The Berlin Thunder entered their Week 2 preseason matchup against the Gunslingers with momentum from their opening game, hoping to continue building chemistry under Head Coach Carl Cottle. However, a tough defensive battle and early miscues set the tone in a game where the Thunder ultimately fell 23-19 in front of a lively home crowd.

From the outset, the Gunslingers asserted themselves offensively. After winning the toss and electing to receive, Berlin’s defense struggled to contain John Malcom, the Gunslingers’ running back who scored two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter alone. Malcom’s ability to find the end zone early — including a 4-yard run at 7:02 and a 2-yard plunge at 4:22 — put the Thunder in a hole. The extra points were successful, giving the Gunslingers a commanding 14-0 lead within the opening quarter.

The Thunder’s offense, led by quarterbacks Floyd Bell and Micheal Deangelo, had difficulty cracking the Gunslingers’ tough front seven early on. Deangelo threw an interception at the Berlin 27-yard line just after the opening touchdown. Bell, who led the passing game with 113 yards but threw an interception himself, shared looks under center but the unit struggled to find consistent rhythm.

Special teams played a key role in the game’s tempo. Thunder's punter Ralph Judd frequently flipped field position with several booming punts, including a 60-yard boot early in the first quarter that pinned the Gunslingers deep. The consistency of kicker Michael Barrett kept the Thunder close, as Barrett nailed all four of his field goal attempts, including a critical 32-yard field goal in the second quarter to make the score 14-3.

The Thunder’s breakthrough came late in the second quarter. Deangelo connected with wide receiver Jerome Gregg for a 26-yard touchdown pass, trimming the Gunslingers’ lead to 14-10 at the half. Gregg, who also carried the ball for a rushing touchdown, finished with 68 receiving yards and was one of the Thunder’s most dynamic playmakers. The defense, meanwhile, generated two interceptions—one each by Thomas Norman and another playmaking effort from linebacker Bruce Dudley, who also forced a fumble.

Despite several chances, the Thunder offense could not convert on key situations to fully close the gap. Turnovers, including a second-quarter interception thrown by Gerald William of the Gunslingers and a fumble recovered by the Thunder, helped keep the game competitive but ultimately the Thunder fell short in capitalizing on Berlin's mistakes.

The Berlin defense proved resilient, with standout performances especially by Michael Jolly, who notched a sack and forced a fumble, helping the home side maintain their slim lead. The Thunder defense also pressured the gunslingers but managed only one sack and had to rely heavily on special teams to maintain field position.

Coach Cottle’s team showed signs of solid fundamentals and promising special teams execution, but early defensive lapses and turnovers underscored areas that will need attention moving forward in the preseason. While the Thunder never led, the late touchdown drive highlighted the potential of their passing game, especially in connecting Bell and Deangelo’s aerial efforts with Gregg’s athleticism.

As this preseason continues, the Thunder will look to tighten their defensive unit and improve red zone efficiency — both glaring from this outing as the team seeks to hit its stride before the regular season. With Coach Cottle's focus on building continuity, today’s close defeat at the hands of the Gunslingers is a learning experience that could propel this Thunder squad toward a stronger second half of the preseason.