ArenaFan Originals - Everywhere Defensive Back Has Cleveland Where It Wants To Be arenafan.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from arenafan.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Last weekend, the Cleveland Gladiators offense didn't look like an ArenaBowl unit. Fast forward one week as Cleveland quarterback Shane Austin appeared fully refreshed.
For the first time since 2010, the Tampa Bay Storm will host a playoff game on their own turf. Escaping with a thrilling 55-51 win over the Washington Valor on Saturday night at Amalie Arena, the Storm improved to 8-2 and picked up their fourth straight victory over Washington to wrap-up the season sweep.
Jonah Rosenblum
Sunday July 6, 2014
CLEVELAND - From the outset, the Gladiators had the advantage. They just struggled to leave a struggling Portland team behind. In what seemed an eternally-lasting, one-score game, the Gladiators finally separated early in the fourth quarter. And all in a matter of minutes.
LaRoche Jackson easily took a kick back for a 41-34 lead. On Portland s ensuing drive, fellow Cleveland defensive back Joe Phinisee saved Dominic Jones, who dropped an easy third-down pick, by swooping in front of Kyle Rowley s fourth-down pass.
Jones said it exemplified a year-long Cleveland philosophy: I got the next one.
One play later, Austin found Dominick Goodman on the right sideline, and as he cut in and crossed the goal line, an exhausted Quicken Loans Arena let out a collective sigh of relief.