[tps_title]Around the Continent: Week 7 – Don’t Miss Any of the Action[/tps_title]
The Week 7 edition of the European edition of Around the Continent is filled with football action from Austria to the Ukraine.
We are a little late this week with so much going on in league play, Big6 (two games involving Austrian and German teams) and IFAF Europe’s Champions League.
We intend to keep you abreast of all the news from around the European continent so make sure to check it out every week. Many thanks again to Filippo Rostoni in helping me keep my facts straight.
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, Slovenia, Slovakia, Turkey, the Ukraine and Denmark have kicked off their seasons.
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. Please keep us informed of events when they happen in your country. And please send us game photos from your most recent games.
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.
Alpe Adria League
The Alpe Adria seven team league involving teams from Slovenia (Maribor Generals, Alp Devils) Croatia (Zagreb Patriots) Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo Spartans) and Serbia (Pancevo Panthers, Belgrade Blue Dragons).
The league was idle this past weekend. Play resumes May 10.
Austria
Only one game was played in the Austrian league this past weekend. The Danube Dragons evened their record at 2-2 in beating the Graz Giants 35-14. Dragon quarterback Alex Good threw for 315 yards and five touchdowns in the win. His favorite target was tight end Matthias Rebl who caught 10 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns.
The Vikings remain atop the standings but the picture has changed with Danube (2-2), the Swarco Raiders (2-2) and the Prague Black Panthers (2-1) all jostling for position behind them. The Graz Giants are winless.
In Big6 play the Swarco Raiders lost a tough game to Braunschweig while the Vienna Vikings had no trouble defeating the Berlin Adler 33-0
Baltic Sea League
One game was played in the Baltic Sea League. In the third game of the season the Riga Lions took a 16-0 halftime lead against the visiting Minsk Pagans from Belarus and then went on to beat them 26-8. Six referees from Belarusian Federation of American football officiated the game. This was the very first game ever played by the Pagans.
The Baltic Sea League features teams from Latvia, Estonia and Belarus.
Belgium
Flemish conference (FAFL)
Two games were played in the Flemish conference this past weekend. The Leuven Lions posted their first win of 2015 in defeating the Puurs Titans 23-12. Then the Ostend Pirates solidified their third place spot by beating the Izegem Tribes 26-0. The Ghent Gators are undefeated at 5-0 and lead the conference followed by the Brussels Black Angels who are 4-0.
French Conference (LFFAB)
The French conference was idle and resumes on May 10. . The Brussels Tigers still top the French conference at 4-0-1 followed by Liege at 3-1-1.
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CEFL
The league takes a hiatus until May 23 when Novi Sad plays host to defending champion Vukovi Belgrade.
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
The Trnava Bulldogs brought the Prague Lions back down to earth by beating them 22-6 last weekend. The Lions had upset the Bobcats the week before. In the only other game the Prague Black Panthers defeated the Brno Alligators 34-12.
The Black Panthers remain undefeated in first place at 3-0 but now the Bulldogs occupy second with their win with a record of 2-1.
Denmark
The Triangle Razorbackscontinued their winning ways trouncing the lowly Aalbord 89ers 52-0. Razorback running back Mathias Kragh continued where he left off two weeks ago against Aarhus Tigers (211 yards/two touchdowns) and added three more touchdowns and 250 yards rushing. He is now a possible candidate for the title as league MVP if he continues playing this way. The Aarhus Tigers, 2014 finalists, beat the Amager Demons 27-19 while the Sollerod Gold Diggers upended the Herlev Rebels 30-16.
The Razorbacks and Gold Diggers are tied at 2-0 followed by the Towers at 1-0.
In IFAF Europe Champions League North action the Copenhagen Towers dropped a 13-0 decision to the Helsinki Roosters in Helsinki, Finland.
Finland
The Maple League starts in early June. The schedule is pending.
France
The French league – FFFA – was idle this past weekend.
With two weekends left in regular season play, the Saint-Ouen Cougars should finish first in France although the Argonautes have a game in hand and with three victories would take over top spot. But third and fourth are wide open as the Dauphins, Black Panthers and Flash are all tied at 4-4 each with a victory over one of the other two. With two games remaining, this will be a thrilling finish to the French regular season.
The Cougars lead the league with a 7-0-1 record followed by the Argonautes in second at 5-2 and the Dauphins in third at 4-4. The Flash sit in fifth spot at 4-4 trailed by the Black Panthers at 4-4.
The Thonon Black Panthers hosted the Milano Seamen this past weekend in IFAF Europe Champions League Central play and handed the Seamen a surprising 32-23 defeat.
The Aix-Argonautes were in London to take on the Blitz and were surprised 27-21 by the tough London squad.
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Germany
Courtesy: MadHoc Photography
North
The Dresden Monarchs flexed their muscles on the weekend handing the Dusseldrof Panther an embarassing 70-0 whipping to open the Monarchs season in front of almost 8,000 delighted Dresden fans. The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes posted a solid 32-13 victory over newcomers the Hamburg Huskies.
South
Only one game was played in the South as the Rhein-Neckar Bandits doubled the Marburg Mercenaries 14-7 in Marburg.
Big6 – EFL
The Braunschweig New Yorker Lions handed Austria’s Swarco Raiders a 33-28 defeat in Big6 action. The Berlin Adler then fell 33-0 to the Vienna Vikings. Meanwhile the Allgau Comets pounded the Amsterdam Crusaders 62-0 in European Football League action after the Dutch team lost their starting quarterback in the first quarter.
Plays of the Week in Germany
Great Britain
North
No games were played this past weekend. Play resumes on May 10.
South
No games were played as play will resume May 10.
The London Blitz upset the visiting Aix Argonautes from France 27-21 in second round action this weekend in the IFAF Europe Champions League West.
Holland
No games were played in the Dutch league this past weekend.
The Eagles and Falcons have turned Group A into a race as Arnhem leads at 6-1 followed by Alphen at 5-1. The decider may come May 24 when the two teams meet for the third time this season. The Crusaders have a stranglehold on first in Group B with a 6-1 record.
In European Football League play, the Amsterdam Crusaders hosted the Allgau Comets from Germany and were soundly thrashed by the Comets 62-0. To make matters worse, the Crusaders lost the services of starting quarterback Joey Crane in the first quarter. However it seems he will recover in time for league play. That was the Crusader’s worst defeat in team history.
Highlights of the Alphen Eagles victory over the Arnhem Falcons two weeks ago.
Hungary
In the only game played in Hungary, the Budapest Cowbells visited cross town rivals the Budapest Wolves and outlasted them 28-24.
The Monarchs lead the league with a 3-0 record with the Cowbells in second also at 3-0. The Wolves dropped to third with the loss and sit at 2-1. The Monarchs have averaged more than 50 points a game so far.
Watch highlights of the Budapest Wolves win from two weeks ago.
Ireland
North
Only one game was played in Ireland this past weekend. The North Kildare Reapers of the South edged the Craigavon Cowboys 13-12. The Belfast Trojans lead the North at 3-0.
South
With their win against the Craigavon Cowboys the North Kildare Reapers evened their record at 2-2. The Vikings still top the South at 5-0 with Trinity College trailing well behind at 2-1.
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Italy
North
The upset of the week was the Milano Rhinos manhandling the Bolzano Giants 31-8 at home in Milan. The Parma Panthers then blanked the Torino Giaguari 28-0. With that, the Milano Seamen (who played a Champions League game) lead the North at 5-1 trailed by the Bolzano Giants at 5-2. The Parma Panthers are third at 5-2 while the Rhinos are in fourth but also at 4-3.
South
In a crosstown derby in the South, the Lazio Marines were the guests but dumped their rivals the Roma Grizzlies 38-16. Then the Ancona Dolphins kept pace by downing Ferrara Aquile 25-20. IN the third game in the South the Bologna Warriors blanked the lowly Napoli Briganti 33-0.The Lazio Marines continue to lead the conference with a 7-0 record followed by the Dolphins at 6-1. The Marines are averaging a league-best 43.5 points per game while only giving up 13, also a league best.
The Milano Seamen traveled to France in the second round of IFAF Europe Champions League Central play and were beaten by French defending champions the Thonon Black Panthers 32-23
Norway
Only one game was played in Norway as perennial favorites the Eidsvoll 1814s traveled to Trondheim and beat the Nidaros Domers 35-6.
The Lura Bulls sit alone at the top of the Norwegian standings at 3-0 trailed by the 1814’s at 2-0.
Poland
No games were played in Poland as action resumes May 9.
The Panthers now find themselves in sole and undisputed first place at 5-0 having racked up 230 points in five games. The defending champion Seahawks are second at 4-1. The Eagles are third at 3-2 just ahead of the Lowlanders who are also at 3-2.
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Portugal
The Porto Mutts finished first in the North at 8-0 followed by the Braga Warriors in second with a 6-2 record.
South
The Lisboa Navigators finished the regular season undefeated in first place in the South at 8-0, followed by the Crusaders who are 6-2 on the season so far.
The quarterfinals kick off this weekend. The Porto Mutts who finished first in the North will take on the South’s fourth place Algarve Sharks. Then the Lisbon Crusaders, second in the South will face the Paredes Lumberjacks, third place in the North.
Romania
Two games were played this weekend and visiting teams had a rough time. The Mures Monsters paid a visit to the Bucharest Warriors and dropped a lopsided 53-0 decision to them. Then the Cluj Crusaders whipped the Resita Locomotives 42-0. The win boosted the Warriors into top spot in the South East conference while the Bucharest Rebels dropped to second. The Cluj Crusaders are first in the North West undefeated at 4-0.
Russia
The Russian league kicks off May 9 with eight teams in action. The 15 team four division league winds up its regular season in August.
Serbia
Two games were played in Serbia. The Indija Indians recorded their second straight victory of the season with a 26-16 win over the Sirmium Legionaries. Then the Novi Sad Dukes traveled to Kragujevac and beat the Wild Boars 31-24.
The Novi Sad Dukes top the standings at 3-0, followed by Vukovi at 2-0, while Pancevo sits in third at 2-1.
Vukovi Belgrade fell behind in the first half to Istanbul’s Bogazici Sultans in a Champions League East match-up only to recover and go on to win 34-19.
Slovakia
The Slovakian league got underway this past weekend the Bratislava Monarchs blanked the Nitra Knights 47-0 in SFL West play. In the SFL East the Zvolen Patriots beat up on the Cassovia Steelers 37-0. Finally the Trnava Bulldogs beat the Zilinia Warriors 26-12.
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Spain
No games were played in the Spanish top division last week. Play resumes this weekend with several decisive matchups.
With two games remaining in the Spanish league the Firebats still remain in first with a 7-1 record, but Osos Rivas is not far behind in second and the two teams play each other on May 9. That game could decide first place in the league. Badalona’s win over the Giants pretty much cinched third place for them with the Giants in fourth, out of reach for the fifth place Pioners.
Sweden
The Swedish season kicked off with three games. The defending champion and heavy favorites the Carlstad Crusaders did not have an easy time of it. They took a 14-7 halftime lead against the Uppsala 86ers and then held on as neither team scored in the second half so the Crusaders came away with the 14-7 win. The STU Northside Bulls showed no mercy in handing the Stockholm Mean Machines a 51-7 drubbing. Then the Limhamn Griffins upended the visiting Vasteras Roedeers 27-9.
Switzerland
In the only game played in Switzerland, the Winterthur Warriors recorded their first win of the season defeating the Luzern Lions 15-10. The Lions were without their star running back Jeff Souder who is out of action for six weeks.
Calanda remains in first place in the Swiss league at 4-1 followed by the Gladiators at 3-1. Bern 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 hosted the Vukovi Belgrade in IFAF Europe Champions League play and despite taking a 13-7 lead at halftime, lost 34-19 to the defending Serbian champions.
Ukraine
The Ukrainian season is fully underway. This past weekend in Group A play, the Kiev Bandits posted their second win of the young season in beating the Vinnytsia Wolves 58-14. Also in Group A, the Uzhgorod Loggers beat up on the Lviv Lions 52-6.