Rio Rancho Observer Sports Editor Gary Herron was at Rio Rancho Events Center Saturday (July 16) evening to watch the Duke City Gladiators' regular-season home finale, a 39-32 win over visiting Northern Arizona. Here are some photos from that exciting game, with its outcome not assured until the final play an incomplete Wranglers pass. Next stop for the Gladiators: the playoffs!!
Giving up 23 unanswered points in the fourth quarter Saturday night led to a Duke City Gladiators’ 49-41 loss in Prescott Valley to the Northern Arizona Wranglers.The Gladiators (6-8) gave up only seven points, in the game’s opening quarter, while Duke City reached the end zone three times in the second stanza, en route to a 21-14 halftime lead.
Attendance is climbing at the Rio Rancho Events Center.The center hosted more than 23,000 guests over the past six days in just six events. That included two sold out concerts and two high school graduations.
"The crime, yes, does need to stop. We've lost a lot of people this year, and this time it happened to be Martesse. I know coming from him, he would want this to stop," Matt Avila with the Duke City Gladiators said.