Gladiators, Predators Battle for ArenaBowl Berth on CBS Sports Network

Friday August 8, 2014

CLEVELAND – The East Division champion Cleveland Gladiators (17-1) will host the South Division champion Orlando Predators (11-7) in the American Conference Championship Game at 3:00 p.m. ET Sunday, August 10 in “NET10 Wireless Arena Football” action on CBS Sports Network. This will be the first meeting between the two squads this season. Brent Stover, Sherdrick Bonner and Pat O’Hara will be on the call from Quicken Loans Arena.

The Gladiators will be making their first conference championship appearance since 2008. The AFL’s version of the “Kardiac Kids” orchestrated yet another dramatic victory in the AFL Quarterfinals, knocking out the two-time defending American Conference champion Philadelphia Soul (9-9), 39-37, on a game-winning 36-yard field goal as time expired. It was Cleveland’s sixth win of the year on the final play of the game and their third win over Philadelphia on the last play of regulation. Cleveland would host ArenaBowl XXVII with a win over the Predators this weekend. The Gladiators have never played in the ArenaBowl.

Orlando defeated the Pittsburgh Power (15-3), 56-48, in the AFL Quarterfinals to advance to their first conference championship appearance since 2010. However, Predators quarterback Bernard Morris will be making his third consecutive trip to the game, having led the Jacksonville Sharks to the American Conference title contest in 2012 and 2013. An Orlando victory in the American Conference Championship Game would secure the Predators first ArenaBowl berth since 2006.

Cleveland is led by AFL MVP candidate Shane Austin, who passed for 4,478 yards and 99 touchdowns during the regular season, but had a rough night a week ago, tossing a career-high five interceptions in his first-ever playoff game. Austin will need to bounce back with a big game Sunday to keep the Gladiators’ championship dreams alive. Helping him do that will be a talented corps of receivers, led by the League’s leader in receptions, Dominick Goodman, who tallied 156 catches in 2014. Veterans Thyron Lewis and Collin Taylor have also been reliable playmakers all season, combining for 57 touchdowns on the year.

Bernard Morris, now making his third straight trip to the American Conference title game, will be the key to victory for the Predators. The best dual-threat quarterback in the AFL has been playing lights-out as of late, most recently tying the AFL postseason record for rushing touchdowns with four a week ago. In the last three regular season games, Morris accounted for 25 total touchdowns against just two interceptions. Cleveland will need to find a way to contain Morris and force him into turning the ball over, something few teams have been able to do this year. The Gladiators secondary will also have its hands full with NET10 Wireless Rookie of the Year candidate Greg Carr, who hauled in four touchdown passes last week and led all AFL rookies with 36 touchdowns on the year.

On the defensive side of the ball, Tanner Varner leads the way for Orlando. The Jack linebacker was the only defender on the Orlando roster to play in all 18 games during the regular season and led the team with four forced fumbles on the year. Trusty veterans Eddie Moten and Tracy Belton will also look to shut down Cleveland’s passing attack. Belton and Varner tied for the team lead with five picks on the year, while Moten ranks fifth in AFL history with 50 career interceptions.

Cleveland’s strength is also its secondary. Despite losing Riddell Defensive Player of the Year candidate Marrio Norman to the Baltimore Ravens two weeks ago, the Gladiators still boast one of the game’s best defensive backfields, thanks to the addition of Jack linebacker Alvin Ray Jackson last week. The acquisition allowed Cleveland’s career leader in tackles, Joe Phinisee, to move back to frontside cornerback, joining LaRoche Jackson and Dominic Jones in locking down the passing game.

If the Gladiators win on Sunday, Cleveland will host ArenaBowl XXVII at 8:00 p.m. ET Saturday, August 23 on ESPN. If the Predators win, the winner of the National Conference Championship Game between the Arizona Rattlers and San Jose SaberCats will host the ArenaBowl. Kickoff for the San Jose-Arizona game is set for 8:00 p.m. ET Sunday night on ESPN2.

About the AFL
Since its inception in 1987, the Arena Football League has showcased a fast-paced and exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets across the country. The ESPN family of networks and CBS Sports Network will nationally broadcast AFL games each week for the entire 2014 season. The AFL schedule culminates with ArenaBowl XXVII Saturday, August 23, 2014 on ESPN.