2015 Duke City Gladiators season

2015 Duke City Gladiators season
OwnerDuke City Gladiators, Inc.
General managerMatt Caward
Head coachDominic Bramante
Home fieldTingley Coliseum
300 San Pedro Drive NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108
Results
Record4-4
League place7th
Playoff finishdid not qualify

The 2015 Duke City Gladiators season was the team's first season as a professional indoor football franchise, first as the "Duke City Gladiators", and first as a member of Champions Indoor Football (CIF). The Venom were led by head coach Dominic Bramante. One of nine teams in the CIF for the 2015 season, the Gladiators played their home games at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[1]

Season summary

The CIF's announced schedule for the 2015 season was disrupted when the New Mexico Stars abruptly postponed their entry into the league on February 21, just one week before the season began.[2][3][4] On March 3, the Albuquerque-based Duke City Gladiators were announced as a late entry into the league, partially replacing the Stars in the CIF schedule with a plan to play 11 games in 2015.[5] The Gladiators' schedule was a mix of league games and non-league games because of prior scheduling maneuvers and arena availability.[6][5]

Although hastily assembled, the Gladiators were able to pick up many key personnel from the unexpected temporary shutdown of the New Mexico Stars. This experience allowed them amass a 5–4 record during their unexpectedly shortened debut season. Originally scheduled for just 9 league games, the Gladiators' final home game was won by forfeit after the Sailna Bombers were ejected from the CIF on May 28. Of their four losses, only the season opener against the Texas Revolution was a blowout. The other three losses were by just 4 points, 3 points, and 5 points, respectively. Duke City also played a pair of non-league exhibition games, winning both.[7]

Off-field moves

The team opened training camp on March 15.[8] Their first indoor practice session was March 24.[9] Regular season promotions included Hispanic Heritage Night on March 28 and Public Service Day on April 26.[10]

The team averaged about 1,000 fans per home game with a peak of 1,200 during the home season finale on April 26.[7]

Awards and honors

Each week of the regular season, the CIF names league-wide Players of the Week in offensive, defensive, and special teams categories. For Week 12, the CIF named quarterback Kasey Peters as the Offensive Player of the Week.[11] For Week 13, the CIF named defensive back Jayson Serda as the Defensive Player of the Week.[12]

Schedule

Key:   Win   Tie   Loss   Bye

Regular season

Week Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location[6]
Score Record
1 Friday March 20 7:00pm at Texas Revolution L 16–56[13][14] 0–1 Allen Event Center[15][16]
2 Saturday March 28 6:05pm All Friends Team/Mexico1,2 W 27–13[17] — Tingley Coliseum[18][8][10][19]
3 Saturday April 4 6:05pm San Angelo Bandits W 51–34[20][21] 1–1 Tingley Coliseum[22]
4 Saturday April 11 6:05pm Dodge City Law L 43–47[23][24][25] 1–2 Tingley Coliseum[26]
5 Saturday April 18 6:05pm Amarillo Venom W 45–38[27][28] 2–2 Tingley Coliseum[29][30]
6 Sunday April 26 4:05pm Texas Stealth (NAIFL)1 W 76–12[31] — Tingley Coliseum
7 Saturday May 2 7:05pm at San Angelo Bandits W 64–61[32] 3–2 Foster Communications Coliseum[33]
8 BYE
9 Saturday May 16 7:05pm at Amarillo Venom L 86–89 (4OT)[34] 3–3 Amarillo Civic Center[35][36]
10 Monday May 25 7:00pm at San Angelo Bandits W 47–10[37] 4–3 Foster Communications Coliseum[38]
11 Friday May 29 7:00pm at Texas Revolution L 49–54[39][40][41] 4–4 Allen Event Center[42][43]
12 Saturday June 6 6:05pm Salina Bombers FORFEIT4 5–4 Santa Ana Star Center3

1 Exhibition game against non-league opponent.
2 Won by forfeit; game ended by officials after fight just before halftime.[17][44]
3 Duke City alternate home site as Tingley Coliseum was unavailable in June[38]
4 Game cancelled after Salina Bombers ejected from league on May 28, 2015.[45][46][47]

Roster

2015 Duke City Gladiators roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

  •  4 Landrick Brody
  • 15 Seth Smith

Wide receivers

  •  8 Roland Bruno
  • 21 James Cleveland
  • -- Terrance Compton
  • 10 Dexter Manley
  •  1 Emmanuel McPhearson
Offensive linemen
  • 95 Gerald Blockmon
  • -- Lamar Bratton
  • 77 Calvin McDowney
  • 52 Charles Stevens

Defensive linemen

  • 90 Aaron Davis
  • 12 John Fernandez
  • 42 Braxton Magalogo
  • 95 Randy Salmon
  • 35 John Sloan
Linebackers
  •  3 Chris Hernandez
  • 33 Malcolm Proctor

Defensive backs

  •  9 Monterius Lovett
  •  5 Jesse Paulsen
  • 28 Jayson Serda
  •  2 DeAndre Wright

Kickers

  • 11 Ezequiel Arevalo
Injured reserve
  • Currently vacant

Transfer list

  • Currently vacant

Refuse to report

  • Currently vacant

Roster updated April 1, 2015
24 Active, 0 Inactive

Standings

2015 Champions Indoor Football
W L PCT PF PA
z-Sioux City Bandits 9 3 .750 697 536
y-Texas Revolution 8 4 .667 638 475
x-Wichita Force 8 4 .667 553 536
x-Amarillo Venom 7 5 .583 647 598
Dodge City Law 7 5 .583 635 578
Salina Bombers 6 5 .545 538 483
Duke City Gladiators 4 4 .500 403 389
San Angelo Bandits 1 10 .091 388 627
Omaha Beef 1 11 .083 395 672

x = clinched playoffs, y = clinched home playoffs, z = clinched top seed

Playoffs

Semifinals Champions Bowl I
      
3 Wichita 27
2 Texas 39
2 Texas 61
1 Sioux City 76
4 Amarillo 52
1 Sioux City 83

References

  1. ^ Krieger, Dan (September 22, 2014). "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". Our Sports Central. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  2. ^ Christ, Bob (February 22, 2015). "NM Stars owners pull plug on season". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, NM. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  3. ^ Jones, Darlene (February 22, 2015). "New Mexico Stars will not play the CIF 2015 season". Champions Indoor Football. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  4. ^ Christ, Bob (May 23, 2015). "Arena of the absurd: Local indoor football has had funny bounces". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, NM. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "CIF Enjoys Relief and Balance with Replacement Team in New Mexico". Champions Indoor Football. March 4, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015 – via Our Sports Central.
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  7. ^ a b Christ, Bob (June 5, 2015). "Gladiators GM: 'We're here to stay'". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, NM. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
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  12. ^ "CIF Players of the Week - Week 13". Champions Indoor Football. May 27, 2015. Archived from the original on May 31, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
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