| Pre-Season APRIL | MAY |
Season MAY | JUNE | JULY |
Post-Season AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER |
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By NICK LIARD, THE SUDBURY STAR AUGUST 5, 2010 Sudbury football has been given a new name and face over the last three years. That face is an angry one, a blue Mohawk sticks up through a thick battle helmet. Gladiators defending the cities once bad reputation for football, attempting to bring back the days when teams feared the long trip up to Sudbury. Even though this season's version of the Gladiators failed to reach the championship game for the third straight season, positives are plentiful. The Gladiators fell 20-3 on Sunday to the Burlington Stampeders, who will face the Twin Cities Predators on the Knight-Newbrough field at Wilfred Laurier University. We will take a look at a few positives on the season, as well as look toward next season when the Gladiators will look to finally push themselves over the hump. So the score was not a positive, but the defence -- the Gladiators' backbone all season -- was. The defence picked off the Stamps' quarterback twice and keep the score at 3-3 into the third quarter. This should have given the offence enough time to put points on the board. They were ranked second in defence and were a pain for opposing offensive players all season. Which brings us to the next bright spot of this season. League rushing leader Joey Martellacci, who played his final game with the Gladiators. Even though he did not save his best game for last, he was still able to put up 874 yards and eight touchdowns in just seven games. Another bright spot for the offence was first-year quarterback Dan Poirer, who established himself as the starting QB early and never let go. After finishing the season with an impressive QB rating of 83.7 with 931 yards, nine touchdowns and just five interceptions, nobody could have predicted this performance at the beginning of the season. So why is it the Gladiators failed to make it past the first round? Three straight years the road trip home has been a sad one. Maybe that is the key: This year's team was just a few breaks away from gaining a home playoff game. All three playoff losses have come on the road and the Gladiators posted a 6-2- 1 record over the past two seasons at home. No doubt the three-week layoff also hurt. Hamilton-Wentworth couldn't be bothered to make the trip north, giving the Gladiators only themselves to knock heads with for three weeks. Or, maybe it is just the excitement and pressure of being in a big game. Having a first-year QB start in a playoff game was probably tough, but a good eye-opener. Whatever the case may be, this season is over and we shift our focus to next season. And shift is the right word for next season. In total, the Gladiators will lose 27 players, a giant hole considering they dress 50 players. There will be some big shoes to fill, starting with star running back Martellacci and receivers Mark Randa and Josh Haslam. They will also have to replace most of the offensive line. On defence, they will lose defensive end Colton Bonnah, who lead the team with six sacks. Also departing will be leading tackler Erik Conrad and interception leader Pat Pilon. Also gone will be Jordan Assinewe, who had 22 tackles and four sacks. The good news is, on offence, the Gladiators will have second leading scorer and receiver/kicker Alex Carriere along with QB Poirer returning. On defence, stopping the pass will be all on the shoulders of Eric Cecile. After that, most defensive spots will be up for grabs for some young players. Who knows what this year's high school season will bring? Will there be breakout athletes, rising stars -- potential baby gladiators. Only time will tell if players will step up and continue the success the G-men have had. Title favourite or rebuilder -- who knows what next season will bring? Gladiators season over By NICK LIARD, THE SUDBURY STAR AUGUST 2, 2010 It was not the trip the Gladiators had in mind when they left early Sunday morning to take on the Burlington Stampeders in the first round of the playoffs. Visions of making it to the championship was on every player's mind and anything else would be deemed a failure. The championship aspirations will have to wait one more year as the Gladiators fell 20-3 to the Stampeders. The ride back was full of players who were no doubt disappointed, but it was a bus full of athletes who would not quit all season. "They tried their hardest and there was no quit in them," said head coach Brent Richer. The game started off with both teams sputtering. The Gladiators had a field goal blocked and had to settle for a 3-3 score at halftime. In the second half, the Gladiators offense couldn't get anything going as they be held without a touchdown. Timing was no doubt a little off between offensive players having not played a game in three weeks. "Those three weeks really messed up our whole timing of our offence," said Richer. Part credit would also have to go to the defensive line of the Stamps. "Their D-line was just that much better than our offensive line," said Richer. "They were in our backfield causing havoc all game." The Stampeders got up 13-3 and tacked on a late touchdown to put the final score at 20-3. One bright spot was the Gladiators defense who were able to hold off the league's best offense for most of the game, picking off the Stampeders quarterback twice with interceptions from defensive backs Eric Cecile and Taylor Roberts. The Gladiators will hold their awards ceremony on Aug. 12 to wrap up the 2010 season. It's 'really hard, really intense' By NICK LIARD, THE SUDBURY STAR JULY 31, 2010 For Sudbury Gladiators running back Joey Martellacci and 25 of his teammates, this weekend's playoff game could be the last time they suit-up for the blue and white. It could also be the last time some will put on pads all together. This has sunk in with the team and is something the Gladiators will do their best to prevent when the atmosphere changes and they take the trip down to Burlington for some Sunday afternoon football. "A regular season game (and) everybody is jacked up, but when you get to the playoffs, it is one loss and you are out," said Martellacci. "Some kids will never play again. It could be the end of their football careers. We have that riding on the line. It's a big step up from the regular season game." The coaching staff knows this game is not just big for the veteran players. "This is an opportunity for greatness," said head coach Brent Richer. "The guys here, especially the 26 of them that won't be with us next year, this means the world to them. It means the world to all of us. We all want the same thing." The Gladiators made the playoffs in all three seasons they have been in the league -- so there is no surprise that they are in the post season. What they must do is make the next step -- from playoff team to championship winner. "We have been a top contender for three straight years, but we have hit our plateau at the third place spot," said Martellacci. "What we have to do this year is bring it all together. We have to work well together, perform in big-time situations. The last two years we have lost the two semifinal games and we have maybe been overwhelmed by such a big game. We are not talking about a high school championship -- this is an Ontario championship." In two meetings with the Stampeders this season, the Gladiators are 0-1. However, the gladiators lost by the narrow margin of 32-30. Richer knows they are in tough against a team that rarely makes mistakes. "It doesn't matter if they are home or away, they are the same team," said Richer. "They are very well coached. They don't do a lot of razzle dazzle. They will run the same plays and they run them very well." That being said, the Gladiators say they don't believe they are the underdog in the game. "It's not cocky, it's confidence," said Richer. We know we can do it, Burlington knows we can do it, everybody knows that we can do it. The task is on us and that is what we want. We want for us to dictate what is going to happen." One thing the defence will look to do to ensure the Gladiators have a good shot at moving on is getting to the Stamps quarterback, who beat them with the pass at their last meeting. "They torched us on the pass last time we played them, so we just have to keep their quarterback in check, hit him hard and take his confidence down a bit," said Assinewe. The Gladiators are going into Sunday after not playing a game for three weeks. But practice during that time was as hard as a game and they will not be rusty come kick-off. "It has been really different since we haven't been playing. Practices have been getting "really hard and really intense," said linebacker Jordan Assinewe. "Nobody is holding back right now." This is playoff football, win or go home. It doesn't get any better than this. The bright lights, the smooth turf and the trophy the Gladiators crave so badly. "Coaches and players are fired up," said Richer. The game gets underway at 3:30 p.m. in Burlington on Sunday, check in with The Sudbury Star for results. Varsity Gladiators prep for post-season By Sudbury Northern Life Staff JULY 26, 2010 The Sudbury Gladiators junior and varsity football teams closed out their regular seasons on the weekend. While the varsity team has secured a position in the post-season, the junior are hanging up their cleats for the season. The varsity team nabbed the third and final playoff spot after taking two points on Saturday, after the Hamilton-Wentworth Panthers forfeited the final regular season match, due to injuries and low numbers. The Gladiators finished the 2010 campaign with a 4-2-2 record. In its first season in the Ontario Football Conference, Sudbury's junior squad was unable to tally any points, marking a 0-8 record overall. In the team's final game against the Hamilton-Wentworth Panthers, held at Queen's Athletic Field July 24, the junior Gladiators were on the losing end of a 41-7 score. The juniors marked only 23 points throughout the season, while their points against tally soared to 350 – more than 200 points above the fifth place team. Gladiators close out regular season with a forfeited win by Randy Pascal, sudburysports.com JULY 24, 2010 It's not the way the Sudbury Gladiators wanted to end the regular season. The team confirmed late Friday that the Hamilton-Wentworth Panthers have forfeited their game scheduled for Saturday (July 24th) in Sudbury due to a lack of players. Apparently, injuries and low numbers combined to create the problem for the visitors, allowing the Gladiators to finish the 2010 season with a record of 4-2-2. Thankfully, the outcome had little bearing on the upcoming playoffs as Sudbury will almost certainly battle the Burlington Stampeders next Saturday on the road. Still, the forfeiture means that local fans will not enjoy what was shaping up to be a highly anticipated rematch, with the Panthers and Gladiators having played to a 17-17 tie in mid-June in southern Ontario. "It's frustrating from our end of things", acknowledged Sudbury head coach Brent Richer. "The players always like the chance to play in front of family and friends." This marks the second straight year that the Gladiators have endured a forfeited win, although Richer notes that the rival OVFL (Ontario Varsity Football League) has also been forced to deal with a couple of cancelled games as well. With post-season play just a week away, the unexpected week off will present a double-edged sword for the coaching staff that Richer oversees. "It's always a good thing to heal up some knicks and bruises" suggests the energetic bench-boss, although he's not at all keen to be heading into a single game showdown with Burlington without having stepped on a field for game competition in three weeks time. Sudbury is coming off a bye week and have played only twice since June 19th. Should the Gladiators draw the Stampeders as their semi-final opponent, the encounter promises to be a good one. Burlington trimmed Sudbury 32-30 at Queen's Athletic Field back on July 3rd in a game in which both teams were presented with numerous chances to win. In the end, Richer admits that he would prefer to see a team forfeit a game than to put a badly outnumbered crew into a situation where the players' health and safety might ultimately come into play. It's the card the Gladiators have been dealt. Time will tell if it will contribute to a winning hand for the local football squad come next Saturday. Gladiators game cancelled By STAR STAFF, THE SUDBURY STAR JULY 24, 2010 The Sudbury Gladiators varsity squad's contest today has been cancelled after the Hamilton- Wentworth Panthers decided to forfiet the game due to injuries and low numbers. The game was to be the last one of the regular season for the Gladiators, as well as the team's final home game of the 2010 campaign. The Gladiators finish the regular season with a 4-2-2 record due to the forfiet and finish in third place in the standings. The Gladiators return to action next weekend when they begin the playoffs on the road. The Sudbury Junior Gladiators will still play today when they host the Hamilton-Wentworth Panthers juniors at 1 p.m. at Queen's Athletic Field. sports@thesudburystar.com Gladiators out to avenge tie By NICK LIARD, THE SUDBURY STAR JULY 23, 2010  The Hamilton-Wentworth Panthers have a dismal record of 0-6-1, only managing one tie this year.
That tie came in Week 3 against the Sudbury Gladiators. Even though both teams go into the final week of the regular season with nothing to gain standings wise, the playoff-bound Gladiators want revenge for giving the Panthers their only point of the season with a 17-17 tie in Hamilton. "This adds a little bit more fun to it," said Gladiators tackle leader Erik Conrad. "It was a funny game to play in, a lot of flukes. It means something to us that they got their only point against us. There is a little bit of revenge in this game." The game may not mean anything, but the desire for the Gladiators to make the first game a fluke proves just how much of a hard-nosed team these Sudbury men are. "It is a big thing to our team. We are the only other team that gave them anything," said fullback Brent Toulouse. "So we, as a team, take it personally. It doesn't reflect what we are capable of doing." The Gladiators not only want to beat the Panthers they want to beat them with their reserves. "We are going to get some playing time for everybody on the team because anything can happen in the playoffs, so everybody has to be ready," said Conrad. Head coach Brent Richer plans to start all his starters and will see how the game goes to decide if he will play them for the entire game or not. "It will dictate on how the starters do," said Richer. "We always take our best 24, just like they will put their best 24 out there. They are not coming up here to lose. They have something on the line as well because they want to win a game this year. Nothing would make them feel better for them to come to Sudbury and win one. But the starters are going in and, depending on how they do, we will see. We would love to get our second-and third-team players in there because they deserve it. They work hard and that's the goal every game, to get them in." Richer believes this is just as important of a game as any other the Gladiators have played this season -- a tune-up before they head off to the playoffs. "The way people will look at it is we can't fall any lower or go any higher in the standings," said Richer. "We are going into the playoffs, what do we do? But the most important thing for a football team is having a win going into the playoffs. You can't have the sour taste of a loss heading in, so this one is big. We have been off for a week and we need to clean up." Coming off a bye week, the Gladiators did not take practice this week lightly. Taking a week off at this point in the season would make no sense to a team with high hopes of a championship. "Last week on our bye week, kids were in lights out here, no full equipment, no hitting, just getting some cardio underneath us," said Richer. "This week, we are going to go very hard because, like we said, this feeds into our playoffs. The last thing you want to have is an unfocused team. I was telling them if things go right we only have three games left in the season. I don't want to be burning a week for no reason." With one week to go, the Gladiators won't look past the Panthers, but have excitement in the back of their minds. For good reason, too, as they will have a one in four shot at a title as only four teams make the playoffs. "It feels great," said Toulouse. "I was supposed to play last year, but I didn't. This year, everybody convinced me to come out. I'm glad I did and it feels good that I am able to contribute to what could be a championship team." The third-place team will have their work cut out to win the title, however. "We know being third of four teams, we are a lot better than that. We want to work to get in the top two," said Conrad. Those wearing Panther colours better watch out this Saturday as the Gladiators want nothing more than to be in a good mood heading out on their road to the championship. The game starts 4 p.m. and will be the final home game at Queens Athletic Field. Kicker helps lead Gladiators By NICK LIARD, THE SUDBURY STAR JULY 22, 2010  Losing a kicker such as Marco Armiento could cripple a team's special teams unit in football, and going into this season that is what the Sudbury Gladiators had to deal with.
Armiento led his team with 88 total points, including 17 for 27 in field goals and 24 for 25 in extra point converts last season for the Gladiators, who lost in the first round of the playoffs. Alex Carriere, a rookie, was the man who was expected to fill Armiento's cleats, a role many thought was going to be impossible. But going into the Gladiators final game of the regular season, Carriere seems to have found his own set of cleats and is rockin' them well. "He came in pretty underrated. We had an amazing kicker last year," said Gladiators tackle leader Erik Conrad. "We thought we would lose a lot of talent with him, but he filled the gap really well." Carriere is the Gladiators kicker for field goals, extra points and kickoff. He is nine for 13 in field goals and has 18 extra point converts. He is second on the team in total points with 46 and is third on the team in receiving with nine receptions for 144 yards. On top of that, he even has a couple special teams tackles. Carriere is one of those players who coaches love to coach, a player who doesn't ask for anything or say anything. He just goes out and does whatever is asked of him. "He hasn't missed a practice so far, making all 44 practices and he has great speed," said head coach Brent Richer. "He is our field goal guy, our kickoff guy, our receiver. He never complains, never says boo. You pretty much have to beat it out of him for him to say something." Quiet wouldn't even be the word to describe Carriere, an unsung hero who sits in the shadows of bigger players literally due to his small stature. "If you weren't looking for him you wouldn't even see him," said manager and running back coach Chris Bartolucci. "But look on our website at our scoring leaders, you will find Alex," said Richer. He and his big boot has helped the Gladiators into the playoffs for the third straight year. "He has only missed a few this year and he has kicked some nice long bombs," said Conrad. Carriere was humbled at the fact that he was picked as one of the many underrated heroes of the G-men. "It feels great. I'm just the kicker on the team. I try to do my best and just kick it in," said Carriere. He contributes all the success he has had this season to the impressive play of the wall that is the Gladiators' offensive line. "I think it's the offensive line. The other teams haven't blocked one kick," said Carriere. Carriere played running back and kicker for College Notre Dame and has had to make a transition to his new position of wide receiver, but it is one that, after some practice, he has grown to like. "I like it more actually, because this is more of a passing game with three downs," said Carriere. When he returns to Notre Dame, he hopes he can take some of his receiving skills with him and use them in the game. "I think I will try a little bit of both positions," said Carriere. Carriere has been counted on all season to help his team out and if their dreams of winning a championship are to come true it may just rest on the shoe of the rookie kicker. Martellacci leading the pack By NICK LIARD, THE SUDBURY STAR JULY 17, 2010  Impressive is a player who comes out of nowhere to lead the league in rushing. Amazing is a player who leads the league in rushing when other teams know he is coming.
No team has found the answer to the rushing force that is Sudbury Gladiators running back Joey Martellacci. The University of Western Ontario player and St. Benedict grad has rushed for 847 yards this season with eight touchdowns. On top of that, he has 128 receiving yards and one touchdown. He is averaging 121 yards per game rushing and is a big part of the reason the Gladiators are considered a favourite in the playoffs. While his rushing numbers have surprised many, even his teammates, head coach Brent Richer can see why he has become so successful. "He has great vision, he understands the flow of football," said Richer. "He is an exceptionally intelligent student as well as a football player. Players with a head on their shoulders usually do very well." His success stems from the way Martellacci carries himself. "He has a great work ethic and a fantastic attitude," said Richer. "He is a humble person. You don't see him trailing into practice late or demanding things. He is one of the first guys at practice and on the field. He does everything I ask for. He isn't a clique guy, he talks to every group on the field -- offence, defence, first string, third string, rookie or veteran." Last season, Martellacci racked up 725 yards in 10 games, which is impressive, but the work he put in during the off season and added experience has helped Martellacci become a better player. "I just tried to focus on getting a bit bigger, working out and improving my game," said Martellacci. "The biggest difference is the experience I got last year. The first two games last season I was scared to play in this league, bigger kids, more talent. I had to adapt and I started knowing this season that I am the oldest the league can get. All the other kids are going to be younger than me, so that has given me confidence." However, Martellacci said the real reason he has been able to run over, under and around defences has been the play of his towering offensive line and the wideouts that take the pressure off the running game. "For the most part, the reason why I have been so successful is because of the O-line I have in front of me and the wide receivers I have that block for me," Martellacci said. "These guys have been pancaking all season. It lets the holes open up for me and it's pretty easy for me from there." The offensive line couldn't be happier blocking for such a good running back. "It's a lot of fun," said Sandy Bissett. "We block up front really well and when you see him going down the field it's just an amazing feeling. You know you have done your job and now he is doing his for you. We both work for each other." Martellacci, who started playing football in Grade 9, didn't have football heroes. He looked up to the running backs before him at St. Ben's and wanted to better what they accomplished. When Richer was asked what type of a runner Martellacci is, he could not describe or compare him to anyone he has ever seen, simply comparing his running style to that of Joey Martellacci. "I have no words to describe his type of running," said Richer. "We always joke with him that he would be the worst coach in history because there is no way he can explain to a player what he does." Not even Martellacci himself knows what kind of runner he is. "It depends on what I see. Sometimes if I want to knock someone over I will go and knock them over, it depends on what kind of mood I'm in," said Martellacci. "I commit to what I want to do and just try to perform." Oddly enough, Martellacci says his favourite part about playing the game of football is the shape it keeps him in. "It's the conditioning. If I didn't play football I wouldn't be working out," he said. "It carries to more than just football. I don't want to be a sloppy big guy, no offence to the linemen." Martellacci will need 153 rushing yards in the final week of the season next Saturday to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark, a goal he set at the beginning of the season. Gladiators are the best bang for a sports fan's buck By SCOTT HADDOW, THE SUDBURY STAR JULY 13, 2010 Being in Greater Sudbury, I like to think anyone with half a brain in their head knows the saying "as hard as a rock." We all live on a big rock here, so it should resonate with every last one of us in this community. Sudbury was built and continues to thrive because of rocks -- more specifically what's inside them -- such as precious minerals. This past Saturday, if you attended the Sudbury Gladiators-Twin Cities Predators Ontario Football Conference game at Queen's Athletic Field, you would have a full understanding of what hard as rock truly means. This game was a classic, hard-hitting affair and a supreme treat for local football fans on many levels. It has been a while since I've seen so many football players get rocked from hard hits than I did Saturday. Both teams have championship aspirations and showed they're willing to back it up to the bitter end. There was a time when I groaned about going to a football game. I wasn't a big fan. I couldn't understand the draw of the sport. I admit it and I'm not afraid to, even if it results in someone like Gladiators' linebacker Mitch Portelance drilling me at the next game or practice with a big hit from the blind side to teach me a lesson. (I am sure Portelance wouldn't do that regardless, but it helps illustrate my point right now.) The Gladiators hit to hurt and that is what has made me such a big fan of football over the last nine years. It all starts in the high school ranks and carries over to the summer with the club team. I don't groan anymore about going to a football game, except when the officials drag the game out past three hours and we all know what I am talking about. I'm just poking a little fun at the officials to keep things light. I only groan when I can't go to a game for one reason or another. Saturday was a prime example of why going to Gladiators games is a good thing. It is a true family environment with barbecued food and ice-cold drinks available. A nice little park and playground on site for younger kids to release energy. And, most importantly, a whole bunch of passionate people dedicated to helping the Gladiators grow and prosper in town. The price of admission is a donation of any kind and that's reasonable considering the other forms of what passes for entertainment in town these days. It's money well spent. It all goes back into the program. Saturday's game ended in an 11-11 tie. The Gladiators once again showed they can mix it up with the best teams in the league (Twin Cities is in first at 5-0-1). They're close enough to realizing a league championship that everyone around the team can smell it. And that smell is inducing a riot of sorts. This is more than just about football. It's about city pride. The Gladiators are fighting for our community pride on a provincial level. Teams from southern Ontario don't dish out a lot of respect to the Gladiators, even after three or four solid seasons in which they've challenged every squad for a title. At one recent game, the opposing team was talking about how soft the grass was on the field before the game. They didn't care at all about how the Gladiators were going nuts in the pre-game warm up to be ready for the game. As Gladiators head coach Brent Richer put it, "That's the kind of respect you get." Every game, every play, the Gladiators must prove they belong in the OFC. Opposing teams would love to see the Gladiators fold from the league, so they don't have the "road trip from hell" to take to come to Sudbury once a year to play. It's funny, though, when these teams arrive and see the stands packed with 400 wild fans, they can't help but get turned around on the idea of coming here. One opposing coach told me once that even at their own home games, it was tough to even get the players' parents out to games. They love coming up here now because they know there are going to be hundreds of fans and that aspect, to any hardcore sports person, is the best reason to play. Twin Cities coach Cam Stevens can't get enough of the Nickel City hospitality. He loves the atmosphere of the games and the fact there are people in the stands who genuinely care about the game at this level. When a southern Ontario boy loves it here, it has to be good right? Back to the game. It was a regular season game, but felt more like a playoff game. I'm sure there were about 20 kids from both sides who are feeling what I am saying right about now. I saw more rock-hard collisions in that game than at a smash-up derby. The hard hits stood out like the Big Nickel. It seemed like after every play there was a player down on the ground feeling the effects of another hard hit. I'm not cheering any injuries here folks, but just saluting the fact these boys played their hearts out for the fans and damn well nearly destroyed themselves doing it. This brings me to the point. These boys don't fool around. The OFC is serious business. If a player doesn't take it seriously, they'll go home in a body bag. For a couple of bucks, you get some fresh air, a great atmosphere and the chance to see some young athletes drain the energy tanks all in the name of pleasing fans and potentially winning a championship. That's darn good value for your hard-earned money. The Gladiators have one more home game to play before the regular season wraps up. It's July 24 when they host the Hamilton-Wentworth Panthers at Queens' Athletic Field. After that, they hit the road for the playoffs for how long they last. You won't get to see this kind of intense sports action for another year, so don't waste your last shot at seeing the Gladiators. No, I am not being paid by the Gladiators to spew this all out at the readers. This is how I feel and I think everyone should experience it at least once. There's only one problem and it's huge: You just might get hooked, like I did, and become a die-hard fan and end up going to all the games. Not a bad fate at all. Scott Haddow is the sports reporter for the Sudbury Star. Reach him at shaddow@thesudburystar.com or 674-5271, ext. 249. Gladiators and Predators fight to draw By SCOTT HADDOW, THE SUDBURY STAR JULY 9, 2010  Sudbury Gladiators offensive lineman Taylor Fish knows what's missing from the team and keeping it from taking the next step.
After a hard-fought 11-11 tie with the visiting Twin Cities Predators -- the first-place team in the Ontario Football Conference at 5-0 coming into the game -- on Saturday at Queen's Athletic Field, Fish had no trouble figuring out what the difference is between a win and the other results the team doesn't want. It's practice and commitment to the tune of 15%. The team has a "thing" that if less than 85% of players show up for practice, the attending players must run 50-yard sprints for every Gladiator missing. The team didn't have everyone out at practice leading up to the big game Saturday and it was an obvious reason why the team couldn't get over the hump and defeat the Predators. "To be honest, 85% is what happened today from us on the field and 85% isn't going to cut it in this league and especially in the playoffs," Fish said. "We need 100% all the time, every game and every play from every guy. That what you need to beat the teams like Twin Cities." The game was in stark contrast to what was built up as a meeting of the league's Top two offensive squads. It was anything but a graceful display of offensive execution as both team's defences clearly had something to prove. Passes were picked off left and right on both sides. Turnovers and fumbles and fumble recoveries were created over and over again as the defences pounded and grounded the offences. Sudbury held a 8-3 lead at the half thanks to a touchdown catch by wide receiver Josh Haslam and extra points by Alex Carriere. The Predators stormed back in the second half and took the lead in the third quarter when wide receiver Karsten Beney hauled in a pass. Along with a two-point convert, the Predators lead 11-8. With time winding down in the fourth quarter, Sudbury's Carriere booted a long field goal to tie the game at 11-11, where it stayed until the dust settled. Gladiators head coach Brent Richer grimaced over another opportunity that could have been a win, slip through his team's fingers. Still, Richer saw some encouraging signs that wiped the grimace from his face in a hurry. "The defence certainly answered the toll," he said. "After allowing 32 points and 39 points against the last two weeks, they showed up to play tough. We challenged them to be better on the field and there were no excuses. They gave up one touchdown. They hit hard, made some fumble recoveries, a few interceptions and a couple of third down stops. They were viscous. They stopped the run and the pass." The offence had a tough time getting going. "On offence, we sustained some drives, but they ended in turnovers," Richer said. "That catches up to you. The offensive line did a great job and the quarterback didn't get hit that much. We were also able to run the ball off the edge effectively." Richer's team has a lot of the pieces in place. Now, the Gladiators just have to bring all the little details together. "They can do whatever they want, whenever they want," he said. "They're good enough to do it. It's just the last-minute execution in plays. We got five or six yards on our first downs and then, on second down, we struggled. We have to put that all together." The defence was feeling more robust after the game. They accepted the coaching staff's challenge to be stronger and more solid. They didn't want to let their teammates down. "We proved our defence can't be scored on at will," linebacker Brett Hamilton said. "We didn't show up that well the last two weeks, so we knew the defence had to step it up. We kept their offence in check. We didn't shut it down. There are still things for us to work on, so now we have to work harder." The Gladiators have a good idea of where they stand, figuratively and literally in the league. Sudbury sits third at 3-2-2. Twin Cities is first at 5-0-1 and Burlington, Sudbury's foe the previous week, is second at 5-0. "I feel, coming out of the last two weeks, we're a stronger and closer team," Fish said. "We have seen and played the best in the league and we can gauge ourselves better and know what to work on. The best teams exploit your weaknesses, so you know what you weaknesses are and then you work hard on them. Our next step is more conditioning, keeping our heads in the game and improving on what we've done this season. We don't need any major changes, but everyone has to be at practice. That's where it starts." Predators head coach Cam Stevens thought the game was a spirited battle of wits and raw power between the two teams and their respective coaching staffs. Stevens also enjoyed the atmosphere at Queen's, with more than 400 fans in the stands, screaming and cheering. "What a tough game. Sudbury is well-coached and executed well," Stevens said. "They held a very good offence and they hit hard. I loved it here. It's quite the atmosphere here. You have to like that. It was worth the trip. It was a good trip. The Gladiators are a good team. I have mixed feelings ... sort of like my ex-wife driving off a cliff in my Maserati, if I want to see them again." The Predators, being a top team in the league, have championship aspirations. "We're definitely a team that likes to think about the championship," Stevens said. "This game was good for us because our players know how tough it can be to win in this league. Every team can beat you on any given day. What I like about our team is our defence is exceptionally good. We have a deep set of coaches and good athletes and that is our greatest strength." The Gladiators have a byeweek this week. They next play on July 24 at Queen's, when they host the Hamilton Wentworth Panthers at 4 p.m. to wrap up the regular season. Gladiators tie is enough to gain playoff berth by Randy Pascal / sudburysports.com JULY 10, 2010 For the past few games, the Sudbury Gladiators defense have played decent football - but to a man, they felt there was another level that they could achieve. Saturday at Queen's Athletic Field, that level was evident as the defense did yeoman's work, holding the visiting Twin Cities Predators to an 11-11 tie and securing a playoff berth for the local OFC (Ontario Football Conference) team in the process. After holding the 5-0 Predators to just a field goal in the opening half, the Gladiators defense fell victim to a very short field as the only other scoring drive the visitors could muster started at the Sudbury twenty yard line, courtesy of an interception and 35 yard return from Twin Cities linebacker Jesse Collins. The performance of the Gladiators' defense was the topic of conversation among Sudbury coaching staff after the game, and essentially boiled down to "getting their heads in the game", according to veteran Sudbury linebacker Jordan Assinewe. "We just weren't focused enough over the past few games. There was not as much intensity in practice as there should have been", he said. "This week, the coach put it to us straight, the captains really took the initiative and brought the intensity back up." While the local lads have not yet hit the win column against perhaps their most hated OFC rivals, the draw is certainly another step in the right direction. Still, the Gladiators, who improved to 3-2-2 with the tie, were within a few mistakes of chalking this one up as a victory. The contest started well enough for the homeside as their first punt of the game was fumbled on the Predators 34 yard line. Quarterback Dan Poirier connects with Mark Randa for a 15 yard gain, but a second and seven attempt to the end zone finds Sudbury wideout Josh Haslam just barely outside the field of play. The field goal attempt by Alex Carriere from 23 yards out sails wide to the left, leaving the Gladiators settling for a single, missed points that would prove costly in the end. With penalties kept to a minimum, this contest clipped along in no time flat. Twin Cities best drive of the opening quarter comes to a screeching halt when Andrew St Amour makes the interception deep in Sudbury territory as the Gladiators cling to a 1-0 lead. Coach Brent Richer's troops would show signs of establishing a running game at times as Joey Martellacci breaks runs of 17 and 15 yards before Poirier finds Haslam in the corner of the end zone with a picture perfect spiral from 26 yards out, giving Sudbury an 8-0 lead. While Poirier looked deadly at times, he was also plagued by inconsistency, throwing three interceptions and forcing passes, on occasion, into heavy Predators coverage. Not completely unexpected for the young pivot who is still in his first year of OFC football. Twin Cities would catch a break on their next possession to help put the visitors on the board. Following a 19 yard pass and run play on which QB James Fracus connects with receiver Jason Blondeau, the Predators enjoy a long and somewhat fortuitous gain. Running back Brandon Seip rambles about six yards to the outside before fumbling. Thankfully for the Preds, the ball bounces directly into the hands of Blondeau, who adds another 15 yards or so to the play, helping set up a 35 yard field goal from Ronnie Pfeffer that just barely cleared the crossbar. The 8-3 Sudbury lead holds late into the third quarter despite a pair of muffed punt receptions giving the Preadators solid field position. Playing with fire catches up with the Gladiators after the pick from Collins (see above) when Fracus airs out an 18 yard touchdown pass to Karsten Beney on a third and eight gamble, giving Twin Cities their first lead of the game. But once again, one of the countless "what if" scenarios arises for coach Richer and staff. With the TD putting the Predators ahead 9-8, the visitors are preparing to kick the convert when Sudbury is called offside. The penalty gives the Preds coaching staff just enough time to realize that a two point attempt would likely make more sense and the league leaders make the Gladiators pay as Jason Blondeau rumbles in from three yards out making the score 11-8, Twin Cities. Into the fourth quarter as Martellacci rips off another gain of 25 yards, but two plays later, the ball is literally stripped from the hands of Josh Haslam after a seven yard reception. The see-saw battle continues to see the momentum switch sides almost continously, as Sudbury defensive back Patrick Pilon grabs his first of two interceptions on the day, giving him six on the year. The turnover allows the Poirier-Randa tandem to go to work one more time, this time for a gain of 20, setting up a game-tying 20 yard field goal by Alex Carriere. Despite some chances on both sides over the final six to seven minutes, no more damage would be done on the scoreboard as both teams walk away feeling only partially satisfied after this sister-kisser. While both offensive units moved the ball to some extent at times, both defenses did a nice job of not surrendering the costly big play, an adjustment that linebacker Jordan Assinewe felt was important as the Gladiators prepared for the high-octane Predators offense. "Their offensive line is quite good, and their passing was burning us in the past, so we really focused on stopping that today." Sudbury will enjoy their second bye week of the season next weekend, closing out the regular season at home on Saturday, July 24th when the Hamilton Wentworth Panthers pay a visit to town. The Gladiators and Panthers also played to a tie earlier this year, finishing deadlocked at seventeen back on June 12th in Hamilton. O-line leads the charge By NICK LIARD, FOR THE SUDBURY STAR JULY 9, 2010  With the Gladiators season coming to an end, questions arise about if this is the year the G-men can bring home a football championship. Is the offence that will walk into the game Saturday against the Twin Cities Predators an offence that can carry a team to a championship? Head coach Brent Richer didn't need to think twice when he answered that question.
"Absolutely, we have a great running game and an incredible passing game," said Richer. "We have a young quarterback who can read very well and receivers who will help him out when he needs it." The offence has put up 167 points in six games the most in the league, although the Predators have 162 with one less game played. The Gladiators offence played games where it scored 49 points, two 30-point games and a 26-point game. Impressive, but running back Joey Martellacci said the offence has more to show the rest of the league. "We have been putting up a good amount of points, but it's never enough," said Martellacci. "We have the offensive talent to put up 40 a game." That might be what is needed to win a championship since the offence has full confidence in the defence, but doesn't want to always put pressure on them to win each game. "We need to step up and start putting more points on the board, not just rely on our defence," said wide receiver Josh Haslam. "Defence wins championships, but we have to score the points." One of the main reasons the Gladiators had scoring success so far has been from its strong chemistry -- always being on the same page. The team chemistry has grown from the beginning of the season. "The difference between the beginning of the year and now is chemistry," said Martellacci. "We all played high school, but we never really talked to each other. On this team having the best players from each school on offence, it's pretty much the high school all-star team. When you get a bunch of all stars on one team it is pretty easy to click and get things going." "Every weekend we are all hanging out, we're brothers," said Haslam. The offence's chemistry and work ethic has been noticed by the coaching staff. "Our offence has been great, I have no complaints," said offensive co-ordinator Brandon Dugan. The Gladiators offence starts with its offensive line -- a lineup of giants. "We have a great offensive line. They are big. I think the smallest one is 6-foot-4," said Richer. The O-line has led to Martellacci racking up 747 yards and eight touchdowns in just six games, good for 8.8 yards per carry. That's 1.2 yards short of a first down every time he touches the ball. "Usually people think defence is more of a family, but our offence has a lot of chemistry," said Martellacci. " The big guys do a good job protecting us and they actually care about us, so in return we respect what they do and try and put up the points." In the weeks to come, the Gladiators will not change much in the game plan. It will come down to execution in games. "The thing about our offence is we are all fairly quiet," said Martellacci. "We aren't big talkers, we don't like to mouth off to other teams. We just keep it to ourselves and deliver in game and not through words." Quiet might be their way, but once the helmets clash Saturday the only thing the Gladiators hope to be quiet is the Predators bench. Gladiators to take on Predators By NICK LIARD, FOR THE SUDBURY STAR JULY 8, 2010  This Saturday the Gladiators will welcome the leagues best in the Twin Cities Predators. Even though the outcome of the game may not mean much to the standings, running back Joey Martellacci and the Gladiators have something to prove after going 0-4 in their last three meetings with the Pred's this season and last.
"It's time to show us and them that we can play with the best teams in the conference," said Martellacci. A rivalry between the two teams stems back to three seasons ago when the Gladiators went into Twin Cities and pulled off the upset. "I'm pumped to play them," said wide receiver Josh Haslam. "That's like our rival. It's like Lo-Ellen playing St. Bens. I just hate the other team. I find it fun to play against Twin Cities because I actually hate everyone on their team." Besides the rivalry, the Gladiators are looking to use this week to get back on track before heading into their bye week. Then, there is just one more game before playoffs start. "We want to win," said Martellacci. "We want to get a championship for this city and I think this week we just have to be serious -- really be focused and really, really work hard this week. It's going to be a hot one, but we have to get through it to beat Twin Cities." The game is a must win to actually secure a playoff berth before looking too far ahead to the playoffs. "You look and you say home playoffs are out of the picture, but at the end of the day we still have to make the playoffs," said head coach Brent Richer. "One more win and we are secured, if we loose this one we only have one game left, we can't start flirting with that." Last week's tough loss to the Burlington Stampeders will be in the back of the players' minds as they set out onto Queen's Athletic Field on Saturday. "It really sat badly with all of us, the end result," said Richer. This week is a different team as they set out for a new week of practices. "It starts here at practice. Last week, we felt maybe we were to light in practice," said Richer. The game will feature the top two offensive teams in the league and is sure to be a slugfest on defence. With the playoffs in sight, the Gladiators will need as much confidence as they can going into a probable road playoff game. It starts Saturday at 4 p.m. The Gladiators look to send the Predators back where they came from. Gladiators fall to Stampeders by SCOTT HADDOW / THE SUDBURY STAR July 5, 2010 Sudbury Gladiators linebacker Mitch Portelance believes the only thing standing in the way of his team achieving ultimate success is focus. And the rugged veteran captain has no qualms about hammering the point home. Lack of focus caused the Gladiators to fall to the Burlington Stampeders 32-30 Saturday afternoon at Queen's Athletic Field. "It was a wake-up call for the team," Portelance said of the game. "They came in here at 4-0 and we knew we could compete with them and now we know we can compete with the best in the league. We just have to buckle down and stay focused and play four quarters of football. This game was never lost. We needed to be focused and stay focused throughout. I know I keep saying focused a lot, but it has to be said. We need to be mentally prepared to win all four quarters. It's what our coach keeps emphasizing. Win the first quarter, win the second quarter, win the third quarter, win the fourth quarter and win the game." The loss slipped the Gladiators down to third in the Ontario Football Conference standings at 3-2-1, while Burlington took over second place at 5-0. The Twin Cities Predators are first at 5-0, but more on them later. Portelance hopes the wake-up call is received by everyone on the team. He wants the realization to sink in because he believes the Gladiators can become champions. "We have the potential," he said. "It starts at practice and the way you prepare for a game. Everyone has to be hungry to win. It's a long season and people may lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel and that is our goal: a championship." Despite a fiery pre-game speech courtesy of Sudbury head coach Brent Richer, the Gladiators certainly didn't push the pace or set a hard enough tempo to offset the hard-charging and high-flying Stampeders squad in the first half. Burlington rung up two touchdowns, courtesy of two short runs by quarterback William Finch, and a safety and field goal to take a 18-6 lead with mere seconds to go in the second quarter. Things were looking bleak for the Gladiators, but with 0.6 seconds left on the play clock in the second quarter, Sudbury running back Joey Martellacci exploded for a 85-yard touchdown run to bring the Gladiators back into the game and make the score 18-13 in Burlington's favour. The third quarter saw the Gladiators build off Martellacci's wild last-second touchdown rumble and take the lead. Martellacci exploded once again, this time for about 60-yards, down the field and scored to make it 20-18 Gladiators. Portelance then grabbed a fumble and that play eventually led to a Sudbury field goal to make the score 23-18 in favour of Sudbury. Things look good as the Gladiators created a huge turnover and sacked the Burlington quarterback on the next play. Unfortunately there was a penalty after the play against the Gladiators and it put the ball back in the hands of the Stampeders and they promptly scored to take a 25-23 lead. It was the turning point of the game. "Absolutely," Richer said. "They were a different team in the second half and came out with purpose. The mistake Burlington made was they wanted the ball in the fourth with the wind (at their backs), so they let us have the ball to start the third and we scored off it. Then we got a field goal and a sack and things were going great, but it comes down to a bad penalty at a bad time. I told the guys before the game, you could take stupid penalties against good teams and maybe live, but against great teams, they will make you pay. Today, was probably the least penalized we've been all season, but that one penalty changed the whole game." Portelance wasn't the only Gladiators player talking about focus. Wide receiver Paul Cecile also is looking for more focus and intensity. "It was a disappointing game because we could have came out a lot harder in the first half," Cecile said. "It would have made a difference for sure. We picked it up in the second half, but we're not OK with it. We know we are a better team than that. The leadership is there, we just need to get our heads in the game more and focus more. We were coming off a bye week, so maybe we were too relaxed. I don't know. We're going to be more intense this week at practice. It comes back to focus. The last few weeks we've taken some stupid penalties and it's definitely one thing we have to clean up." Burlington and Sudbury have been building a rivalry over the past few seasons. Last season, on Queen's field, the Gladiators put a dent in the Stampeders' perfect season by defeating them, adding more fuel to the fire. Burlington head coach Neil Lumsden felt relieved when the dust settled on the back-and-forth game. "My stomach can't take this kind of stuff," he said. "I have to travel with Maalox. It was exactly what I thought and said it would be today. It was a clean, aggressive game. There were penalties here and there, but that's the game of football. It came right down to the end. They pushed and pushed. We pushed and pushed back. Luckily, we were able to push further today and we won." Lumsden enjoys the road trips to Greater Sudbury, taking on the Gladiators squad and the hundreds of fans creating a energy-filled situation. "These guys in Sudbury are well-coached," Lumsden said. "They have a lot of character and it doesn't surprise me one bit how hard they play. We love coming up here. It's a great environment for football." The Gladiators host Twin Cities this Saturday at Queen's, with game time at 4 p.m. Twin Cities defeated Sudbury, 20-15, on May 29. "There are quite a few things we need to address before we play twin Cities," Richer said. The Gladiators, who felt they should have beaten the Predators earlier this season, are looking forward to the rematch. "It will be good to see them again," Portelance said with a menacing grin. A costly loss for the Gladiators by Randy Pascal / sudburysports.com July 4, 2010 It's looking like the journey to the OFC Championship the Sudbury Gladiators covet so dearly will be forged on the road. And in the end, they have only themselves to blame for that fact. Missing countless opportunities to hand the visiting Burlington Stampeders their first loss of the year, Sudbury dropped a 32-30 decision Saturday at Queen's Athletic Field. It was one of those games where being close just wasn't enough, not when the combination of Burlington miscues and big plays by the Gladiators opened the door for a crucial victory. Unfortunately, the offsetting effect of untimely, undicisplined penalties, messed up defensive coverage and dropped passes was easily enough to provide the Stampeders with room to chalk up their fifth straight win. Trailing 18-6 late in the first half, the Gladiators gave their fans something to cheer about as Joey Martellacci darts 103 yards on the final play of the opening thirty minutes, narrowing the gap to 18-13. That momentum seems to carry into the second half as Martellacci runs for his second major just 1:25 in, this time from 47 yards out, putting Sudbury ahead 20-18. The defense jumps into the action later in the third quarter as a jarring tackle from Taylor Roberts knocks the ball loose, with Mitch Portelance recovering on the Burlington 43 yard line. A pair of incomplete passes force the home side to settle for a 32 yard field goal from Alex Carriere, but head coach Brent Richer and company are more than happy to take a 23-18 lead into the final 15 minutes of play. From there, things unravel quickly for the Gladiators. Defensive end Colton Bonnah comes up big with a nine yard sack, but offsets his hard work when he is nailed for unnecessary roughness after a pushing match with Burlington quarterback William Finch. Finch would get the last laugh, marching the visitors downfield before calling his own number from 5 yards out for this third touchdown of the game - Burlington leads 25-23. Bonnah atones for his earlier misdemeanour, scooping up a Stampeders fumble on their own 43 yard line minutes later, but a Dan Poirier pass sails in and out of the hands of Alex Carriere, forcing a punting situation. Facing second and nine deep in his own territory, Finch is flushed out of the pocket and on the run when he spots Brendan Conway all alone on the sidelines, a passing play that would cover 51 yards. With another costly penalty handing the Stampeders a first down on the Sudbury 26, Finch needs only two plays before hitting Trevor Reid on a crossing pattern from 21 yards out, giving Burlington a 32-23 lead with under six minutes remaining. With the contest appearing all but over, the Gladiators make things interesting as Poirier finds Mark Randa upfield and the Lo-Ellen Park product does the rest, racing 73 yards to paydirt. Needing a successful onside kick to give themselves one last chance at pulling a victory from this fourth quarter debacle, Carriere's kick sails a couple of feet high as Sudbury looked to simply get a hand on the ball before it went out of bounds. The Stampeders run the remaining 1:25 off the clock, thanks in large part to scrambles of 15 and 16 yards respectively by Finch, as the Gladiators see their record fall to 3-2-1 in the process. Needless to say, the notion of shooting themselves in the foot time after time did not sit too well with coach Richer following the close loss. "To beat Burlington, we needed to establish the run, which I thought we did pretty well - we had a couple of big runs. Unfortunately, our pass protection wasn't there - Dan (Poirier) had a hand in his face the whole day, even if shotgun formation", said Richer. But as was evident to anyone watching this game, there was plenty of blame to go around when the dust finally settles. "The penalties really drive us crazy as a coaching staff. We take the lead, make a big sack and then take a stupid penalty on a push that's uncalled for" added the passionate bench boss, clearly frustrated with the turn of events over the final quarter of play. Noting that he fully expects that the loss will mean that the Gladiators will not have home field advantage for any playoff games this year, Richer tipped his hat to the conquering Stampeders. "They did enough little things right to win this football game...it wasn't a question of whether our guys wanted the win. I believe that we did - we just didn't do enough to deserve it." Gridiron Gab: The Gladiators were without the services of big play receiver Josh Haslam from the beginning of the second quarter on as the normally sure-handed wideout was felled by the flu bug....Sudbury will have to recover quickly as the Twin Cities Predators travel north next weekend, facing the Gladiators at 4:00 p.m. at Queen's. The Predators upended the local lads 20-15 when the teams met back in week two in Kitchener-Waterloo. Gladiators tackle league's best by NICK LIARD / THE SUDBURY STAR July 2, 2010  For Sudbury Gladiators head coach Brent Richer and his 3-1-1 squad, the next two weeks will make or break their season.
The next game is at 4 p.m. Saturday at Queen's Athletic Field when the Gladiators host the undefeated Burlington Stampeders. "These are two big weeks," said Richer. "But right now, we want to focus on the first quarter against Burlington. If we look ahead to Twin Cities, we are going to watch the game on Saturday pass us by." With four weeks left in the regular season, including a bye week, the team has pretty much locked up a playoff berth. Their fate is held in their hands, as they play two teams in back to back home weeks. These games will go a long way in determining if the Gladiators finish first or second and gain a home playoff game or take to the road. They are 2-1 in away games. "This is home-field advantage for the playoffs," said Richer. "This is our season. They are undefeated. We need to just keep our losses at one so we can have a home playoff game." The Stampeders bring a 4-0 record to Sudbury and have only given up 42 points -- the least in the league. Richer says games against the Stampeders always get his players fired up. "Really good football players want to play against really good football teams," said Richer. The players also know what they are going up against. "They have a great team," said linebacker Erik Conrad. "It's a great organization. They are undefeated and have a great offence." Going into Saturday, the Gladiators say they have found a way to hand the Stamps their first loss. "It's patience," said Richer. "The other teams that they have played get down by a touchdown or 10 points and feel they have to get it all back in one play -- rob the casino with a big throw. The key is to grind them out." The strategy worked for them last season when the Stamps came to Sudbury with a 5-0 record, only to be beaten 34-12. While the players have changed, the Stampeders haven't forgotten the painful loss. "They can't be too happy with us," said Richer. "I'm sure that loss is in the back of their heads." Gladiators linebacker and captain Mitch Portelance says after last weeks bye, they have started a new season -- one Gladiators hope ends with a ring on their finger. Gladiators romp over T-Birds by SCOTT HADDOW / THE SUDBURY STAR June 21, 2010  Sudbury Gladiators defensive back Pat Pilon had every reason to smile and be happy, but he wasn't.
The Gladiators had just defeated the visiting Forest City Thunderbirds 49-31 in Sudbury's 2010 home-opening game at Queen's Athletic Field Saturday evening and Pilon had played a pivotal role with two interceptions, including one he returned 44-yards for a touchdown. Pilon was close to jubilation when the dust settled on the game, but then he realized just how much Forest City had scored. The 31 points against were more than enough to take away the smile from Pilon's face. As a proud member of a proud defensive core, Pilon knew 31 points against is not going to cut it in the Ontario Football Conference if the Gladiators have any real hopes of being a championship calibre squad. "There's no way we should have allowed them to put up 31 points," Pilon said with a stone face. "A win is a win, but we should have kept them down to a much lower score. We all know we're better than that and we all know we have to be better than that. We'll fix it for sure. We do have a lot of pride. We had over 200-yards in penalties, too. That didn't help at all. We basically marched the ball down the field for them. That doesn't make us happy. We'll be better next time." The Gladiators were back at Queen's and playing in front of a rabid hometown crowd for the first time in more than a year. The team started the season on the road for four games in which they went 2-1-1. The Thunderbirds were also primed for the game and got the ball rolling in their favour when they connected for a field goal with 10:14 left in the first quarter to jump ahead 3-0. The play woke up the Gladiators offence as they stepped back on the field and produced the game's next three touchdowns in the first quarter and in convincing fashion. Mark Randa got Sudbury on the board when he hauled in a big catch from quarterback Dan Poirier. Moments later, running back Joey Martellacci smashed his way through a hole and two defenders to score again. With the extra points, the Gladiators. On the next offensive possession, Martellacci capped a long drive with a short run and spectacular leap into the air and over two defenders into the end zone for the major. With the extra points, Sudbury walked out of the first quarter up 21-3. "We were excited to play here after being on the road for the last four weeks and we wanted to come out and knock them out early," Pilon said. The second quarter was Pilon's time to shine. The Thunderbirds got their wings underneath them and started to move the ball effectively in the air. They made a mad march down the field and were in scoring position when Pilon made his first interception and returned it for the touchdown to make it 28-3. Forest City came right back and charged down the field again, but as they began to sniff the end zone, Pilon made a dramatic goal line interception and got the Gladiators out of trouble. Forest City didn't sink away and got some life with about one minute to go in the first half when Jimmy Wiebe hauled in a pass for the major to make it 28-10 at half time. "Those interceptions mean a lot to me, but also it meant a lot to the whole team," Pilon said. "Plays like that pumps up the offence and defence and changes the momentum. The whole bench was going after that. It gave us all a big boost." In the third quarter, the Thunderbirds built off their late touchdown from the previous quarter and scored early thanks to a touchdown pass caught by Bryce Meertens to make it 28-17. Sudbury had an answer in the form of 6-foot-three, 225-pound wide receiver Josh Haslam who stepped up under intense defensive coverage and hauled in another Poirier pass for the major to make it 35-17 and give the Gladiators more breathing room. Haslam was just warming up. In the fourth quarter, Forest City clawed back with a score when quarterback Justin Van Horik scrambled into the end zone to make it 35-24. Haslam answered right back with authority as he showed soft hands and a steel focus to bring in a 65-yard pass through double coverage and score to make it 42- 24. The two teams traded touchdowns one more time before the final whistle screamed out -- Forest City getting a score from Bryce Galpin and Sudbury getting one from running back Jordan Lajeunesse to make the final 49-31. Sudbury's offence was on the ball and Haslam praised quarterback Poirier for making the majority of the 49 points happen. "Dan played a great game," Haslam said. "He connected with his passes and hit the receivers in stride. He just put the ball where we could get it. Our running backs were going hard today and nothing was going to stop them. We wanted to show we could put up some points and we did that." Haslam deflected praise for his own game, which was as important to the victory as any other player. He was just doing his part for the "family." "It feels good to score a few touchdowns and help out the guys on the team," Haslam said. "We're a bunch of brothers and doing something good for your brothers feels amazing." Sudbury head coach Brent Richer saw a lot of good things on the field in the victory, but also a few bad things he wants to see cleaned up as the team moves forward. Richer was impressed with how the offence moved the ball and established the running and passing game. "It was nice to see an offensive outburst," Richer said. "It was something we hadn't seen in the first four games. At the end of the day, we did what we needed to do and held them off for a win. There were some great plays made on offence and defence. Our guys knew they were coming into our house and needed to set the tempo and tone early and they did that." Richer certainly didn't like the excessive penalties the Gladiators took. More disciplined will be demanded from the team, top to bottom. The penalties kept Forest City in the game. Against stiffer competition, the penalties could have been catastrophic and will not be tolerated. "We didn't do ourselves any favours," Richer said. "We need to be more controlled and relaxed. We'll adjust that in practice. There are some things we need to address before we play Burlington in two weeks. When you play Burlington, you can't take the penalties we did." The Gladiators were pumped up to give their fans a show. The roar of the crowd is something the Gladiators live for. "The crowd did it for us," Pilon said. "It was a great turnout and when they cheered, it got us going even more." The Gladiators now sit in second place in the OFC Varsity Division at 3-1-1. It is nowhere near making the Gladiators feel satisfied. They want more. "I think we're happy about being 3-1-1, but we should be 4- 1," Haslam said. "We're not satisfied at all. Not even close. Not until we get that championship ring on our fingers ... that's what we're going for." The Thunderbirds walked away disappointed in the end result, but head coach Chad Asselstine didn't see the game as a complete write off. It was the sloppy start that cost them the game. "It was a tough football game for us," Asselstine said. "We started off by making some crucial errors on our own that put us behind the eight ball right away and then we were down 28-3. From there, we turned it around and our offence started clicking. It boiled down to the fact some Sudbury players made great individual plays throughout the game. We have a great group of kids who are use to winning. When stuff goes wrong for them, they're able to overcome it and come back from it to keep playing hard to the end." JUNIOR GLADIATORS FALL Earlier in the day, the Sudbury Junior Gladiators fell 38-6 to the Forest City Junior Thunderbirds at Queen's. Despite the loss, head coach Sam Cuomo is inspired by what he has seen out of his troops lately. He just wishes the team would be able to leap out of the gates at the start of the game instead of spinning their wheels. "Once again we came out flat and they scored on their first series after we kicked off to them," Cuomo said. "We were only down 15-0 at halftime. After that initial score, we held them to eight points the rest of the half. Then they scored again to start the second half. It deflated us a bit." With time winding down in the fourth quarter, fullback Sean Kelly broke loose form the Forest City defence and rumbled into the end zone for the Junior Gladiators first ever OFC touchdown. The historic moment could have a positive impact as the young club moves forward. "The kids are trying really hard," Cuomo said. "Coming away with six points at the end of the game was big for them. It makes them realize they can compete in this league. Hopefully, we can build from it for next week when we host York. The kids made some big plays. There are a lot of encouraging signs." Week by week, the Junior Gladiators are pulling it more and more together. Cuomo sees the team shaping up into an effective unit. "They're getting better a little more each week," he said. "It's nice to see. We're not quitting." by Randy Pascal / sudburysports.com June 20, 2010 It wasn't always a thing of beauty, but the Sudbury Gladiators did enough things right to earn a victory in their home opener, downing the Forest City Thunderbirds 49-31 Saturday night at Queen's Athletic Field. And it certainly wasn't the start coach Brent Richer and staff were looking for, as the visitors clearly had the Gladiators on their heels early. The T-Birds showcased both their "hurry-up offense" and potent passing attack in the opening minutes, marching 51 yards on their opening drive before settling for a 29 yard field goal courtesy of Carmine Gentile. With Sudbury multi-purpose threat Joey Martellacci funbling the ensuing kickoff, the hometown fans would not enjoy the opportunity to cheer for the Gladiators offense until midway through the first quarter. A pair of Forest City miscues would open the door for the locals, as both of their snaps on each of their first two punt attempts sail high, providing Sudbury quarterback Dan Poirier and crew outstanding field position. The College Notre-Dame senior finds his favourite targets early, connecting with Josh Haslam on a 25 yard reception and spotting Mark Randa alone in the end zone for a 25 yard major. Less than two minutes later, Sudbury takes over on the London twenty and its Martellacci atoning for his fumble, bolting 15 yards to the outside to give the Gladiators a 14-3 lead as Alex Carriere kicks his second of seven converts on the game. With the Sudbury defense now settling in, Poirier connects with Haslam for a 32 yard gain, setting up a 6 yard Martellacci scamper for paydirt on the final play of the opening quarter. It looks like a potential blowout in the making less than a minute later when Gladiators' defender Patrick Pilon steps in front of a Justin VanHorik pass and returns it 44 yards, giving the Northern lads four touchdowns in a span of 7:20. But the visitors displayed their resiliency through the second quarter, with momentum clearly shifting their way just before the half. Sudbury dodges a bullet when Pilon registers pick number two, this one inside the Gladiators end zone with just over minutes remaining in the second quarter, but Forest City continues to press. It pays off late when QB Trevor Frils airs it out to Jimmy Wiebe for a 19 yard major, part of an aerial attack that would see the Thunderbirds amass more than 300 yards through the air. Things become even more interesting early in the second half when a "three and out" Sudbury possession gives way to Frils' second touchdown pass of the game, this time hooking up with Bryce Meertens on a scoring play that covers 17 yards. With the score now reading 28-17, the Gladiators needed to kick-start the offense, and they do exactly that. Starting at their own 27, the locals display a nice mix on the offense, with Jessy Bertin-Haggart breaking free for a gain of 34 yards before Josh Haslam caps the scoring drive, hauling in a 17 yard pass from Dan Poirier to restore the Gladiators' advantage to 18 points. The teams trade a pair of TDs apiece in the final 15 minutes as the Poirier to Haslam tandem connects again (65 yard TD) and running back Jordan Lajeunesse darts 73 yards to seal the Sudbury win. VanHorik would roll out for a two yard touchdown run on a third down gamble for the Thunderbirds, while the visitors' third pivot of the game, Karl Loebus, completes his first pass for a major, hitting the oustretched hands of Bryce Gilpin from 26 yards out. With the victory, Sudbury will now enjoy a week off, sitting with a record of 3-1-1 and preparing to battle the Burlington Stampeders on Saturday (July 3rd) at Queen's. In other Ontario Football Conference action, the Gladiators Junior Varsity team were handed their fourth straight defeat, though clearly showing signs of improvement, including picking up their first touchdown in team history. Sudbury dropped a 38-6 decision to the Forest City Jr Varsity Gladiators earlier in the day and will now face the York Simcoe Buccaneers next Saturday at home. by SCOTT HADDOW / THE SUDBURY STAR June 19, 2010 It has been darn well near a year since the last Sudbury Gladiators football game in Greater Sudbury. Way too long for me and the core group of hardcore football fanatics in the Nickel City. The wait is over and club football action resumes today at Queen's Athletic Field with two games, as the varsity Gladiators host the Forest City Thunderbirds at 6 p.m. Earlier in the day, fans can catch the Junior Gladiators as they also take on Forest City at 3 p.m. If you're looking for something to do besides going to camp or spending some quality time getting to further know the old friend known as television on Saturday, I suggest going out and taking in some of the football games. The Gladiators prove that Sudbury football is as strong as any other city in the province when it comes to talented teenage kids as they contend for the league title almost every season, especially the last three seasons. The team is 2-1-1 to start the 2010 season and all those games were on the road. With some solid play over the next four home games and the Gladiators could have themselves in a position to host a home playoff game. The Gladiators can go toe-to-toe with any team in the league on any given day and that makes the cheap admission price a real bang for the buck. The team is filled with some of the best young football players in town and the roster is a who's who from the high school programs. I don't have the space to mention every last player on the roster to give them some due, but I will throw a few names around for any new fans going to check out the game to keep their eyes locked on. On offence, keeping the peepers on No. 22, running back Joey Martellacci, is always a good thing. This is one guy who can bring you out of your seat and get your lungs screaming and hollering in an instant. When he breaks loose, Martellacci is as fine a running back there is in the league, bar none. He can weave, hop, jump, twist, and turn defenders inside-out with his crafty and shifty moves. He is usually good for at least one memorable run per game and a few touchdowns. He is a true game-breaker. Martellacci has four touchdowns and 433-yards in his first four games. Wide receiver Josh Haslam, No. 87, is one heck of a gifted, natural athlete and he is on his game this season and that means bad news for opposing defences. Haslam is big, strong and means business when he steps on the field. He has always been this way with every sport, as I have covered him since he was in Grade 9 at Lo- Ellen Park. Haslam has three touchdowns and 15 catches for 337 yards in four games. Both quarterbacks, Daniel Poirier, No. 12, and Travis Campbell, No. 16, are equally effective and present foes with the daunting task of trying to stop them. They have combined for 709-yards and five touchdowns. If the Gladiators get into field goal range, you can bet your last Loonie kicker Alex Carriere, No. 5, will be out to finish the job, and he can get it done. He's clutch and already proven to be calm, cool and collected in the pressure moments. Now for the unsung heroes of all football teams, the defence and offensive and defensive linemen. These bruisers come in all shapes and sizes on the Gladiators, but they all have a common thread -- they don't take crap from anyone and take it personally when an opponent tries to score on them or tries to stop Sudbury from scoring. On defence, linebacker Brett Hamilton, No. 2, is leading the charge with four quarterback sacks and 12 tackles. Hamilton is an absolute menace to foes and really enjoys chewing them up and spitting them out and then stomping them into the ground. Come to think of it, that's how the whole defence usually plays. They certainly mean business. Also, keep your eyes on linebacker Erik Conrad, No. 39; linebacker Mitchell Portelance, No. 31; defensive linemen Colton Bonnah, No. 77; linebacker Jordan Assinewe, No. 53 and defensive back Eric Cecile, No. 15 as they are all having monster seasons and dishing out some hard-nosed play. Watch offensive linemen such as Mathieu Beaulieu, No. 62; Mathieu Chartrand, No. 65 and Taylor Fish, No. 68 among others as they smash open holes for the offensive players to make big plays during the game. These guys are the heart of any team and essentially make or break your season with their actions. After being away from home for their first four games and not playing in town since last summer, I know the Gladiators are eager to put on a show for fans. The first few minutes of today's game should be nothing short of explosive. The Gladiators game is a fantastic way to kill a few hours, get some fresh air and see what kind of talent there is in Sudbury. I know the players live for the buzz of fans in the stands. The more people and the better these guys seem to play -- they feed off the energy of the crowd, so I know they would appreciate a lot of support. by BRUCE HEIDMAN / THE SUDBURY STAR June 18, 2010 It will be home sweet home for the Sudbury Gladiators this Saturday. Finally. After four straight road games to start off the season, the Gladiators get to play in front of their hometown fans for the first time this season, the first of four straight home games over the next six weeks. "It's a relief being at home," middle linebacker Mitchell Portelance said. "It was daunting being on the road for a month and dealing with their rules, their field, their fans and we always had to adjust, where now we can play our own game. It makes it that much easier to prepare. "Bus legs have an effect, too, because it makes you tired," he added. "We haven't got to sleep in on a Saturday in a long time either, so we're looking forward to that." The Gladiators had a strong showing as road warriors, posting a 2-1-1 record, not an easy feat in the football world. Now they are eager to put on a show for their fans and show Greater Sudbury what the team is all about. "It's nice to be home. It has been a long month," Gladiators head coach Brent Richer said. "The guys and coaching staff are anxious and we have to pick it up this week and play our best because we want to show our fans what we can do in our first home game of the season. "We only lost once on the road and we get to come home in control of our own destiny," he added. "If we can win them all, we will host a home playoff game and play seven in a row, so there's the carrot for us." Richer's team is playing confident, but he wants them to stay hungry. "It was a strong road showing, better than we ever had before, but it all goes for naught if we don't back it up at home," he said. Richer has sent that message loud and clear to the players. "The first month was good because it kept the pressure on and we couldn't take it easy," Portelance said. "But now we're focused and we appreciate what we have now and want to take advantage of it." While being rested and having their home crowd cheering them on is a big bonus for the players, Richer hopes it also makes his charges a little less ornery. While the Gladiators have had a great start to the season, Richer believes they left a few points on the field due to taking a rash of penalties out of frustration and anger. "We need to play smart and composure is what we need most this weekend," Richer said. "We have got ourselves in a lot of trouble because of penalties and a lot of it has to do with being on the road for a month straight. You're always on your heels and feel like you have to step up and punch people in the face to be taken seriously. I expect at home we can play our own game and be more composed and understand the people are cheering are for us now." Right offensive tackle Sandy Bissett said he and his teammates have to play hard, but calm down on the field, especially after the whistle. "Being on the road contributes to it, but there's no excuses," he said. "You can't take stupid penalties out of frustration or anger. It's a mental game and you have to use those six inches between your ears. You go out and hit them and leave it at that." Portelance agreed. "Composure is crucial," he said. "If we stay focused, we're excellent. It's teams that lose their cool and fight with the other team and among themselves that never reach their potential. It really is key." The Gladiators will face Forest City out of London on Saturday at 6 p.m. Forest City joined the league this year and has struggled out of the gate, only scoring 25 points in three games to post a 1-2 record. "They are a new team, but we have to treat them like they are 3-0 and kick their ass," Bissett said. "Everyone is excited and ready to show our local fans what we are all about." Portelance said the Gladiators need look no further than in their own dressing room to know better than to take Forest City lightly. "The last two seasons in the league we haven't had the best starts and finished well, so we go into every game prepared for how we want to play and we can't take them lightly," he said. "Teams get better every week in this league." Forest City is also a bit of a mystery to the Gladiators. "This is a new team in the league and we have a little bit of film on them, but we don't know what to expect," he said. "We do know that London is a great football town, so we are expecting them to play hard. They didn't come here to lose." Richer is hoping to see the stands at Queen's Athletic Field full for the home opener. "I would love nothing more than a packed house in blue and white screaming and cheering," he said. "It has been four tough weeks of every time we do something good hearing nothing but our own bench, so that will be a nice change." Game time Saturday is 6 p.m. by Randy Pascal / sudburysports.com June 16, 2010 Surviving the rigours of one of the quirkiest schedules seen in recent memory on the local sports scene, Sudbury Gladiators head coach Brent Richer remains pleased with the early season results. Completing a stretch of four straight road games to open the 2010 season (the Gladiators play a total of eight regular games - starting with four in a row on the road and ending with four straight at home), the local OFC (Ontario Football Conference) entry will take to Queen's Athletic Field Saturday with a record of 2-1-1. That mark was finalized last Saturday as Sudbury played to a 17-17 deadlock with the Hamilton-Wentworth Panthers, a pretty decent outcome given the fact that the visitors trailed 17-7 at one stage early in the second half. "We lost just one of four games on the road, not a bad draw in my mind", suggests Richer. "Being on the road all the time is mentally draining on both the players and the coaches" he adds, clearly thankful of the fact that worse is likely behind them. An entertaining contest against Hamilton would see the home side open the scoring, returning a punt some seventy yards to stake out a 7-0 lead midway through the opening quarter. Establishing their most consistent ground attach in four games to date, the Gladiators reply as a drive that sees running back Joey Martellacci carry on six seperate plays is capped with a two year TD scamper by the University of Western Ontario product. Kicker Alex Carriere makes good on the extra point, tying the game at seven through the opening fifteen minutes of play. The score would remain that way until late in the second quarter when the Panthers catch a break. A tipped pass misses the intended target but deflects directed to Hamilton receiver Andrin Masotti, who bolts 45 yards for the go-ahed score as the Panthers hold a 14-7 advantage at the half. They increase their lead less than four minutes into the second half, connecting on a field goal to extend their advantage to ten points. But Sudbury would prove themselves a resilient bunch as Lo-Ellen DB Jeff Lavigne gathers in a missed field goal attempt very near the Sudbury goalline and returns it 88 yards, setting up a Travis Campbell to Josh Haslam major. Campbell, the starting QB to begin the year, entered the contest in the second quarter, replacing Dan Poirier who left the game with a strained groin, attempting to plant for a throw on the very wet grass at MacRae Field. With just over three minutes remaining in regulation time, Martellacci showcases his natural athleticism, forging forward for a 30 yard gain while forcing a small handful of Hamilton defenders into missed tackles. With the ball settled on the Panthers eleven yard line, the Gladiators would settle for a short field goal courtesy of Alex Carriere, creating a draw that would end with a wild and woolly final three minutes. Following the game-tying FG, Hamilton would march the length of the field, attempting a punt for a single from less than twenty yards out that was blocked by defensive stalwart Brett Hamilton. Few marks for aesthetic beauty, but a single point that Richer and company will gladly take. "The defense was great - we were everywhere that game", he said. "We ran the ball extremely well and the offensive line did a great job. We'll take the tie." Sudbury now returns home to look at securing a third straight berth in the post-season, kicking off their home stretch with a matchup against league newcomers Forest City Thunderbirds (1-2) from London. Game time on Saturday is set for 6:00 p.m. at Queen's, with the Jr Varsity Gladiators (0-3) facing Forest City as well, a little earlier in the day thanks to a 3:00 p.m. kickoff. The Varsity lads will then enjoy a well deserved week off (no game scheduled) before hosting Burlington (July 3rd), Twin Cities (July 10th) and Hamilton Wentworth (July 24th). Gladiators fight for top spot in OFC Sudbury Northern Life June 15, 2010 The Sudbury Gladiators varsity team added another point to their record Saturday, after tying the Hamilton-Wentworth Panthers 17-17 on the road, in Ontario Football Conference (OFC) action. The Gladiators now sit in second place in the league, with five points — one point behind the Twin Cities Predators, who beat the Gladiators 20-15 in their match two weeks ago. The Junior Gladiators are still looking for their first point after their third game of the season June 13 against the Burlington Stampeders. Falling 48-0 to the top-ranked team, the Junior Gladiators pushed their points for and against ratio to 0-139. Next up for the Gladiators are the teams' home-openers, set for June 19 at Queen's Athletic Field, against the Forest City Thunderbirds. The juniors will take the field, at 3 p.m., followed by the varsity team at 6 p.m. By SCOTT HADDOW / THE SUDBURY STAR June 14, 2010 Playing the role of road warriors is over for the rest of the regular season for the Sudbury Gladiators. The team wrapped up its gruelling road schedule Saturday with a bitter 17-17 tie against the Hamilton Wentworth Panthers. It might not have been a win, but the result marked the midway point of the regular season for the Gladiators and, more importantly, was a moral victory as the team will stay at home for its next four games after playing its first four games of the season on the road. "It's been a long month and at least it's home-sweet-home now," Gladiators head coach Brent Richer said. Sudbury went 2-1-1 in those road games. The consequences of the road record will be determined later. Going 2-1-1 to start wasn't bad and it could have been worse. "There's no way to tell if it was good enough," Richer said. "It's still early in the season. Coming home with a tie, although it's not a loss, is like coming home with a loss. When it gets down to the end of July and the standings and the playoff picture becomes more clear, that one point could be a big difference for us and whether we get a home playoff game or not." Even though he was expecting his team to win, Richer was still pleased with the end result considering the slight odds against the Gladiators. They lost quarterback Dan Poirier and linebacker Brett Hamilton in the second quarter. The team went to Hamilton short seven players who were attending their graduation ceremonies. At half time, the Gladiators were in a 14-7 hole. The odds were stacked against the team in the second half, but the Gladiators didn't roll over and quit. They kept playing and earned the tie and one point. "We came up short in some certain areas ... turnovers, unforced turnovers and some big penalties, all which hurt us," Richer said. "We have to be more disciplined. A lesser team might have folded up camp down 17-7 with eight minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Our guys didn't. There were some sparks and they tied the game up with about one minute left. Hamilton got into field goal range with about 19 seconds left in the game to win and our guys blocked it to secure the tie and point. I'm happy with how resilient our guys are. They dug in their heels and got that point. It speaks volumes about the character of the team. Had we lost this weekend, it would have been too hard for us to make it up and stay in the hunt for a home playoff game." The Gladiators got key performances out of running back Joey Martellacci on offence and Brett Hamilton and Jordan Assinewe on defence. "Joey scored one touchdown and had another called back. He ran for 70 yards, but probably more like 200 yards all over the field and brought the ball up to the 12-yard line late to set up our field goal to tie the game. Brett had two blocked field goals and Jordan made two sacks," Richer said. The Gladiators will remain at home for the rest of the regular season. This Saturday, they play their home opener when they host the Forest City Thunderbirds at 6 p.m. at Queen's Athletic Field. The Sudbury Junior Gladiators kick off the day of football when they host Forest City as well at 3 p.m. "We couldn't be more excited for a home game," Richer said. "Being on the road for a month straight is tough and takes a toll mentally on the coaches and players. We can't sit back. We can't assume teams coming here will just quit on us because those teams need wins just as a bad as us. We have to be ready." By BRUCE HEIDMAN / THE SUDBURY STAR June 11, 2010  After a tremendous game last week where he led the Sudbury Gladiators to a 30-13 win against the Junior Argonauts in Toronto, quarterback Dan Poirier is going to get the chance to show his stuff again Saturday in Hamilton.
Poirier went 20 of 35 passing for 333 yards and four touchdowns and added 25 yards rushing last Saturday to gain the confidence of the coaching staff. He gets the chance to improve the Gladiators to 3-1 on the season Saturday, but it won't be easy against the Ron Lancaster Jr.-led Hamilton Wentworth Panthers. "It's Dan's job to lose after last weekend," Gladiators head coach Brent Richer said. "He looked comfortable and poised last week, but he will have to be sharp this week and take what they give him. These guys will be coming hard at him." Poirier, a 16-year-old College Notre-Dame student, is ready for the challenge. "It was fun last week and it felt good to get in there," he said. "The team played so well and executed everything like we are supposed to and it felt great. It feels good to be out there with the guys and it's a great experience and I'm learning so much. "It's a big rush when you're out there. It's a big responsibility, but you have all the guys there supporting you and it's like a big family, so it has been good." The task is a little bigger this week against a skilled and talented Panthers team also known for its big, strong linemen. "We will have to be a little sharper this week because they are a really good team," Poirier said. "They are coming off a bye week so they will be coming out strong, but we are going to do our best against them. "We need to do like we did last week. The lineman stepped up big and gave a me a great pocket and the running backs checked down well and gave me a second option and it allowed me to air out the ball." Richer holds the Panthers in high regard. "This is a great team we are playing this week," he said. "They are highly skilled at all positions, they have large linemen and are very well coached and they are hungry after losing their first game and are coming off a bye week. So they are upset, this is their home opener, it's on TV and we didn't do them any favours last year when we beat them, so we are going to have to be on the ball if we want to come out of there with a win." It's a win that is necessary for the Gladiators to reach their early season goal of hosting a playoff game. "Coming home 3-1 would be huge for us," Richer said. "It's vital for us to keep a home playoff game alive." Richer believes his linemen will need to be at their best to leave Hamilton with a win. "Our line is going to have to be exceptional this game," he said. "They have four fantastic linebackers and their quarterback reads well and throws a nice deep ball. Our D-line will have to step up and create some pressure and force them to take some underneath routes and our offensive line will have to create some holes so we can drag this thing out and put them in our world." "We're excited for the game," said 18-year-old St. Charles student Dylan Martin. "We've watched the game film and remember them from last year and they have a really good offensive line and I'm eager to see how they are this time. I like the challenge. I'm not too worried about them though. We have to worry about what we do. Most of the time when we give up something it's because we made a mistake they take advantage of, so we have to just clean up our mistakes." By SCOTT HADDOW / THE SUDBURY STAR June 7, 2010 Sudbury Gladiators head coach Brent Richer was looking for his team to answer the challenge of being better against the Toronto Jr. Argonauts on the road after a bitter loss last week to Twin Cities. The Gladiators answered the challenge and then some as they took down the Jr. Argos 30-13 in Toronto on Saturday. "We instituted some things they weren't doing well over the last two weeks and the players executed everything perfectly," Richer said. "As coaches, we're happy to see we have a team that can respond in that way after a loss and a hard week of practice. There wasn't a lot they did wrong." The Gladiators had all elements of their game working to perfection. The offence made big plays and scored on its chances. The defence showed it is menacing beasts by making several huge stops throughout the game and speciality teams got the ball rolling for the Gladiators with crafty play. "Our new quarterback, Dan Poirier from Notre-Dame, started and he threw three touchdowns and no interceptions," Richer said. "He had a lot of yards, too. He showed a lot of composure. He's only 17, the youngest we can have on the team. He really stepped up to the occasion. The offence ran the ball well and the offensive line looked great. Our defence made some big stands and forced some fumbles. Our speciality teams got everything started for us when Josh Haslam kicked a 60-yard punt through the back of the end zone for a 1-0 lead. Everything was firing on Saturday." Richer is really impressed with the team's defence, especially since the first three games have been on the road. Last year, after four road games, the Gladiators had allowed 95 points against. This season through the first three games, they have allowed just 40 points. "They're a stubborn group and I like it," Richer said. The Gladiators have one more road game to go, this Saturday, as they head south to take on the Hamilton Wentworth Panthers. The Gladiators will then be home for four straight games at Queen's Athletic Field, something they're looking forward to. "It will be home sweet home soon," Richer said. "Our next road game is big. It's important to win on the road because we have usually been good at home. If we can come home next week with a 3-1 road record, we're going to be in a position to try and earn a home playoff game." In OFC Junior Varsity Tier I action, the Sudbury Jr. Gladiators fell 56-0 to the Hamilton Wentworth Panthers on Saturday on the road. "We came off the bus flat again," head coach Sam Cuomo said. "We thought we had an opportunity against this team as they lost last week. They were pumped up and ready to play. We did improve a bit, but we just made more mistakes than usual." Hamilton took a 28-0 lead into halftime and put up another 28 points in the second half to seal up the victory. It wasn't a complete write off for the Jr. Gladiators. The players kept up the fight until he final whistle and even did some things they had yet to do this season. "We're still growing as a team and added a few new players," Cuomo said. "Our quarterback threw four or five receptions compared to last week when we had none. The quarterback made some runs and we had some opportunities to score, but we fumbled the ball. We didn't get our momentum going. They made two mistakes the whole game. They did give us many turnovers to capitalize on." Sudbury has a strong idea of what they have to do in order to earn a better result against the next team it plays. "Hamilton has speed," Cuomo said. "My kids had their eyes opened up. They're understanding what level of football we're playing at and what level they have to get to. It was a wake-up call for them." Despite the 0-2 record to start, Cuomo isn't down on his team. It's the first season for the team and it's about growing and learning the game at a higher level. Success doesn't happen overnight. "We're here to teach them about the game," he said. "It's about building and encouraging them. It will take time. Next week, we'll work on our speed. We're up to 34 kids now and we'll have 36 kids by next week. The numbers are growing and it helps out. The kids are excited to play." The Jr. Gladiators hit the road again to play Burlington this Saturday. Gladiators ready for Toronto air show By BRUCE HEIDMAN / THE SUDBURY STAR June 5, 2010  The Sudbury Gladiators are ready for the Toronto Jr. Argonauts' air attack.
The local Ontario Football Conference entry heads to Hogtown today for Week 3 of the season and hope to catch Toronto a bit unprepared considering it is their first game of the season, while Sudbury has two games under its belt. "They haven't played yet, so we are playing a fresh team though one that may not be game ready yet," Gladiators head coach Brent Richer said. "It's a nice little advantage, but we just have to minimize our mistakes. "Our job is to lean on them in the first half and hopefully tire them out a bit because they might not be quite game ready, then take advantage of that in the second half," he added. "They will be learning as they go where have passed that stage and are fine tuning. We are really prepared." The Gladiators expect Toronto to continue to throw the ball plenty like they have in the past. "They have a run-and-gun kind of offence," Richer said. "They love to throw the deep ball and stretch you out vertically. Our defensive backs need to have big games. If they are trailing they are going to try to hit us deep early, so our DBs need to be on the ball." The defensive backs have declared themselves ready for the aerial attack. "It's really important for us to be sharp, but I love the challenge," defensive back Jeff Lavigne said. "We play four-down football in high school and it's mostly a running and tackling league, but this is different and we get to see how well we can cover and stuff. They throw bombs all the time. They'll start by throwing a bunch of short passes and then throw a deep one to catch you off guard, but I'm prepared and I like that challenge." Lavigne has his game plan ready. "I'll stay five yards off at first and get a read on (the receiver), see how fast he is and what his cuts are like and see if he has any tendencies," he said. "At first, I'll look at the quarterback to see if he is doing a five-step drop or three or seven and see where he is going to be throwing it." While he has a good feel for what Toronto will want to do, Richer is more concerned with his own charges. A 20-15 setback to Twin Cities in Kitchener last weekend dropped the Gladiators to 1-1 on the season in a game Richer said his team shot itself in the foot. "Last week we took a lot of penalties," he said. " "Discipline was a bit of an issue, but they paid for it at practice Wednesday and we went through what is a penalty and what isn't." Gladiators fall to Twin Cities by SCOTT HADDOW / THE SUDBURY STAR May 31, 2010 The road has already become a major factor in the Sudbury Gladiators season. Faced with the daunting task of playing the first four games on the road, the Gladiators felt the full effects of how the road can be an unforgiving place on Saturday in their second game of the season as they fell 20-15 to the Twin Cities Predators In Waterloo. "We're not making any excuses," head coach Brent Richer said. "We took way too many penalties when we were in good scoring positions and made some silly mental mistakes that cost us points on the board. When you're on the road playing the defending league champions, you need to score your points when you get the chance or you're going to walk away with a loss. We proved that Saturday." The Gladiators started the season on the right foot two weeks ago when they took down the Chatham-Kent Cougars in the first game on the road. Saturday's game started out well for the Gladiators as they pushed the Predators and scored a safety and took an early 2-0 lead in the first quarter. For the rest of the first half though, it was all Predators as they rung up two touchdowns and were up by eight points at half time. "We came out a little flat," Richer said. "The game was pushed up a few hours due to a CIS football combine. We had to leave Sudbury at 5:30 a.m. That's a tough way to start a road trip for anyone. We started that first quarter OK and got the 2-0 lead, but we got winded and they scored two touchdowns to take a 13-5 lead before half time." The second half saw the Gladiators get their feet under them and chip away at the lead. It was a marked improvement. "In the third and fourth quarters, we outscored them and got within five points of them," Richer said. "We ended up with the ball on their 20-yard line with no time left, but we just couldn't capitalize on the last play for the win." It wasn't all bad for the Gladiators. The coaches were impressed with some plays by the offence and speciality teams. Richer really liked how the defence took a big step up in the second half. "The defence really became stingy in the second half and that was great to see," Richer said. "The score was 20-15 for them with about three minutes left to play. They were on our one-yard line and our defence came up with an interception on the goal line and took it back to the 43-yard line. It swung the game around really quick for us. It lead to the march down the field, but we ended up coming up short." Next weekend doesn't get any easier for the Gladiators as they take on another top team, the Toronto Junior Argonauts on the road at 4 p.m. "They have a spectacular program with great coaches and feeder system," Richer said. "They get the same good results year after year. They're a winning franchise and we'll have to be at our best to beat them. We'll be ready for Toronto." The Sudbury Junior Gladiators played their first game of the season on Saturday, falling 35-0 to the Twin Cities Predators. Junior Gladiators head coach Sam Cuomo wasn't disappointed with the result. The team has been hit hard with injuries and low numbers with athletes competing in track and field events and the junior high school football season. "I have 31 kids on my roster and Twin Cities had 76 players," Cuomo said. "Our kids weren't intimidated or scared, and that was good. We got a lot out of the game because we haven't been able to scrimmage a lot. The kids exceeded my expectations I had for them. They never once backed down and they made some first downs. They made some good plays and really limited their mistakes. Our kids didn't beat themselves. They were happy after the game. We have good character kids who want to compete. We just need more players. I am hoping once the junior jamboree is over, more kids will come out. It will make a difference. Our goal is to improve every game." The Junior Gladiators get back on the gridiron next Saturday when they hit the road to play the Hamilton-Wentworth Panthers at 4 p.m. by Randy Pascal / sudburysports.com May 25, 2010 With the shoe on the other foot, the Sudbury Gladiators would take full advantage. Just two years removed from being the new kids on the OFC (Ontario Football Conference) block, the local varsity team opened the 2010 season with a road win, knocking off the first year Chatham Kent Cougars 26-7 this past Saturday. Running backs Joey Martellacci (2 TDs) and Jessy Bertin Haggart (TD) accounted for the bulk of the Sudbury scoring, with kicker Alex Carriere adding a pair of field goals (30 yds and 27 yds) as well as converting two of the three majors. The Gladiators jumped out to a 13-0 first half lead, surrendering a late touchdown in the second quarter before adding some insurance via a pair of four quarter scores. "Our defense had a really solid outing", noted visiting coach Brent Richer. "They kept us in the game when it was still close." While the offense fell victim to a couple of key misfires, the overall ball movement was good, according to the former Sudbury Spartan defensive back. "We were able to move the ball on the ground" said Richer, adding that both Josh Haslam and Mark Randa came up with key receptions. With a pair of touchdowns called back (one on a penalty; the second on an early whistle), the game remained closer than what Richer and staff would have preferred - although the coaches walked away quite pleased with the composure shown by their veteran-laden crew. "There was a calm ease on the sideline - the guys just stayed the course", stated Richer. With countless key returnees in the fold, the Gladiators brainthrust knew full well what to expect in most cases. Still, the performances from the likes of Jessy Bertin-Haggart, cornerback Jeff Lavigne, linebacker Erik Conrad and offensive lineman Carter long certainly caught the attention of the coaching staff. With a win under their belts, the Gladiators move forward with what is expected to be a much stiffer test, facing the defending league champion Twin Cities Predators at the Knight-Newbrough Field on the campus of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterlook next Saturday. "This is a big one" said Richer, acknowledging the quickly developing rivalry between the teams. No major changes in the game plan, according to Richer, although he suggests that some players might be used more in very specific situational roles as team staff better understands the assets at their disposal. The Gladiators begin the 2010 campaign with four straight road games before welcoming the Forest City Thunderbirds to Queen's Athletic Field on (Saturday) June 19th at 6:00 p.m. By: Sudbury Northern Life Staff May 25, 2010 The Sudbury Gladiators varsity football team has returned to the gridiron, and has started the season off on the right foot. The team took a 26-7 victory over the Chatham-Kent Cougars on the road May 22. The Gladiators jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, and added another 10 points in the second. The Cougars pushed the game to a three-point margin before the end of the first half, heading into the third quarter 10-7. After no movement in the third quarter, the Sudbury team secured the win with 13 more points. The Gladiators' next three games will be played on the road, against the Twin Cities Predators May 29, the Toronto Junior Argos June 5, and the Hamilton Wentworth Panthers June 12. The team's home opener, against the Forest City Thunderbirds, is scheduled for June 19 at the Queen's Athletic Fields. Game time is set for 6 p.m. The Junior Gladiators kick off their season on the road May 29 against the Twin Cities Predators, followed by two more road games against the Hamilton Wentworth Panthers and Burlington Stampeders June 5 and June 13 respectively. The junior squad will take the field prior to the varsity team's homeopener June 19 against the Forest City Thunderbirds. The Juniors' game time is set for 4 p.m. Gladiators kick off season with road victory By BRUCE HEIDMAN, THE SUDBURY STAR May 24, 2010 The Sudbury Gladiators got the start to the season they needed.
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