Donegeal, the Rock County Gladiator

[Donegeal]

Ugh.

We got drubbed. 31-6. It's to be expected, though. The team we played is in a division higher than us.

I didn't get to play much either. They put a tailback in at FB for most of the game. Too bad, too, cause the problem we had on offense was them blitzing up the middle.

I also wore knee braces for the game for "preventative" messaures. Screw that. The only thing it prevented was my speed.

[SlowwHand]

If nothing else, maybe the coaches learned what doesn't work.

[MOBIUS]

Well we are 5-0 at the top of our division.

So far my injury list has been a dislocated finger (one day I'll learn to catch the ball properly!) and some weird shoulder injury I can't seem to shake - probably because I'm not resting it...

[Donegeal]

Well, second practice in a row where I was the only FB. Damn thats hard work; but I'm getting better! I'm already in much better shape than just two weeks ago, and it's showing. I have lost 10 pounds (ok, so I'm rounding up) in 3 weeks and I am now capable of doing the entire conditioning drills (Typically a 100 yard ladder by 10 yards; and we went back down by 20 yards with returns as a backpedal).

I'm picking up every blitz that comes my way (and even some that aren't my way!) and have turned into a top notch pass blocker. Now I have to work on my short yardage pass catching hands. I have been horriable pass catcher in practice my entire life, but I have never dropped one in a game.

By the way, the roster has been updated and I am on it.

Home page for the Rock County Gladiators.

[Edit]: Oh yeah, I'm #22 on the roster page and I'm down to 230 lbs.

[SlowwHand]

Only FB and not deep at LB. Your stamina better get tweaked.

[Donegeal]

Well, we lost again.

This week we played the Milwauke Mauraders. Again, they are a team in a division higher than us.

26-34

It should have been a big win for us. We out played them most of the time. A couple key turn overs for them changed alot of the game. Hell, despite that, we still almost tied them. Four secs to go and we have the ball on our 47. As the play is progressing, the clock expires... QB launches the pass. Our receiver starts to pull away from the the guy who's covering him. As the ball getting to the WR, the defender falls while trying to catch up. Off the finger tips of the WR to fall incomplete. Would have been an easy TD. Oh, we also had a TD called back on a block in the back that had no effect on the play. We ended up turning the ball over on that drive...

For me, I played alot more. I was on Kick return and Kick Coverage this time. I also got put in on offense for the first time. On the first play with me in, we ran a sweep to the right. I saw a DB coming up on blitz from that direction and drove him 20 yards out of the play. We scored a 30 yard TD on that run and I had a key block to help spring it. We went for 2 and made the short pass. I didn't have to do much on that play. Since I'm on Kick Coverage, I went straight to that play. The next series coach told me to stay in at FB. It was a sweep left. The d end was well blocked by our tackle, so I went around and pounded the Outside LB. MLB got our tailback, and caused a fumble. They recovered. I didn't make it in on O the rest of the game.

I dont get upset about not playing in the games alot. I joined because I want to play football, and that's what we do at practice. Any game time I get is bonus.

Anyway, our next game is against the Indy Bengals or something. They are a team at the same level as us. We should take em, and take em good.

[SlowwHand]

Turnovers. Killers to winning. Sounds like on a personal level it's picking up and going well. Good.

[Donegeal]

We have finally played a team of our own division... and due to scheduling quirks and resuffeling, a team that is actuallyin our conference. End result:

Rock County Gladiators 39
Central Illinois Cardinals 8


The score really wasn't very indicitive of how close the game was. We still had two TD called back on penalties and two turnovers. They had two good plays (one flat route that went uncovered and a second finger tip with two feet draging on the side line) that lead to the score and that was it.

On a personal note, I registared my first solo tackle. Short kick that the upback laid on. The first person who got to him jumped over him and I was right behind and just touched him. Hehehe. Not much of a tackle, but it's still stated as a solo.

Also... I got the starting nod at FB. Between Starting O, Kick covereage and Kick return, I played quiet a bit. The regular offense also seem to click much better when I was in. I gotta specify regular offense because about 1/3 to 1/2 of the time we run our two-minute drill. It really throws the other teams for a loop when we do it too.

No offensive stats for me, but I hit alot of people. I did have one play where I was faking a dive on a pass play. I guess I did a poor job because nobody bought the fake. I went out on a pattern and was wide open in the endzone, but the play was a boot the other direction so the QB would've had to throw accross his body to get it too me.

Next weekend starts the regular season.

[SlowwHand]

Goooooooooo, GLADIATORS!

[Donegeal]

Gladiators ready! Semi-pro squad eager to open regular season

(Published Friday, July 6, 2007 12:35:06 PM CST)

By John Barry
Gazette staff

Carter Linneman's dream to bring semi-professional football back to Rock County began last August.

The dream officially becomes reality Saturday afternoon.

The Rock County Gladiators will open up the 2007 Northwest Indiana Football League (NIFL) season by hosting the Illinois Seahawks at the Rock County Football Park in Beloit. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Although the Gladiators finished 2-3 in the pre-season, the start of the regular season will finally validate the return of semi-professional football to the area.

"We've worked so hard as an organization this past year to get to this point," said Linneman, the head coach of the Gladiators and one of the owners. "To know that we are starting the regular season has everybody pumped up.

"The pre-season was great for this team. Not only did we improve every game, but we did it against all Triple A teams."

Semi-professional football is broken down into three divisions. Triple A is the highest and most talented league, followed by Double A and Single A. The Gladiators are considered a Double A team, despite their first year of existence.

The NIFL is a new league, but of the five teams competing, the Gladiators are the only team that is new. The Northwest Indiana Hit Men, the Midwest Raiders, the Great Lakes Wolfpack and the Seahawks are all established organizations.

The Gladiators wrapped up the exhibition schedule with a convincing 39-8 win over the Central Illinois Cardinals last Saturday.

Milton High graduate Danny Roberts starts at quarterback for the Gladiators and figures to direct a high-scoring offense.

Wide receiver and Janesville Parker High graduate Jermar Ayers, along with running back Preston Parker, gives the Gladiators two speedy playmaking threats. Parker High graduate Trevor Bruegger and Craig grad Anthony Goth anchor the offensive line.

"If Jermar and Preston get to the outside, no one is going to catch them," Linneman said. "We start out with a no-huddle offense, and most teams aren't used to seeing that.

"Danny is a solid quarterback, and he's got some nice weapons to work with."

Beloit's Deejay Spencer and Floyd Hodges solidify an undersized but athletic defensive front, while cornerbacks Ben McDonald and Shane Martin will anchor the secondary.

Saturday's game-time temperature is expected to be near 90 degrees, but Linneman said the team is preparing for the heat.

"The biggest thing you worry about is cramping," Linneman said. "What we are trying to do is make sure every player knows how important it is to keep hydrated at all times.

"Getting back into football shape, especially conditioning, has been the toughest thing to do for most of these guys. They knew it was going to be a summer league and that it was going to be hot at times.

"I don't think anyone has complained. We are all just really excited about Saturday's game."

[Donegeal]

Regular Season Opener:

Rock County Gladiators 44
Illinois Seahawks 12


Again, the game was more of a blowout than the score indicates. We had two TD's called back again and the only way they scored were by tipped passes that just fell in the right place.

I'll write more tommarow as I'm sure the local news paper that I have been quoting (The Janesville Gazette) will have another article on our big season opening win.

[Zopperoni]

Well done, did you get some pancakes?

[MOBIUS]

Well we're 7-0 now after winning yesterday's game 38-7.

I scored a 20yd rushing TD last week, but I wasn't allowed to mention that here cos I was banned...

I expect I'll be banned again soon enough, but just to say that our next game is away to the Andover Thrashers whose 4-0 win streak we snapped in a 50-37 scorefest - they've lost all their games since our last encounter...

[Donegeal]

Sorry for the delay...

No pancakes. I usually go against DE, and I'm a RB. I do enough to either break the RB to the outside or give the QB that extra ½ sec.

Gladiators roll past Seahawks to open season

In their first regular season home game of the year, the Rock County Gladiators wanted to impress.

The 350 fans that came to Rock County Football Park did not leave disappointed.

The Gladiators came out fast and never stopped in a 44-12 rout of the Illinois Seahawks on Saturday, thoroughly dominating every aspect of the game at the old Beloit Catholic High School field.

The Gladiators (1-0) took a 6-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter when quarterback Danny Roberts II hit tight end Nate Wall across the middle for a 10 yard score. The Gladiators botched the extra point attempt, but after stopping the Seahawks on fourth down, the Gladiators turned to running back Curtis Parker to increase the lead.


Parker dodged multiple Seahawk defenders before darting his way for a 27 yard score. Roberts hit Marchez Range for the two-point conversion, making it 14-0 Gladiators. Parker was the offensive hero for Rock County, collecting 131 yards on nine carries.

It seemed as though the score would stay that way at halftime, but a poor punt by the Seahawks gave Rock County good field position with time running out. Two plays later, Roberts connected with Range for a 27-yard score. After missing the point after, the Gladiators held a 20-0 halftime lead.

The Seahawks (0-1) got on the board in the third with a touchdown. However, Josh McKillips intercepted the two-point try and returned it 98 yards to tally two points for the Gladiators.

The fourth quarter was all Rock County as it scored 22 points to seal the win. Parker had a 19 yard TD run while Jermar Ayers and Josh Fox added touchdown receptions.

The Gladiators next two games are on the road, taking on the Chicago Wolverines on July 14 and the Great Lakes Wolfpack on July 21. After a bye week, the Gladiators will host the Seahawks again on Aug. 4.

This is from The Beloit Daily News, not The Janesville Gazette.

[Donegeal]

This past Saturday, we were susposed to go to Gately Stadium, where we were going to play on turf... but the day before the game, the stadium got changed to Gilroy in Gary ( ). We were susposed to start by 5:00 because there aren't any lights at Gilroy, but didn't get started until past 6 because there was another game before us going on.

This team, The Chicago Wolverines, is the team that was susposed to give us our toughest challenge in the league, and we were already without two starting corners, our two best defensive ends and two O-line starters. Additionally, during the game, we lost 2 starting DT, our C and starting HB.

Never fear.

Gladiators 28
Wolverines 21

With 1:40 remaing, our defense fores them the punt. Our return guy makes a very timely 45 yard return giving us the ball back at the 35. We're down by 1 with a minute and a half left and the sidelines are scrambling looking for the field goal tee. The play after we find it, the offense scores a 20 yard touchdown with 1:03 remaining. Two point conversion good for the final score. When they got the ball back, it was too dark to be passing the ball so their offense floundered.