Gladiators fall to Soul in Conference Championship

PHILADELPHIA – The Cleveland Gladiators dream season came to an end on Saturday afternoon, after suffering a 70-35 loss to the Philadelphia Soul in front of 13,389 at the Wachovia Center. Cleveland finishes its first season in Cleveland 11-8, while the Soul (15-3) is crowned Arena Football League’s National Conference Champions and advance to Virgin Mobile ArenaBowl XXII New Orleans on July 27. Cleveland’s offense never seemed to find a rhythm, trailing 35-21 at the half. With 5:08 remaining in the game and the Soul leading 63-35, Raymond Philyaw was pressured and stripped of the ball, as the Soul closed out the game for the win with their eighth touchdown pass of the game. Philyaw finished 25-of-49 passing for 304 yards and four touchdowns in the loss. Robert Redd continued his hot play in the postseason, catching 11 passes for a game-high 152 yards and two touchdowns. Otis Amey also contributed two touchdowns for Cleveland.

Wilpolt named Coach of the Year

NEW YORK – Cleveland Gladiators Head Coach MIKE WILPOLT was selected the 2008 Coach of the Year as voted by AFL head coaches, fans, players and the Arena Football League Writers Association, the League announced today. Wilpolt guided the Gladiators (9-7, 2-0), to nine regular-season wins for the first time in six seasons, earning the team’s first playoff berth since 2003 and a No. 4 seed in the National Conference playoffs. In 2007, the Gladiators were 2-14. The Gladiators defeated the No. 2 seeded Georgia Force, 73-70, in the Divisional Round last night and will travel to the Wachovia Center to face the top-seeded Philadelphia Soul (14-3) in the National Conference Championship game on Saturday, July 12 at 1 p.m. ET (ESPN HD, ESPN360.com, SIRIUS Radio – Channel 127). The game will be the Gladiators second appearance in an AFL Conference Championship and first since 1998.

A road well travelled

By Peter Schwartz -- A former employee of the San Jose SaberCats once told me something about that organization. “It’s great to work for the New York Yankees of the AFL”, said this person not too long ago. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that it might be the understatement of the century. The San Jose SaberCats have been the current day dynasty in the Arena Football League. With ArenaBowl titles in 2002, 2004, and 2007, the SaberCats will be looking to make it four championships in seven years on July 27th when the defending World Champions take on the Philadelphia Soul in Virgin Mobile ArenaBowl XXII in New Orleans (3pm ET ABC, ABC HD, Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 127).

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2009 afl season   tba

saturday 07.12.2008 @ philadelphia soul 1 2 3 4 F cle 7 14 14 0 35 phi 14 21 21 14 70 box score

wildCard friday 06.27.2008 6.  newYork 77 3.  dallas 63 f saturday 06.28.2008 5.  colorado 49 4.  utah 44 f monday 06.30.2008 6.  grandRapids 48 3.  arizona 41 f   divisional saturday 07.05.2008 5.  colorado 51 2.  sanJose 64 f 6.  newYork 48 1.  philadelphia 49 f sunday 07.06.2008 6.  grandRapids 58 1.  chicago 41 f   conference saturday 07.12.2008 6.  grandRapids 55 2.  sanJose 81 f sunday 07.27.2008 2.  sanJose 56 1.  philadelphia 59 f all times eastern