In a classic battle between two district heavy weights, it was the Italy Gladiators (5-2), head coached by Craig Bales, that beat the Buffalo Bison (5-2) to the punch Friday night on a rain soaked Willis Field in Italy. The tension before the game was high with both sides understanding the district implications the game could have. Buffalo entered the game boasting the 2nd best offense and the 3rd best defense in the region, according to Gladiator defensive coordinator Jeff Richters. Italy entered the game simply hungry for a win and a chance to extend their three-game winning streak.

Despite their season-ending injuries, senior, Brandon Souder, and junior, Zackery Boykin, supported their Gladiator teammates from the sideline while a healed, Isaac Medrano, returned to the starting lineups. Senior quarterback Jase Holden had the offense rolling in the first quarter after a rollout pass to Kyle Jackson, who received a downfield block from Devonta Simmons, picked up 13-yards down the Italy sideline to the Buffalo 35-yard line.

Holden hands off to Ryheem Walker twice for a first down at the twenty-four. With Gladiator offensive linemen Larry Mayberry, Jr., Isaac Medrano, Zain Byers, Kevin Roldan and Omar Estrada making the gaps, Walker breaks into the open before being tackled 6 inches away from the goal line. Walker tests the middle on the next play but Buffalo holds. Italy fumbles in the backfield on second down but recovers back at the 5-yard line. Walker sprints left and is met at the pylon where he steamrolls a Bison defender for the first touchdown of the game. Walker runs in for the conversion as well, and Italy leads 8-0.

Braulio Luna kicks it high and Buffalo’s D.J. Jackson fields it on the second hop before Italy’s Jackson clobbers the senior Bison who holds on to the ball at the 34-yard line of the visitors. Tackles by Simmons, Jamal Lewis and Ethan Saxon bring up fourth and four. Buffalo decides to go for it but a false start forces a Bison punt. Italy’s Eric Carson loses the handle while sliding on the damp field but manages to cover the ball at the Gladiator 28-yard line. That was a close one.

Two runs by Lewis setup a sideline pass from Holden to Saxon who turns up for a 21-yard gain to the Buffalo 48-yard line. Lewis runs for six with 3:15 to play in the opening quarter. Holden keeps to the 31-yard line for a first down. Chase Hamilton leads out of the backfield for Walker who reaches the twenty-three. Holden is unable to connect on a quick pass with Trevon Robertson. Walker hammers his way forward for a first down to the twenty-one, 1:55 to play.

Holden passes to Saxon but the catch is made out-of-bounds. Lewis gains half of a yard to bring up third and ten for Italy. Holden fires a pass to Simmons but Logan Jones cuts off the route and intercepts for Buffalo at the 10-yard line as the Bison get their first energy boost of the contest with under a minute to play in the first.

Buffalo manages a big play but a hold brings the ball back half the distance to the goal at their own 7-yard line. Saxon causes a fumble on the next play but the Bison fall on it. Italy’s Estrada tackles a Bison runner in the backfield to end the quarter.

Jose Dominguez, Buffalo’s primary weapon, runs for a Bison first down to the 23-yard line to start the second quarter. Dominguez drags Gladiator tacklers to the 33-yard line for another Bison first down. Two plays later, Saxon upends a Bison runner to force third and ten. Walker and Lewis combine for a tackle in Buffalo’s backfield resulting in another Bison punt on fourth and twelve with 9:12 left in the first half and Italy still leading 8-0.

Carson, not taking any chances, let’s the ball roll to Italy’s 20-yard line. Walker then takes the handoff and bursts 33-yards to the Bison 47-yard line but is slightly shaking up on the play and exits the game temporarily. Lewis carries twice and picks up a first down at the Buffalo 37-yard line. Lewis advances the ball to the twenty-five for another Gladiator first down.

Lewis runs twice more but the Bison defense tightens and forces a third and eight. Holden gets caught from behind trying to scramble to make it fourth and eight at Buffalo’s 26-yard line. Simmons catches a Holden pass but is unable to reach the first down marker allowing Buffalo to take over on downs at their own 17-yard line with 5:14 to play before halftime.

Pressure by Hamilton forces an incomplete pass from Bison quarterback Tate Hartley. Dominguez is stopped for a 2-yard loss by the Gladiator defense. Hartley flings a lob to an open Jones who is captured by Carson at the 35-yard line. Walker hauls down Dominguez for no gain but Buffalo’s Jackson cuts thru the Gladiator defense for a first down run on the next play to midfield. Hartley passes to Jones who streaks to the Italy 32-yard line with 3:27 before halftime.

Jackson bulls his way thru the Gladiators and high kicks his way into the endzone to tighten the score 8-6. Italy’s Hamilton and Jackson foil the Bison conversion attempt and the score remains 8-6 with 2:46 left on the clock. Buffalo kicks off and Hamilton returns the ball to the Italy twenty-nine. Two runs by Walker net a Gladiator first down to the 39-yard line. Jones intercepts a Holden pass intended for Saxon and returns all the way for an apparent touchdown but holding against Buffalo erased the score but Buffalo’s offense was back in business at the Gladiator 33-yard line, 1:28 showing.

A big running gain was negated by another Bison penalty who were then backed up to the 47-yard line. Jones takes a reverse handoff and finds running room along the Bison sideline before Walker dehorns the Bison runner at Italy’s 34-yard line, 0:49 to go. Hartley attempts a pass with Holden applying pressure but looses the handle on the ball out-of-bounds at the 45-yard line. Getting nowhere, Hartley throws a deep bomb for Jackson on fourth and seventeen but Carson has tight coverage and the ball falls incomplete into Italy’s endzone. Gladiator ball at their own 39-yard line with 0:26 remaining. Jackson punches his way thru for a first down at Buffalo’s 47-yard line. Simmons advances a pass from Holden to the thirty-five, 0:13 left.

After an incomplete pass stops the clock, Holden throws deep for Simmons but the pass lands incomplete in the endzone as the half comes to a close with Italy leading 8-6 over the heralded Buffalo Bison.

Hayden Woods makes the tackle on the second half kickoff for Italy and Buffalo starts at their 35-yard line. Big gains by Jackson and Dominguez give Buffalo a first down at Italy’s 35-yard line. Jones uses the reverse again and gets to the 2-yard line before being hit out by Italy’s Jackson. Italy stuffs Buffalo’s Jackson for a 2-yard loss, second and goal from the four. Dominguez is tackled by Saxon to take away a sure touchdown. However, Dominguez drives up the gut and wills his way in for the go-ahead touchdown, Buffalo leads 12-8 at the 8:11 mark of the third quarter.

Back-to-back penalties, including an unsportsmanlike call, back Buffalo to the 24-yard line for the conversion try. Hartley tries a fade pass to Kyle Read but the pass is batted down by Woods in the left corner of Italy’s endzone. Carson returns the ensuing kickoff 30-yards to Buffalo’s forty to help motivate the Gladiator offense.

Walker carries for nine and then Jackson picks up the first down at the 26-yard line. Walker gains six to the Bison twenty. Jackson, again, runs for a first down to the 16-yard line, 5:14 to play in the third. Moments later, Walker rushes in for his second touchdown of the contest from 10-yards out. The conversion was unsuccessful but Italy goes back in front with 4:27 left in the third, 14-12.

Luna kicks off and Buffalo’s Adam Simpson mishandles the catch. Simmons dives on the ball to give Italy possession at the Bison 11-yard line. The amazing special teams play by Simmons sets up Walker’s third touchdown of the game who runs in from 5-yards out. Italy leads 20-12 with 2:07 on the third quarter clock. Italy’s conversion try fails.

Hamilton brings down Jones after the kickoff from Luna and the Bison begin at their 32-yard line. Jones gets to the Italy 40-yard line on the reverse. Dominguez breaks away with Mayberry hustling downfield, from his defensive tackle position, to make the tackle at the 8-yard line. Two plays later, Saxon makes the tackle in Buffalo’s backfield to setup second and goal from the 10-yard line to end the third.

Lewis and his defensive mates make the stop at the 7-yard line and force a third and goal. Jones fumbles the handoff in the Bison backfield, attempting another reverse, and Hamilton makes the tackle back at the 20-yard line, fourth down! Buffalo completes a pass but Jackson contains the play and Italy takes over on downs. Italy is unable to progress far and Jackson punts it away with Woods covering the bouncer at Italy’s 49-yard line with 5:26 remaining in the game.

Late in the third quarter, Jasenio Anderson (’11) made this observation from the Gladiator sideline, “Buffalo changed their game plan. They abandoned the Wing-T and are strictly Shotgun, our defense has ’em rattled.”

On the next play, Mayberry bottles up the hole, using a Buffalo lineman as a shield, allowing Holden and Walker to converge on Dominguez. Walker strips the ball from Dominguez and Gladiator noseguard Jamal Lewis scoops up the gift and races 49-yards for the defensive touchdown with Carson and Hamilton escorting him to the goal line. After the play, a jubilant Coach Richters was dishing out Brett Farve-like bottom pops to unsuspecting sideline roamers including yours truly. The defensive touchdown is Italy’s second such score in back-to-back games and helped to seal Italy’s eventual win as the Gladiators take a 26-12 lead over Buffalo.

Luna kicks off and ends up making the tackle at the Bison 45-yard line. Buffalo pieces together a drive but a fourth down collision between Simmons and Jones on Buffalo’s side of the first down marker stalls another Buffalo drive at Italy’s 24-yard line, Gladiator’s football!

Italy advances the ball to midfield but no further and Jackson punts it out at Buffalo’s 30-yard line with 1:58 remaining. Buffalo keeps trying but Saxon strips the ball from the Bison offense, one more time, and covers it to give Italy back the ball. The game ends with Holden taking a knee and Italy taking charge of their own destiny. Walker gains over 100-yards for the fourth week in a row, with 151-yards rushing against Buffalo, and Italy gets their fourth straight win and improves to 5-2, 2-0 in district play.

The Italy JV Gladiators battled Buffalo’s JV squad on Thursday in Buffalo and pulled out a win, as well, 18-8. Italy’s Jr High Gladiators lost to Buffalo’s Jr High Bison, 32-0.

The Gladiators will travel to Leon on Friday, October 21 and take on the Cougars starting at 7:30 p.m. The Cougars will be coming off a 49-6 loss to Centerville.

Feels good to be a Gladiator!