Gladiators set for exhibition game tonight

Duke City plays team of firemen, police

The Duke City Gladiators, who just completed two weeks of preseason drills, get to test themselves against outside competition tonight at 6:05 when they meet the Metro Stars in an indoor football exhibition at Tingley Coliseum.

The Gladiators, members of the Champions Indoor Football league, will face a squad of local firemen and police.

Coach Dominic Bramante’s Duke City squad opened training camp Feb. 11 and went through at least two practices a day for eight straight dates before the team’s first day of rest Sunday. Sometimes there were even four-a-days, which featured two team sessions in addition to two strength-and-conditioning segments — all between 7:55 a.m. and 4:40 p.m..

“They really looked forward to that first day off,” Bramante said in a phone interview. “We’re always a work in progress. Training on their own before the season, they might feel they’re in shape. But they really can’t simulate what we do here.”

Bramante, in his third year as field boss of the team, welcomed 33 players to camp, headed by exLobo quarterback Donovan Porterie (2006-09).

“He’s the real deal and working real hard,” Bramante said. “He’s showing the passion for playing in Albuquerque again.”

Other players catching the coaching staff’s eye have been DE Eric Banford, OL Sherman Carter, DB Jayson Serda (Manzano/Eastern New Mexico) and RB Antonio Bray.

“Eric is a monster, a real beast off the edge,” Bramante said. “Antonio’s like a whirling dervish, like watching a Madden game.”

Another player who’s the real deal, scheduled to play for the Metro Stars, is Brian Johnson. He’s a former two-time first-team Mountain West defensive lineman for New Mexico (1997-2001). He also was part of two title teams with the top-tier Arena Football League’s San Jose SaberCats and had a tryout with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.

“We’d better be ready to block him,” Bramante said.

For the Gladiators, who were 6-6 last season in their first year in the CIF, this is a warmup for the season opener March 4 at Dodge City. The Law was 8-4 in the 2016 regular season and was the only league team to go undefeated at home (6-0).

Duke City opens its home schedule March 11 against the archrival Amarillo Venom in another 6:05 p.m. game at Tingley.