Cambridgeshire Cats
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OFFICIAL PROGRAM VS Cambridgeshire Cats GLADIATORS JUNIORS vs Watford Cheetahs Juniors 25th May 2014 www.colchestergladiators.com Message from the Chairman Welcome to Mill Road as the Gladiators open their home campaign for the 2014 season. Coming off the back of a remarkable 2013, the club has built for the future in exceptional style and seen real positive strides in the off season. Following the National Championship victory, the seniors find themselves back in the very top tier of British football for the first time since 1992, and have already recorded a win against old foes the East Kent Mavericks in last week’s nail-biter. The Juniors too have had an encouraging start to the new season. Under new Head Coach Tim Rowe, the Junior programme boasts a healthy roster and a real enthusiasm for the sport, which is pleasing to see. They have already secured their first victory at the Cambridgeshire Cats and are looking to continue that momentum today. Last week also saw the curtain raiser for the Gladiators’ youth team, competing in 5-man action at their home tournament, held here at Mill Road. The Youth team were low on numbers, but never low on heart and determination. With 90% of the team having never played a competitive game, they looked a little shell shocked early, but quickly recovered to run local rivals the Essex Spartans very close, losing by only two points, and then pushing the former national champion London Warriors close in the final of the three games. Putting more than 50 points on the board across the three games meant that the team have quickly established a reputation of playing hard and being ferocious opposition to anyone. We wish them the best of luck with the rest of their season as their tournaments progress. We welcome the Watford Cheetahs to Colchester in the opening game today, who make the journey from north London to challenge the Junior Gladiators. As ever with teams from around the capital, the talent will be formidable and the game promises to be an excellent demonstration of Junior football. Coach Rowe and his team have worked hard preparing for this, and the Gladiators are champing at the bit, so we hope for some success in the first game in Colchester for 2014. The second game will see the return of Premier division football, as the senior Gladiators take on the Cambridgeshire Cats. There have been memorable encounters with the Cats in the past, with a number of games going to the final play, as two evenly matched teams fought it out. Cambridgeshire appear to have restocked their roster and welcome a number of new players into their fold from all over the world. Their proximity to American military bases has always been helpful in recruiting, but the Gladiators have also dug deep into the local talent pool with a number of new additions of their own, and we hope they will prove their worth against our East Anglian neighbours. So, on this bank holiday weekend, sit back and enjoy an extravaganza of American Football, with two great games, as top tier football roars back into Colchester. Welcome, enjoy, and GO GLADS! Message from the Coach Matt Roberts - Head Coach - Colchester Gladiators Today is a massive test for the club. The Cats are an athletic and always competitive side and will be a perfect test for us to really see where we stand in this division. Clearly I’m delighted with the win last week, and the overall performance level to achieve that but if we don’t follow it up today with a similar display potentially that starts looking like a blip and not a trend. Offensively, despite a depressingly long injury list to our backs I’m as happy as I can be, with Chris Jackson having another stella year already and with new players making massive contributions I know this unit is both exciting to watch and has the ability to score points which will be needed today. Defensively were missing some key players today, which will be a real challenge for everyone to make up for, but I know under Coach Box the guys will be ready to roll and will look to keep the Cats plethora of American talent in check. Thanks to everyone for their support and I hope it can help propell us to a 2-1 record. Tim Rowe - Head Coach - Gladiators Junior Team This Sunday sees the Gladiator Juniors playing their first home game of the season with new faces and new systems alike on both sides of the ball. A tough opening weekend against an incredibly strong London Blitz left the squad slightly down beaten. However, there were many positive points to take away from that game which showed that our weeks of commitment and hard training were playing dividend. We may feel some solace in the fact that London Blitz went on to their next game and soundly thrashed the current British champions, Lon- don Warriors. Huge credit to the Players and coaching staff around me for picking themselves up the following Sunday and returning to face our old enemy, the Cambridge Cats. The Offence moved the chains well, together with some strong game changing Defensive stands and disciplined special teams it resulted in a well deserved win. This week sees us lining up against strong opposition from the Watford Cheetahs but we are excited to be able to finally show the home fans what this years Junior Gladiators are all about. Roster For Junior Gladiators Head Coach Tim Rowe Offensive Coach Karl Bourke Offensive Coordinator Pedro Gowans Defensive Coordinator Nick Waring Defensive Coach Simon Wilkinson 10 - Sam Huxtable QB 79 - Jake Golding OL 14 - Alexander Wright FS 81 - James Deady WR 15 - Tomas Donnelly QB 83 - Tom Plowman WR 20 - James Boreham RB 85 - Callum Roberts CB 21 - Kurtis Thorne RB 87 - George Louch WR 23 - Charles Day QB 88 - Ben Olive WR 25 - Greg Forsaith CB 92 - George Horan DL 26 - Dan Stokes CB 93 - Daniel Goshen DL 29 - Danny Whiteman LB 95 - Liam Morgan DL 31 - Pouya Dylan Mehrabi RB 97 - Mason Garrity DL 34 - Joe Costanzo FB 99 - Ben Chable FS 35 - Craig Hudson RB 37 - Sean Colliety RB 39 - Sam Morton RB 44 - Harris Tzen QB/FS 52 - Jack Greenland LB 56 - Andrew Cairns LB 59 - Zack Watt LB 64 - Stephen Myatt OL 68 - Leon Cross OL 74 - Jordan Nuttall OL 77 - Scott O’Brien OL Cats Juniors vs Gladiators Juniors Look Back The Colchester Gladiator Juniors by the defense which lead to the Gladiators seemed to be strode past the Cambridgeshire the Cats running back taking the revitalized when they came back Cats this weekend to collect their ball to the end zone for a quick- on the field with a collaboration first win of their campaign in what fire 6 points, however due to a of offensive and defensive series is hopefully going to be a season sudden rise in confidence the that mounted a serious amount which can deliver on great cats believed they could power of pressure on the Cats which promise. over for a two-point to try and eventually lead to their breaking trample the Gladiators spirits but point, but the first Touchdown of From the start of the game it was thankfully their heads did not drop the game for the Gladiators did clear that the Gladiators had and they rejected the attempt. not come from a usual source. the physical edge in the game Shortly after this on another In fact the points came from by quickly eradicating any form defensive series there was a Middle Linebacker and defensive of an offensive series the Cats moment of great concern for the captain Jack Greenland who tried to string together with the team which could have changed recovered the football in the end front seven and their versatile the outcome of the game when zone after the Quarterback had back-field shutting down all a punt by Cambridge struck an fumbled the ball after taking a play-making options. However unsuspecting player on the back big hit the backfield which was when it came to offence it was gifting the ball to Cambridgeshire then followed up by a another a different story as although they within the twenty-yard line. But successful point-after Kick from gained yards slowly they looked like the rest of the game the Andrew Cairns. as though they were struggling end zone was again blockaded to find some rhythm out on the by the Gladiators immense After this the Gladiators believed field, however due to another defensive efforts. Finally on the the best way to close out the dominant defensive series the last offensive series of the First game was to add another quick field position the offence received half for Cambridgeshire it looked fire score this time from the was too good to not put some briefly like they had added offense by utilizing the power points on the board and although another score to the board running game fronted by Full-Back they did not find the end zone when again their running back Andrew Cairns who again lived they managed to come away broke the secondary and began up to the billing and delivered with three points thanks to speeding downfield but this time with a sturdy run that garnered Andrew Cairns he had traipse back to other end 6 points for the team. However of the field due to holding penalty despite the joy this brought to the Having said that just after this on incurred by Cats Offensive line.