AFL Cleveland Gladiators

Gladiators Hold off Storm for 53-34 Win

Published on May 19, 2012 under Arena Football League (AFL)
Cleveland Gladiators News Release


CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Gladiators used their top-ranked scoring defense to hold off the Tampa Bay Storm for a 53-34 win in front of 6,927 at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday night. The victory improved the Gladiators to 6-3 on the season, while the Storm fell to even at 5-5 this year. The two teams split the season series, with each defending their home turf.

National Guard MVP John Dutton was solid throwing the football, completing 22-of-41 pass attempts for 254 yards and five touchdowns. Dominick Goodman continued to be Dutton's favorite target by hauling in 10 grabs for 129 yards and a score, while also adding a rushing touchdown. Goodman came into tonight leading the AFL in receptions per game with 11. Thyron Lewis and Robert Redd each snagged two touchdowns on the night.

Tampa Bay was paced by Amarri Jackson's seven grabs for 56 yards and a touchdown. Two quarterbacks saw action for the Storm, with Eric Wasil starting the game and completing 13-of-26 passes for 121 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The Storm accumulated 19 penalties for 177 yards in the game to the Gladiators' nine for 83 yards. Jeramie Richardson had his fifth-consecutive game with a rushing touchdown. He has seven total scoring runs over that five-game span.

The Gladiators' top-ranked scoring defense in the AFL held the Storm to 34 points, marking the third time this year they held an opponent under 40 points in a contest. Cleveland's defensive unit came into tonight allowing just 47.5 points per game. Riddell Defensive Player of the Game Levy Brown accumulated four stops and an interception, while Prentice Purnell had three stops, a sack and a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown.

The Gladiators are in action next week when the East Division rival Philadelphia Soul come to The Q. Cleveland currently sits at just half a game behind Philadelphia for the lead in the east division. Kickoff is set for 4:00 PM on Sunday, May 27.

The Cleveland Gladiators are part of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena organization and also owned by a group led by Cavaliers Majority Owner and Quicken Loans Founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert. The group also owns and operates the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League playing at Quicken Loans Arena and the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League playing in nearby Canton, Ohio at the Canton Civic Center.

Gladiators tickets are on sale now and start as low as just $13 per seat! For tickets, call 216.420.2222, visit www.clevelandgladiators.com or any Northeast Ohio Discount Drug Mart location.

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