Photo: Quarterback Josh Jones had a tremendous season for the Wranglers in his first year
The Duke City Gladiators saved their best offensive performance of the season till the final game with a 69-48 win over the Northern Arizona Wranglers.
After scoring just 28 points in a loss to Bay Area last week, the Gladiators (3-13), scored a season high 69 points and giving them just their third win of 2024.
The Wranglers (9-7) came into the game with no shot of making the playoffs, but still were favored by ten points.
Duke City took the opening kickoff and got inside the NAZ red zone, but the Wranglers defense came up with a block of Ernesto Lacayo’s field goal attempt.
It only took three plays to go the length of the field to take what would be their only lead of the game. A big pass play from quarterback Josh Jones to John Maldonado set Northern Arizona up at the Duke City eight. Jones then hit Des Stoudemire in the end zone. Axel Perez added the PAT and it was 7-0.
A well executed kickoff by Perez with hops and bounces resulted in a one point rouge as the returner could not get the ball out of the end zone. Leading 8-0, the Northern Arizona defense gave up a huge 47 yard run by Deva Concliffe. The Lacayo extra point made it 8-7. Lacayo added a deuce on the kickoff and the Gladiators had a 9-8 lead. Duke City’s offense had sputtered off and on all season, but they put all together against the Wranglers.
Northern Arizona turned the ball over on downs giving Duke City the ball at the NAZ 10 yard line. Gladiator quarterback Javin Kilgo threw the ball to Tomorrio Terry over defender Kevin Hyde in the end zone for a 16-8 lead.
Jones hit receiving star John Maldonado on a sharp pass for a touchdown. Perez nailed the drop-kick to tie the game at 16 at the end of the first quarter.
Duke City took slowly control of the game in the second quarter getting a pair of big runs. Quarterback Kilgo called his own number and split the defense running in the middle of the field for the score. Lacayo added his second deuce for a 25-16 lead.
The following key possession turned up empty for the Wranglers. Dillon Sterling-Cole took over at quarterback for the remainder of the game and through a deep pass to Arabian McCorker to the Duke City seven yard line. Two plays later a poorly thrown pass was picked off by Nazir Streeter, giving the ball back to the Gladiators.
Duke City’s Jordan Byrd broke it open up the middle for a 26 yard run to double up the score on the Wranglers midway through the second quarter. Trailing 32-16, a three and out led to a Perez field goal to trim the deficit to 32-19 with four minutes left in the first half.
In the final minute of the first half the Wranglers defense got a big stop at their four yard line, giving the offense a chance before halftime. Three and out for a second time led to a 54 yard field goal attempt by Perez was off target as the Wranglers trailed 32-19 at the half.
Lacayo opened the third quarter with his third deuce increasing the score to 34-19. Sterling-Cole came out in the second half, seemingly with more confidence, and threw a pass across his body to Maldonado who took it in for the score to get within 34-27.
Lacayo drilled a field goal to make it 37-27, then he added another two points when Lacayo added his fourth deuce to increase the score to 39-27.
Perez started the fourth quarter with a field goal to get the Wranglers within 39-30. A missed deuce attempt set the ball for the Gladiators at midfield.
The NAZ defense still needing a stop, was unable to on the Duke City possession with ten minutes to play, as Terry hauled in a pass out battling Hyde in the end zone. 46-30. Lacayo’s fifth deuce increased the lead to 48-30.
Sterling-Cole was tackled on the first play in the end zone for a safety and a 50-30 Duke City lead. An onside kick was recovered by the Gladiators.
Kilgo threw a pass on the first play from scrimmage to a wide open Terry for a touchdown to extend the Gladiators lead to 57-30.
The Wranglers were able to score with six minutes left when Maldonado ran across the back end zone to make a catch for a touchdown on a great effort despite the game being out of reach. It was Maldonado’s 23rd TD catch of the season.
Lacayo drilled his second field goal for a 60-36 lead. Then Lacayo nailed another deuce on the kickoff to make the score 62-36.
Kobay White caught a 45 yard pass from Sterling-Cole, but NAZ still trailed 62-42.
The Wranglers got the ball right back when Travion Banks picked off a Kilgo pass in the end zone, his eighth of the season.
Maldonado came up with his fourth TD catch of the game, his 24th of the season, when Sterling-Cole through another long pass. One final TD pass from Kilgo to Conliffe gave the Gladiators their season high of 69.
Sterling-Cole’s final pass was picked off by Greg Dent to close out the season for both teams. Statistically, Northern Arizona ranked fourth in offense, but 14th out of 16 defensively. Quarterback Josh Jones finished fourth in passing with 182 yards per game average and a rating of 168 with 56 touchdown passed and just seven interceptions. Jones also rushed for 671 yards and 21 touchdowns, ranking him at 14th in average per game. John Maldonado ranked sixth in receiving with 24 touchdown receptions in 66 catches. Kobay White ranked 15 with 57 catches and 11 touchdowns. Sonnier Malik led the defense with 69.5 tackles. Tramond Lofton finished fifth in sacks with 7.5 and Travion Banks ranked tied for the top spot in the league with eight interceptions.
DUKE CITY GLADIATORS 69, NORTHERN ARIZONA WRANGLERS 48
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
Northern Arizona 16 3 8 21 – 48
Duke City 16 16 7 30 – 69
Scoring Summary
NAZ-Stoudemire 8 yard pass from Jones (Perez kick)
NAZ-Rouge
DC-Concliffe 47 yard run (Lacayo kick)
DC-Lacayo Deuce
DC-Terry 4 yard pass from Kilgo (Lacayo kick)
NAZ-Maldonado 7 yard pass from Jones (Perez drop-kick)
DC-Kilgo 24 yard run (Lacayo kick)
DC-Lacayo Deuce
DC-Byrd 15 yard run (Lacayo kick)
NAZ-Perez 36 yard Field Goal
DC-Lacayo Deuce
NAZ-Maldonado 12 yard pass from Sterling-Cole (Perez drop-kick)
DC-Lacayo 45 yard Field Goal
DC-Lacayo Deuce
NAZ-Perez 30 yard Field Goal
DC-Terry 15 ayrd pass from Kilgo (Lacayo kick)
DC-Lacayo deuce
DC –Safety, Sterling-Cole tackled in end zone
DC-Terry 29 yard pass from Kilgo (Lacayo kick)
NAZ-Maldonado 4 yard pass from Sterling-Cole (Drop-kick failed)
DC-Lacayo 20 yard Field Goal
DC-Lacayo Deuce
NAZ-White 45 yard pass from Sterling-Cole (Drop-kick failed)
NAZ-Maldonado 45 yard pass from Sterling-Cole (Drop-kick failed)
DC-Concliffe 11 yard pass from Kilgo (Lacayo kick)
ATT:N/A
IFL STANDINGS
Western Conference W-L
X-Bay Area 13-3
X-Vegas 11-5
X-Arizona 11-5
X-San Diego 10-6
WRANGLERS 9-7
San Antonio 8-8
Duke City 3-13
Tucson 2-14
Eastern Conference W-L
X-Green Bay 13-3
X-Frisco 13-3
X-Massachusetts 8-8
X-Quad City 8-8
Tulsa 6-10
Jacksonville 5-11
Iowa 5-11
Sioux Falls 3-13
X- Clinched Playoff Berth
SCOREBOARD
Duke City 69, WRANGLERS 48
Arizona 41, San Antonio 34
Jacksonville 43, Quad City 37
Green Bay 51, Sioux Falls 30
Frisco 59, Iowa 47
Bay Area 30, San Diego 20
Vegas 49, Tucson 25
Tulsa 44, Massachusetts 24
END OF REGULAR SEASON
PLAYOFFS-FIRST ROUND
Western Conference
(3) Arizona at (2) Vegas, Saturday, 7:05pm
(4) San Diego at (1) Bay Area, Sunday, 4:05pm
Eastern Conference
(4) Quad City at (1) Green Bay, Friday, 5:05pm
(3) Massachusetts at (2) Frisco, Saturday, 4:05pm
