Gladiators, 9-2, ascend the Class 2A hill

Progress continues upward at Italy under HC Craig Horn, with this year’s edition winning the District 8-2A championship at 5-0. The Gladiators have qualified for the playoffs in each of his three seasons, going 4-7, 8-4 and 9-2. Post-season success has been limited to one win in both 2019 and 2020, though the 2020 team was expected to last longer. The good news is the team has a solid core returni…