Gladiators Lose 20 Point Lead, Defeat Steel in OT

(photo credit: Cleveland Gladiators/Twitter)

It was a reunion game of all sorts Monday night at the Q. Steel Head Coach and GM Ron James returned to Cleveland after being their Defensive Coordinator last season. The reunion started early on Portland's first drive in fact, when the Steel started the scoring with a touchdown pass from former Glad Shane Austin to Tom Gilson on a 21 yard dart with 11:32 to go in the first quarter.

It was Shane Austin's very first game back in the AFL after taking a shot at trying to gain a roster spot with the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders. Austin was Cleveland's starting quarterback the previous two seasons and a member of the 2014 team that made it to the Arena Bowl. Gilson was also a member of that team.

The first big break of night came when defensive end Curtis Young picked off Austin on a screen attempt, eventually setting up a Arvell Nelson touchdown pass to Quentin Sims to give Cleveland their first lead of the game at 21-14 with 12:21 left in the first half. Cleveland would go down by one late in the 2nd, but a minute later they would answer with an eight yard touchdown run from Nelson to go up 34 28 at the half.

Despite a Nelson fumble on the third play of the Glads first drive of the second half, the Gladiators would up their lead to 20 while shutting out the Steel in the third, marking the second game in as many weeks that the Gladiators defense did not allow a team to score in one quarter of the second half.

Back to back drives ended with Nelson throwing picks and would open the door for a Steel comeback. Down by six, the Steel would score when Austin found Tyrone Goard on a five yard catch to tie the game at 48 on the last play of regulation. An unsportsmanlike flag after the score would back up Ernesto Lacayo's PAT that went wide left, setting up overtime.

Portland won the toss but let Cleveland have the ball first. Collin Taylor would score his second touchdown of the game on a 10 yard pass. The Cleveland D would rise up and not allow the Steel to score finishing the game for good with a Marvin Ross pick, the fourth for Cleveland. The Gladiators won by a final of 55-48. Cleveland now stands half a game behind the KISS for a home playoff game. The win improved the Gladiators all time OT record to 5-1.

Next week, the Gladiators hit the road for just the second time this season. It's another Monday nighter against the winless Tampa Bay Storm. The game can be seen at 7:30 p.m. ET on Univision Deportes and ESPN3 via the Watch ESPN app.