Undefeated Gladiators fall in regular season finale

MFL | Three TDs for Shockers’ Ferguson as Gladiators complete winless regular season

The Capital Area Gladiators put the wraps on a winless regular season Saturday, falling 32-15 to the visiting Halifax Shockers in Maritime Football League action at Chapman Field.

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Shockers running back Ben Ferguson scored three touchdowns as the Shockers earned their second win of the season to improve their final regular season mark to 2-4. Gladiators finish the regular season at 0-6.

The Gladiators led 7-6 at the half, answering a three-yard touchdown plunge by the Shockers’ Ben Ferguson with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Brendan Cornford to Jeff Taylor, who booted the convert.

Gladiators were looking for more early in the third, taking the kickoff and putting together a drive from deep in their own zone to the Halifax 20 yard line. But Halifax defensive back Jamaal Edwards picked off a pass in the end zone and returned it 113 yards for the major score, and the Gladiators never recovered.

The opportunistic Shockers took advantage of a fumble and an interception on the next two Gladiators’ possessions, turning them into major scores — Ferguson’s second of the game on a 20-yard run, and a 25-yard pass from Shockers’ QB Adam Perry to Chris MacLean gave the Shockers a 25-7 cushion after three quarters.

Gladiators got one back, piecing together an 80-yard drive on the tandem of running back Randy Madsen following fullback Josh McArthur. Cornford flipped a five-yard touchdown pass to Taylor to complete the drive and hit receiver Alden Pezerovic for a two-point convert to get the Glads’ back to within 10, trailing 25-15.

A last-gasp onside kick attempt failed, Halifax recovering the kick and Ferguson capping off a late drive with his third TD of the game on a 20-yard scamper.

Elsewhere in the league, the Moncton Mustangs completed an unbeaten regular season with a wild 71-48 victory over the P.E.I. Privateers and the Dartmouth Knights topped the Saint John Wanderers 22-13.

Moncton, 6-0, and Dartmouth, 5-1 on the season, earn first round playoff byes as the top two finishers. The Gladiators will travel to Saint John to take on the third-place finishing Wanderers Friday night at 8:15 p.m. Halifax will face P.E.I. Saturday in the other quarter-final.

PICTURE: Rolling out: Capital Area Gladiators quarterback Brendan Cornford, throws a pass during Maritime Football League action against the Halifax Shockers Saturday at Chapman Field. The Gladiators completed a winless regular season with a 32-15 loss at the hands of the Shockers.