SPORTS

Semipro Football: Great Falls Gladiators fall

Steve Schreck
sschreck@greatfallstribune.com

Brad Thurber was almost apologetic.

He had just led his Brigham Sting team down the field on a 10-play, 75-yard game-winning drive in the closing minutes. He completed 4-of-8 passes for 66 yards on the drive alone, including a 9-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds left, and the Sting came back to defeat the Great Falls Gladiators 14-7 at Memorial Stadium Saturday night.

"I really did have mixed emotions because I love the Gladiators," said Thurber, the C.M. Russell High graduate whose team moved to 2-1. "I mean, I wear the Stings jersey but the Gladiators are really my DNA, so it hurt a little bit. But having said that, to be at Memorial Stadium that I love so much, play on this field, to be able to go out like that was really special."

Thurber, 41, is the former owner, general manager and quarterback of the Gladiators whose No. 4 jersey was retired at halftime. He will hang it up after this season.

"That's who Brad is," said Gladiators head coach Jason Kjono, whose team fell to 2-2. "He's a crunch player."

In the first quarter, after the Sting turned the ball over on downs after a 10-play series, the Gladiators took over at their own 26. On the second play, quarterback Antney Rhanes threw a strike over the middle to Darrin Gould, a 39-yard connection that got the Gladiators into enemy territory at the 30.

After a high snap flew over the head of Rhanes, resulting in a 22-yard sack three plays later, the Gladiators found themselves in a third-and-32 at the 41. Rhanes scrambled outside the pocket and found wide receiver Steve Rominger at the 15. Rominger broke two tackles and found pay dirt for a 41-yard score as time winded down the first quarter.

The Sting responded with a 13-play, 69-yard drive that culminated in 21-yard touchdown pass from Thurber, who threw for 158 yards on 9-of-23 through the air and two scores as the Sting went into the half down 7-6.

Brigham Sting …0 6 0 8 – 14

Great Falls Gladiators …7 0 0 0 – 7

First quarter

GF – Steve Rominger 41 pass from Antney Rhanes (Jordan Cunningham kick)

Second quarter

BS – David Carter 21 pass from Brad Thurber (Justin Warenski kick blocked)

Third quarter

No scoring

Fourth quarter

BS – Wes Rees 9 pass from Thurber (Jordan Beyer from Thurber)