[tps_title]Around the Continent – Week 5 and Germany Has Kicked off[/tps_title]
This is the fifth week of Around the Continent the latest league to get underway was Germany. Also, the Baltic Sea League with teams from Latvia, Estonia and Belarus also kicked off.
We intend to keep you abreast of all the news from around the European continent so make sure to check it out every week.
So far Germany, Spain, Portugal, France, Holland, Ireland, Belgium, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus and Denmark have kicked off their seasons. The Turkish league resumed three weekends ago after a three month hiatus.
We also want to hear from Slovenia and Slovakia and any other country playing American football.
There were more upsets and near upsets. The opening game in Germany proved the saying that “…it ain’t over until it’s over…” as the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions had to dig deep in the second half to finally defeat the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes. In Holland, the Alphen Eagles outlasted German playoff contender the Marburg Mercenaries 17-13 in European Football League play. And again in Switzerland the Luzern Lions keep surprising other teams, this time downing perennial league contender the Calanda Broncos.
We do everything we can to stay on top of developments in each country but cannot always keep up with it so this is where we need your help. Last week, we had a few more misses but again our readers helped us straighten things out. Please keep us informed of events when they happen in your country.
We have tried to do previews for each country but without input from the leagues, this becomes an almost impossible task at times. Please help us here by letting us know who to contact in your country. Don’t hesitate to let us know if we have missed something or made a mistake. If we don’t respond quickly, keep trying. We are a tiny staff and we will eventually get your information posted. Also, if you have a tournament or new league write to us at info@americanfootballinternational.com.
Finally, if you can share on Facebook or retweet on Twitter we will spread the news even further.
Austria
The Vienna Vikings are now 3-0 in the Austrian league as they dismantled the Danube Dragons 47-10. The Prague Black Panthers then edged the Grax Giants 34-28. Vienna, playing sans imports, is fashioning a season to remember. So the Vikings top the league standings at 3-0 followed by Prague at 2-1.
Baltic Sea League
The Baltic Sea League involving teams from Latvia, Estonia and Belarus got underway this past weekend. The Tartu Titans from Estonia beat up on the Riga Lions 51-6 in Riga, Latvia. In the other game, the Vitebsk Lynxes from Belarus defeated the visiting Grodno Barbarians, also from Belarus 35-0.
Belgium
Flemish conference (FAFL)
Two games were played in the Flemish conference. The Brussels Black Angels solidified their second place position by beating up on the Izegem Tribes 56-6. Meanwhile, the Puurs Titans outlasted the Limburg Shotguns 47-36. With two games left in the regular season, the Ghent Gators are undefeated at 5-0 and lead the conference followed by the Brussels Black Angels who are now 4-0.
French Conference (LFFAB)
The four team French conference was idle again. The Brussels Tigers, finalists in the Belgian Bowl in 2014, are 3-0-1 with the Liege Monarchs in second at 2-1.
[tps_title]Around the Continent[/tps_title]
CEFL
The Central European Football League got underway this last weekend. And the host Vukovi Belgrade pleased their fans in a thriller, beating the Ljubjana Silverhawks from Slovenia 26-24.
This weekend Austria’s Hohenems Blue Devils will travel to Serbia to face the Novi Sad Dukes.
Vukovi has reached the final every year since the league began in 2006 and won five times while losing four. The Silverhawks have made the final three times and won it once, in 2012. This is the third time since the league’s inception that the Blue Devils will participate. They reached the championship in 2009 but lost to Vukovi.
Croatia
The Croatian league kicks off in the fall.
Czech Republic
In the second weekend of play in the Czech Republic the Prague Black Panthers had no trouble dispensing the Trnava Bulldogs 40-26. In the only other game in the Czech Republic the Pribram Bobcats throttled the Brno Alligators 54-7.
Denmark
Two games were played in the Danish American Football League as the Sollerod Gold Diggers pounded the hapless AaB 89ers 48-0. Then the Herlev Devils edged the Horsens Stallions 17-16. This is the Stallions first year in the top division in Denmark.
In IFAF Europe Champions League North action Copenhagen Towers dropped a 34-7 decision to Sweden’s Carlstad Crusaders.
Finland
The Maple League starts in early June. The schedule is pending.
France
The French league was idle this past weekend and two of the teams were involved in international play. In Big6 action the La Courneuve Flash played host to the Swarco Raiders from Austria and had a tough time. They were pummeled 47-14 as Raiders quarterback Sean Shelton threw four touchdown passes. In IFAF Europe Champions League West action the Aix-en-Provence Argonautes overwhelmed Osos Rivas from Madrid Spain 47-14, scoring 26 unanswered points in the second half. Argonautes quarterback Jimmie Russell tossed three touchdown passes and ran one in himself for the win.
The Cougars lead the league with a 6-0-1 record followed by the Argonautes in second at 4-2 and the Dauphins in third at 4-3. The Flash sit in fifth spot, out of the playoffs so far.
[tps_title]Around the Continent[/tps_title]
Germany
The GFL season got off to a great start as the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions faced a tough Kiel Baltic Hurricanes squad and finally came away with a 38-28 win, but not without some concern as Kiel proved to be tougher than expected with so many changes in the roster.
In the only other game, the Stuttgart Scorpions, still smarting from their trouncing at the hands of the Swarco Raiders the week before, scored three second quarter touchdowns and then held on to beat the Munich Cowboys in Munich. Quarterback Tom Schneider threw three touchdown passes to three different receivers for the win.
Check out the best plays of Week 1.
Great Britain
North
The Premiership North of the British American Football League saw a major upset as the East Kilbride Pirates, fresh off last weekend’s win over the Irish champion the Belfast Trojans, were handed their first regular season defeat in a year losing to the Lancashire Wolverines 31-28 in Blackburn. The Yorkshire Rams were winners in their first game of the season downing the visiting Sheffield Predators 28-14.
South
The defending champion London Warriors had no mercy on the London Warriors thrashing them 51-0. The London Blitz were equally merciless in handing the Bristol Aztecs a 54-13 defeat.
Holland
No games were played although the Alphen Eagles saw action in European Football League play downing the Marburg Mercenaries 17-13.
Coverage starts at 18:18
The Arnhem Falcons still lead Group A with a 6-0 record with the Eagles right behind at 4-1. Although the Amsterdam Crusaders were shaken by their loss from two weeks ago, the perennial championship contenders still lead Group B at 5-1.
Hungary
There was only one game played in Hungary. The league leading Bratislava Monarchs beat the visiting Nyiregyhaza Tigers 46-7.
Ireland
North
No games were played in the North. The Belfast Trojans lead the North with a 2-0 record followed by the Carrickfergus Knights at 1-1.
Two weeks ago the North-leading Belfast Trojans traveled to Scotland to take on the East Kilbride Pirates, one of the top teams in the British American Football Association. They were defeated 24-14 by the Pirates who were British semi-finalists in 2014.
South
In the only game in the South, University College Dublin blanked the West Dublin Rhinos 13-0. The University of Limerick Vikings are undefeated and lead the conference at 4-0.
[tps_title]Around the Continent[/tps_title]
Italy
North
The Parma Panthers were pushed hard by the Milano Rhinos but finally came out on top 23-22 after a last minute Rhinos touchdown. In the only other game in the North, the Torino Giaguari blanked the Bergamo Lions 20-0. With that, the Milano Seamen lead the North at 4-1 trailed by the Bolzano Giants at 4-2 and the Parma Panthers at 3-2.
South
In the South, the Lazio Marines found themselves trailing 12-8 in the fourth quarter against the Bologna Warriors but scored two late touchdowns beat the Warriors 24-14. In the only other game, the Ancona Dolphins who trail the Marines by a game in the conference demolished the Napoli Briganti 70-0. The Lazio Marines continue to lead the conference with a 5-0 record followed by the Dolphins. Watch highlights of the Marines win here.
The Milano Seamen opened IFAF Europe Champions League Central play by scoring four (!) first quarter touchdowns and 37 straight points and then cruising to a 37-14 victory over the visiting L’Hospitalet Pioners from Spain.
Norway
The Lura Bulls once again proved how serious they are in 2015 as they traveled to Oslo and downed the Vikings 12-6. Meanwhile the Nidaros Domers recovered from their embarrassing thumping last week to upend the Vålerenga Trolls 28-21.
Although this was last week’s action, Simon Bruset’s kickoff return against the Lura Bulls is still fun to watch.
Poland
All eight teams in the Polish league (PLFA) were in action last weekend. The Wroclaw Panthers continue to dominate opponents as they handed the Szczecin Husaria 55-12 defeat. The Gdynia Seahawks traveled to Zaglebie and beat the hometown Steelers took 49-12. The Warsaw Eagles hung on to third place in the standings with a 28-14 win over the Bialystok Lowlanders. Finally, the Warsaw Sharks beat Poznan Kozly 18-13.
The Panthers and Seahawks seem to be making it a two team race in Poland. The Panthers have scored 197 points in three games allowing only 33 against. The Seahawks are not far behind posting 199 points on offense and allowing 81.
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Portugal
South
In the South in Portugal, the Lisboa Navigators rolled over the Algarve Sharks 72-0. Then the Lisbon Crusaders handed the Algarve Pirates 65-12 pummeling. The Lisboa Navigators remain undefeated in first place in the South at 8-0, followed by the Crusaders who are 6-2 on the season so far.
North
The Porto Mutts remained undefeated at 8-0 downing the win less Maia Mustangs 35-6. The Porto Mutts at 8-0 and will finish first in the conference. The Braga Warriors sit in second still with a 5-2 record, their two defeats suffered at the hands of the Mutts.
Romania
In Romania this past weekend, the Cluj Crusaders upended the Mures Monsters 53-6 while the Bucharest Warriors beat the Resita Locomotives 26-12. The Crusaders lead the North West conference while the Bucharest Warriors now sit atop the South East.
Russia
The Russian league does not start until May.
Serbia
There were no games played in Serbia. The league will resume on April 25. After two games played the Novi Sad Dukes top the standings at 2-0, followed by Vukovi and Pancevo both also at 2-0.
The Vukovi game against the Wild Boars Easter Weekend was interrupted by an injury. A player from each team helped to bring the stretcher out onto the field before returning to battle against each other.
This past weekend Vukovi Belgrade took on old rivals the Ljubjana Silverhawks from Slovenia in a Champions League East match-up beating the Silverhawks in a tough game 26-24 after trailing at the half.
[tps_title]Around the Continent[/tps_title]
Spain
The Spanish league was idle this past weekend as three teams participated in intra country play. In Champions League West action, Osos Rivas dropped a 37-14 decision to France’s Aix Argonautes 47-14. Then the Pioners lost to the Milano Seamen 37-14 in Champions League Central play. Finally, in the European Football League the Badalona Dracs lost badly to Germany’s Allgau Comets 48-13.
With three games remaining in the Spanish league the Firebats still remain in first with a 6-1 record, but Osos Rivas is now in second followed by Badalona and the Giants. The Pioners still have a mathematical chance to make the playoffs but it will mean winning all three of their remaining games while the Giants would have to lose two of their last three.
Sweden
The Swedish season gets underway on May 2 this year. But the Carlstad Crusaders traveled to Copenhagen and played the Towers in the first round of Champions League North play handing the hosts a 34-9 defeat.
Switzerland
In a surprising upset the Luzern Lions rushed for 426 yards and did not throw a pass in coming from behind to beat the previously unbeaten Calanda Broncos in overtime 50-42. Then the defending champion Basel Gladiators traveled to Winterthur and beat the Warriors 23-10 handing them their third straight loss. Calanda remains in first place in the Swiss league at 3-1 followed by the Gladiators at 2-1. Luzern is right behind in third.
Turkey
The Turkish league is idle until May 9. In Turkey, the Koc Rams lead the league at 6-0 followed by the ITÜ Hornets at 5-1 and the Bogazici Sultans who are 4-2.
The Sultans will host the Vukovi Belgrade in IFAF Europe Champions League play on May 2.
Ukraine
The Ukrainian season kicked off as the Kiev Bandits defeated the Lviv Lions 40-19.