Valor Take On Gladiators Friday Night

Thursday April 27, 2017

 Washington heads to Cleveland for its first road game of the season

The Valor (1-1) head to Cleveland for a matchup with the Gladiators (0-3) with kickoff set for 7 p.m. on Fri., April 28 at Quicken Loans Arena. The game will be broadcast on Monumental Sports Network. Washington is looking to rebound from its first loss of the season, a 49-31 setback against the Philadelphia Soul last weekend at Verizon Center. The Gladiators dropped a thriller, 62-61, to the Tampa Bay Storm last weekend in Florida.

VALOR PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Mike Washington – A model of consistency for the Valor, Mike Washington has shined in each of the team’s first two matchups. The seven-year veteran has nine catches for 100+ yards in each game this season and five total touchdowns – three in Week 1 and two in Week 3. Washington was named AFL Offensive Player of the Week for his Week 1 performance.

SOUL PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Quentin Sims – Sims comes into the matchup looking to carry momentum from his outstanding performance in Week 3, amassing 205 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 14 receptions. His 205 yards and five touchdowns were the highest single-game totals in the AFL this season, while his 14 catches ranked second. In two games this season, Sims has hauled in 26 catches for 327 yards and seven touchdowns. His 163.5 receiving yards per game and 3.5 receiving touchdowns per game both lead the AFL.

MATCHUP TO WATCH: WASHINGTON DBs vs. CLEVELAND QB ARVELL NELSON – The Washington Valor allow only 222 passing yards per game, fewest in the AFL. DB Tracy Belton has recorded all three of the Valor interceptions this season, more than any other single player and good enough to put Washington in a two-way tie for most team interceptions in the league. Those numbers will be put to the test this weekend as Cleveland enters Week 4 leading the league in passing yards per game (305.7) and ranking second in passing touchdowns (18). Gladiators QB Arvell Nelson is coming off a 358-yard, seven-touchdown performance against the Tampa Bay Storm and leads the league with a 146.2 rating.

UPCOMING MILESTONES: Valor QB Erik Meyer needs two touchdown passes to become the 25th man in AFL history to throw for 300 touchdowns over the course of his career. In addition, Meyer is five touchdowns short of catching Mike Pawalski for 24th all-time on the AFL passing touchdowns list. Veteran wide receiver TT Toliver is 22 points away from 2,000 career points.

CLEVELAND CONNECTION: Current Washington Valor Offensive Coordinator Steve Thonn served as head coach of the Cleveland Gladiators from 2010-2016.

BROADCAST INFORMATION: Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on Monumental Sports Network.