Kadofi Abbott initially didn’t see the football after he blocked a punt deep in Goshen Gladiators’ territory.

He blocked the punt at around the 5-yard line, and it bounced into the end zone. He just grabbed it and fell on it for the first touchdown of the game.

It would be the only score the Iron Dukes needed as the special teams carried a night where the offense struggled, getting the only touchdown and blocking a field goal in the Iron Dukes’ 7-6 non-league win over the Gladiators on Friday night at Goshen High School.

“It was a great game for special teams,” Abbott said. “Last year, our special teams weren’t the best. We took that and made it a strength. And now we’re here.”

Earlier in the game, Abbott and the Iron Dukes’ other outside linebacker planned to go around the line to get to the punter. That didn’t work. So, they changed the plan.

“I went on the other side, and I just knew the guy couldn’t block me,” Abbott said. “I went over there, led with my head and blocked it.”

But the Gladiators didn’t go quietly into the Goshen night, as they shifted to the passing attack and started having some success against the Marlboro defense. The Iron Dukes appeared to have them stopped on the Goshen 38-yard line, but a 15-yard facemask penalty kept the drive alive.

However, that drive stalled at the Marlboro 38-yard line.

“Defense and special teams kept us in this the whole time,” Marlboro coach Ryan Brooks said. “We came up with a score, and that was big. That ended up being the deciding factor. Our kicker did a great job flipping the field with great punts. On a couple of kickoffs, he did a great job, and he was huge in all phases of the special teams.”

The Gladiators got their only score in the first quarter, when sophomore quarterback Jake Giordano came back in the game in place of the injured junior quarterback Mark McKenna. He brought the Gladiators to the 2-yard line with a 33-yard pass to Enzo Pupo.

After a false start penalty, Giordano found Jean Louis in the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown.

But the defense held firm and stuffed Paul Lamparillo on the two-point conversion to preserve Marlboro’s 1-point lead.

“I personally believe we’ve got the best linebackers in the section,” Abbott said. “Read gaps and fill holes is just what we do. So, we come here to try to execute as best we can, no matter who we play.”

The Gladiators had one more chance to win the game.

Taking over at the Marlboro 49-yard line, Giordano hit Louis with a 36-yard pass to the Marlboro 2-yard line. But once again, near the goal-line, a 5-yard penalty – this time for having too many men on the field – gave the Iron Dukes some breathing room.

The Gladiators got back to the 1-yard line, setting up a 17-yard field goal attempt that was blocked by Salvatore Montaperto, Jr., who finished with eight tackles and two sacks. Abbott had 10 tackles and a sack to go with his punt block and touchdown.

The Iron Dukes will open their Section 9 Class B schedule on Friday night against the Red Hook Raiders.

“We got out of here with a very tight win,” Brooks said. “But we’ve got to clean a lot of stuff up in terms of our execution and discipline going forward. You’re not always going to escape with a win if you keep doing the same things like that.”