[tps_title]Around the Continent: Week 9[/tps_title]
Week 9 of the European edition of Around the Continent is filled with football action from Austria to Ukraine and every league in between.
We are a little late this week and apologize for that. We spend hours looking for and finding photos from the previous weekend’s action. Anytime you have a good set from your games please send them along. We try to make sure every photo is new from that weekend. We also strive to include any extra stats and info so please let us know. If a player you know has had an outstanding game, for instance, send us a message about it.
It was a wild week filled with football as in addition to all the regular season play, the Big6, IFAF Europe Champions League and the European Football League all featured games.
Many of the leagues are approaching the playoffs with only a weekend or two remaining in the regular season. The Spanish regular season will finish this weekend while Portugal is entering the semi-final stage of their playoffs. In France, one weekend remains in the regular season.
We would like to point out the great job that Amerikansk Fotball does in Norway as well as National Ligaen in Denmark. We rely on both sites as well as Gridiron in the Netherlands. We also want to thank Double Coverage in the UK for their excellent coverage. Lastly, we must acknowledge the fine work done by Football-Aktuell in Germany.
Otherwise, there is plenty of news from around the European continent. so make sure to check it out every week. Another shout out goes to Filippo Rostoni who is invaluable at gathering facts and keeping us on our toes. Also a special thank you to Tiberiu Anghelina from Romania for making sure we have our facts straight about American football in his country. Andre Amorim helps us out with news from Portugal. We thank him as well. Alexander Malyshev is great in getting us info from the Eastern League of American Football.
Make sure to read Luther Rommens game stories from Belgium. Our correspondent in Russia – Ilya Kravtsov – does an outstanding job of covering everything about American football in his country. If we have left someone out please remind us. And any and all contributions are welcome.
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, Russia and Denmark are all playing whether regular season or playoffs. However, the Finnish season does not start until June and the Croatian season gets underway in the fall.
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.
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) saw two games played this past weekend.
The Patriots remain in first in the West division while the Serbian Pancevo Panthers still lead the East at 2-0.
Austria
Paced by receiver/kicker Clemens Erlsbacher’s three touchdowns and 23 points in total, the Swarco Raiders pulled away from the Graz Giants after a tight first half to win 50-34. The Giants had pulled to within 30-28 midway through the third quarter only to watch the Raiders score three more to secure the win. In the only other game, Prague Black Panthers quarterback Kyle Newhall-Caballero threw for 331 yards and four touchdowns, adding another 124 yards rushing and scoring three more touchdowns to beat the home team Danube Dragons 56-38.
The Vikings remain atop the standings at 4-1 while Swarco has climbed into second at 4-2. Prague occupies third at 3-2 followed by the Danube Dragons at 2-3. The Graz Giants have yet to win a game.
The Vikings suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns in Big6 action 47-23. Meanwhile the Swarco Raiders, playing in their second game on the same day, dispatched Switzerland’s Basel Gladiators 47-7 in the Battle4Tirol.
Baltic Sea League
The Baltic Sea League, featuring teams from Latvia, Estonia and Belarus was back in action this past weekend. The Tartu Titans dropped a 17-7 decision to the visiting Vitebsk Lynxes in Estonia while the Grodno Barbarians held on to defeat the Minsk Pagans 28-24 in Grodno, Belarus.
Belgium
Flemish conference (FAFL)
The Ghent Gators remain undefeated after beating the third place Ostend Pirates 20-12 at home. The Brussels Black Angels kept pace downing the last place Limburg Shotguns 50-0. Then the Izegem Tribes blanked the Antwerp Diamonds 24-0. The Ghent Gators are still undefeated at 6-0 and lead the conference followed by the Brussels Black Angels who are also without a loss and sit in second at 5-0. Brussels has rolled up 222 points in five games on offense.
French Conference (LFFAB)
The French conference was idle this past weekend. The Brussels Tigers still top the French conference at 5-0-1 followed by Liege at 4-1-1.
[tps_title]Around the Continent[/tps_title]
CEFL
There were no games played in the Central European Football League.
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 Pribram Bobcats beat the Prague Lions to move back into second place in the league in the only game played in the Czech Republic this past weekend.
The Black Panthers remain undefeated in first place at 4-0 but now the Bobcats have re-taken second with a record of 3-2.
Denmark
The Horsens Stallions were only down 15-6 at halftime against the visiting Aarhus Tigers but could not find the end zone in the second half until late in the contest and dropped a 41-12 decision to the Tigers. Sensational running back Mathias Kragh scored three first half touchdowns in pacing the Triangle Razorbacks to a 41-0 pounding of the Herlev Rebels. The Copenhagen Towers flexed their muscles against the Sollerod Gold Diggers whipping them 35-0.
The Razorbacks sit in first at 3-0 while the Towers have climbed into second at 2-0 dropping the Gold Diggers down into fourth just behind the third place Aarhus Tigers.
Eastern League of American Football
The league was idle but resumes on May 23 as the Moscow Bruins will host the Voronezh Mighty Ducks while the Zubrs and Litwins will face each other in a Minsk derby.
Finland
The Maple League starts in June 11 as the Seinaijoki Crocodiles host the Porvoon Butchers.
France
The French league – FFFA – saw only one game played. The Aix-en-Provence Argonautes handed the last place Nimes Centurions a 44-7 pasting.
With one weekend remaining in regular season play, the Saint-Ouen Cougars will finish first in France and have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They play host to the Elancourt Tempiers on May 24, the only team they have not beaten in France, who tied them 14-14 earlier in the year. With their win, the Argonautes sit solidly in second. Third and fourth should now be sewn up as the Black Panthers and Flash are all tied at 5-4 each with a victory over one of the other two. However, mathematically the Nice Dauphins could finish in third. A Dauphins victory over the Argonautes coupled with a Black Panthers loss to the Centurions would vault Nice back up past Thonon by virtue of Nice’s 3-0 win earlier in the season. With the final weekend coming up, this will be a thrilling finish to the French regular season.
The Cougars lead the league with a 8-0-1 record followed by the Argonautes in second at 7-2 and the Panthers in third at 5-4 followed by the Flash also at 5-4. The Dauphins are fifth at 4-5.
La Courneuve Flash played their final game in the group stage of Big6 and dropped a 37-14 decision to the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions in Germany.
[tps_title]Around the Continent[/tps_title]
Germany
North
In the only game played in the North, the surprising Hamburg Huskies, newcomers to the GFL this year, blanked the Dusseldorf Panther 42-0 after scoring 28 points in the first half.
The Braunschweig New Yorker Lions secured a spot in the Eurobowl final beating the stubborn La Courneuve Flash 37-14. The Lions defense proved to be the decisive factor with five interceptions of Flash quarterback Paul Durand, returning two of them for touchdowns. This will be the Lions fifth appearance in the Eurobowl final.
South
The upstart Allgau Comets continue to surge through the German league posting their third straight victory. They rolled up 375 yards against the Rhein Neckar Bandits who had only 165, to beat them 28-0. The Comets were led by quarterback Cedric Townsend who threw for two touchdowns and ran in another one himself.
In Big6 action, the Schwabisch Hall Unicorns asserted their dominace in Vienna displacing the Vikings 47-23 in a game they led 47-10 in the third quarter. The Unicorns move on to play the Eurobowl final for the first time in their history and will face the New Yorker Lions.
Check out the Plays of the Week from Germany’s top division
Great Britain
North
The Lancashire Wolverines have not lost a game this season after downing the Sheffield Predators 31-12 on the road in the only game played in the North.
The Wolverines sit in first with a 3-0 record followed by the Tamworth Phoenix at 2-0.
South
The London Olympians continued their winning ways beating the Bristol Aztecs 20-15 and now sport a 2-0 record.
The London Warriors and London Blitz sit comfortably atop the standings both with 2-0 records followed by the Olympians at 2-2.
The London Blitz qualified for the IFAF Europe Champions League Final Four in downing Madrid’s Osos Rivas 55-0.
Holland
The Hilversum Hurricanes earned a tough 23-22 decision over the Amsterdam Panthers to give them a leg up on the Panthers for the playoffs. Meanwhile the Rotterdam Trojans downed the winless Nijmegen Pirates 19-6 to even their record at 4-4.
The Eagles remain in first place in Group A ahead of the Arnhem Falcons both with 6-1 records. The decider may come May 24 when the Eagles and Falcons meet for the third time this season. The Crusaders have a stranglehold on first in Group B with a 6-1 record.
The Amsterdam Crusaders fell to Spain’s Badalona Dracs in EFL play 11-8.
Hungary
The Nyiregyhaza Tigers defeated the winless Ujpest Bulldogs 38-15 to cling to fourth spot in the league. In the only other game, the Bratislava Monarchs held on to defeat the Budapest Wolves 30-23 creating a logjam at the top of the standings.
The win puts the Monarchs back into first at 4-0 with the Cowbells now in second also sporting a 4-0 record. The Monarchs have a better point differential. The Monarchs still have the best offense averaging almost 50 points a game so far.
Ireland
North
The Belfast Trojans left no doubt as to who is in control of the North annhilating the Carrickfergus Knights 57-0 as they scored in every quarter. The Craigavon Cowboys beat the last place South Dublin Panthers 20-14. The Belfast Trojans offense has rolled up 196 points in five games and allowed only 23. The Trojans now lead the North at 5-0 while the Dublin Rebels are a distant second at 2-3.
South
The North Kildare Reapers had a tough day but still turned back the West Dublin Rhinos 5-0. The Vikings still top the South at 5-0 with Trinity College trailing well behind at 2-1.
[tps_title]Around the Continent[/tps_title]
Italy
North
In the upset of the week, the Bergamo Lions surprised the first place Milano Seamen 25-21 after scoring 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The Seamen suffered through the most dismal fourth quarter imaginable after building a comfortable 21-6 lead. But the fumble demon hit them with two Lion’s touchdowns stemming from Milano fumbles within their own five yard line. Then, the Parma Panthers downed the Bolzano Giants 24-13 to move to 6-2. The Milano Seamen still lead the North at 6-2 but the Panthers are back on track and now occupy second at 6-2 as well.
South
The Lazio Marines picked up where they left off two weeks ago by scoring eight touchdowns in a 58-20 manhandling of Ferrara Aquila. Then the Roma Grizzlies remained within striking distance of the third place Bologna Warriors defeating them 24-0. Lazio continues to lead the conference, and the league, with an 8-0 record followed by the Dolphins at 6-1. The Marines are averaging a league-best 46.5 points per game while only giving up only 14, also a league best. The Warriors are third at 4-4 and the Grizzlies fourth at 3-5 but with a victory over the Warriors in the event of a tie.
Norway
In the only game played in Norway, the Oslo Vikings won their third straight after dropping their opening two games putting it to the Valeranga Trolls 52-8.
The Lura Bulls sit alone at the top of the Norwegian standings at 3-0 trailed by the Eidsvoll 1814’s also at 3-0.
Highlights of Vikings-Trolls game.
Poland
With a couple of minutes to go in the game the defending champion Gdynia Seahawks engineered a miracle 28-27 victory over the Warsaw Eagles by first forcing a two point safety and then driving the field for the winning touchdown. The Bedzin Steelers scored a late touchdown as well upending Kozly 13-12. The Wroclaw Panthers scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and went on to down the Warsaw Sharks 42-16. Finally the Bialystok Lowlanders beat the Szczecin Husaria 34-3.
The Panthers are in sole and undisputed first place at 7-0 having racked up 337 points in seven games. The defending champion Seahawks are second at 6-1 after their gritty victory. The Eagles are third at 4-3 ahead of the Lowlanders who are also at 4-3.
[tps_title]Around the Continent[/tps_title]
Portugal
Photo: David Perez
Playoffs
The quarterfinals continued this past weekend. The Lisbon Crusaders, second in the South, took on the Paredes Lumberjacks in a game that was postponed from the weekend before. The Crusaders made no mistake though in beating Paredes 54-6. The Lisbon Navigators then rolled over the Porto Renegades 69-0. In the final quarterfinal matchup the Lisboa Devils surprised the Braga Warriors beating them 12-6. This will be the first trip to the Portuguese semi-finals for the Devils in their brief history.
In the semi-finals this weekend the Navigators face the Lisboa Devils while the Porto Mutts will host the Lisbon Crusaders.
Romania
The Timisoara 89ers faced the Cluj Crusaders at home and lost 26-6 in North West division play. Then the Bucharest Rebels blanked the Bucharest Warriors 14-0 in South East action.
The win boosted the Rebels back into top spot in the South East conference dropping the Warriors to second. The Cluj Crusaders are first in the North West undefeated at 5-0.
Russia
Ural Division
No games were played this past weekend.
Volga Division
The Podolsk Knights played host to the Moscow Black Storm and blanked them 27-0. Then the Moscow Dragons and the Moscow Spartans faced off with the Spartans dominating in a 34-0 victory.
Black Sea Division
No games were played.
Big 5 Division
Two games were played as the division leading St. Petersburg Griffins manhandled the Yaroslavl Rebels 38-0. Then Moscow United recorded their first win defeating St. Petersburg North Legion 14-6
Serbia
The Novi Sad Dukes posted their fourth win in a row in downing the winless Sirmium Legionaries 30-14 after the Legionaries had taken a 14-13 first quarter lead. Vukovi Belgrade traveled to Pancevo and barely scraped by with a 14-13 win over the Panthers. The Indija Indians took their third win in a row in handily beating the Cacak Angel Warriors 42-16. Finally, Nis Imperatori edged the Kragujevac Wild Boars 16-14.
The Novi Sad Dukes top the standings at 4-0, followed by Vukovi also at 4-0. Nis Imperatori (3-2) and the Indians (3-2) jumped up into third and fourth past Pancevo who is fifth at 2-2.
Slovakia
The Slovakian league was back in action this past weekend. The Trnava Bulldogs played host to the Nitra Knights in West division play and beat them 22-0. Meanwhile in the East, the Zilina Warriors overwhelmed the Cassovia Steelers 39-0.
[tps_title]Around the Continent[/tps_title]
Spain
There were no games in the Spanish league. The Badalona Dracs edged the Amsterdam Crusaders in EFL action 11-8. Meanwhile in IFAF Europe Champions League play the L’Hospalitet Pioners were beaten by the Thonon Black Panthers of France 41-0 while Osos Rivas were outmatched in their game against the London Blitz falling 55-0.
With only one game left to play in the Spanish league the Firebats will finish first with an 8-1 record, but Osos Rivas is in second at 6-3, the same as Badalona. So this weekend’s game between Osos Rivas and the Dracs will be for home field advantage in the semi-finals. The Dracs need to win by more than three to earn second.
Sweden
The Swedish season entered its third weekend of play. The Kristianstad Predators played their first regular season game at home and blanked the visiting Limhamn Griffins 35-0. Then the Tyresö Royal Crowns played crosstown rivals the STU Northside Bulls ruining their home opener by beating them 62-25.
The Uppsala 86ers spoiled the coaching debut of Orebro Black Knights head coach Randy Beverly by blanking them 19-0. Finally the Västeras Roedeers posted their first win in their history in the Super Series beating the visiting Stockholm Mean Machines 21-17.
Switzerland
There were two games on tap in Switzerland. The Bern Grizzlies moved into second place in the standings as they handily overcame the Luzern Lions 36-12. Then the Zurich Renegades earned a valuable two points in their win over the Wintethur Warriors 25-23.
Calanda remains in first place in the Swiss league at 5-1 now followed by the Bern Grizzlies at 4-2. The Basel Gladiators dropped to third at 3-2 but with a game at hand now. Zurich with the win keeps pace and sits in fourth.
The Basel Gladiators traveled to Innsbruck, Austria to face the Swarco Raiders in a Battle4Tirol game. The Raiders whipped them 47-7.
Turkey
The Turkish regular season is over and with no playoffs the first and second place teams – the Koc Rams and the Bogazici Sultans – have qualified for the championship game.
Both the Rams and Sultans will now face each other in the Turkish championship game on May 30/31.
The Sultans played the Ljubljana Silverhawks in IFAF Europe Champions League group action but fell behind early and were beaten 47-14 by the host Silverhawks.
Ukraine
The Ukrainian season is fully underway. This past weekend in Group B play, the Vinnytsia Wolves handed the Lviv Lions their third straight defeat in beating them 30-8. Also in Group B, the Kiev Bandits posteed victory number three in whipping the Uzhgorod Loggers 55-27.