target was Gregory Dent Jr. who had four receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively for the Gladiators, Cooper had 11 tackles including 2.5 for a loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Primes added eight tackles, .5 tackles for a loss and a blocked field goal return for a score.
Duke City has now won four straight games. The Pirates will return home next Saturday night to face the Green Bay Blizzard at Phoenix Field at the DCU Center with kickoff scheduled for 7:05 eastern time.