Duke City seeking breakthrough win

The Duke City Gladiators will continue the meatgrinder portion of their 12-game schedule today when they face defending Champions Indoor Football league titlist Wichita (1-1) at Tingley Coliseum in a 4:05 p.m. start.

The Gladiators (0-2) are coming off season-opening losses at Dodge City (Kan.), 59-52, and at home last week in overtime against the Amarillo Venom, 70-69. Both foes reached the CIF postseason last year, with Amarillo falling in the championship game.

“You don’t have time to catch your breath with this schedule,” said Gladiators coach Dominic Bramante, in his third year with the franchise. “It’s a unique situation in that it feels like a playoff atmosphere every week.”

Duke City and its Kansas visitors will be looking to rebound after blowing big leads last week. The Gladiators were up 48-35 before falling to the Venom, allowing the tying TD in regulation with 27 seconds remaining. The Force was ahead of visiting Dodge City 39-20 before tumbling 42-39. In Week 1, Wichita won at Salina (Kan.), 55-43.

“We’ve been playing a lot of close games that is only going to pay off in the end,” Bramante said in a phone interview Friday. “WIn or lose (today), we’re still in it. We’re going to be prepared.”

Despite last week’s loss, the Gladiators had strong performances on offense, led by Donovan Porterie’s six TD passes, with three going to Julian Walker and two to Larry Cobb. Porterie had only one interception.

But Bramante is bugged by turnovers.

“We have to protect the ball better,” he said. “Seven turnovers in two games doesn’t cut it.”

The Gladiators close out their three-game home stand next week at 6:05 p.m. when they face the Centex (Texas) Cavalry (0-1). In the ensuing two weeks, Duke City will play back-to-back road games at Amarillo and then at Centex, which is based in Belton.