26 Nations Battle Around the Continent: France, Spain Post-seasons Set; Germany in Full Swing
[tps_title]Around the Continent[/tps_title]
Spain
In the final weekend of the regular season in Spain, there were no surprises. As expected the Valencia Firebats overwhelmed the L’Hospitalet Pioners 47-0 to finish first in the league with a 9-1 record. The Badalona Dracs had no trouble with Osos Rivas dumping them 34-0 in preparation for meeting them in the playoffs. Finally, the Valencia giants ended the Mallorca Voltors horrible season beating them 54-0.
The Spanish semi-finals on June 6/7 will see the Valencia Firebats face the fourth place Valencia Giants. The Giants are the only team to have beaten the Firebats this year in Spain surprising them 26-20. In the other semifinal, the Badalona Dracs take on the demoralized Osos Rivas. Osos Rivas actually defeated Badalona earlier in the season 17-14.
Sweden
Photo: Tommy Andersson
The Carlstad Crusaders are beginning to kick into 2014 mode as they cruised to a 67-0 victory over the Stockholm Mean Machines. But the game of the weekend was a basketball shootout between the STU Northside Bulls and the Kristianstad Predators which the Bulls won 69-56! The Örebro Black Knights got their first win for new head coach Randy Beverly beating the visiting Limhamn Griffins 21-7. Then the Uppsala 86ers whipped newcomers the Vasteras Roedeers 46-7.
Switzerland
No games were played in the Swiss league this past weekend.
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.
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.
Ukraine
The Ukrainian season is fully underway. This past weekend in Group A play the Kiev Bulldogs beat the Kiev Slavs 26-12. Also in Group B the Odessa Pirates blanked the Dnipropetrovsk Rockets 17-0.
