While both teams entered Sportpark Hoehenberg in Cologne on Sunday they sat in the middle of the GFL North table at 1-1. By the end of the game, it was clear who was the better team.
Out-gaining the Berlin Adler 555 to 185, the Cologne Crocodiles dominated on both sides of the ball and ran away with a 63-0 victory.
American import running back Kevin Parks started the match off with a bang, rushing for three touchdowns in just the first quarter. Parks spun through the arms of linebackers and left the Adler defense in the dust downfield. Parks was particularly impressive on a 63-yard scamper late in the quarter that gave the Crocodiles a 21-0 lead. The Adler offense continued to stall, and the Crocodiles soon had the ball back. It was now time for German quarterback Benjamin Mentges who found his brother, Florian Mentges wide open down the sideline for a 30-yard touchdown connection. 28-0 Cologne.
Entering the second quarter with a 28-0 lead, the Crocodiles kept their foot on the gas. Running back Andre Frisch found a seam in the Adler defense and exploded for a 50-yard run. Mentges added another scoring toss finding receiver Olaf Fries in the corner of the end-zone.
The second was the same story as Bentges threw two more touchdown passes and a third on the ground.
During the game, Berlin turned the ball over four times, which led directly to 28 Crocodile points. The Crocodile defense hounded the Adler’s German quarterback Paul Zimmerman all day. Cologne defenders sacked him six times, losing a total of 31 yards. Cologne quarterback Benjamin Mentges looked poised and patient in the pocket finding his receivers for four touchdowns and throwing for 235 yards on 18 of 35 throws.
The Cologne Crocodiles improve to 2-1 in their young German Football League and have made a statement that they are in nation’s top tier to compete for a playoff spot. The Adler (1-2) return to Berlin thoroughly dismantled. Head coach Eric Schramm is tasked with turning this team around before the season gets out of hand.
The Berlin Adler are off from GFL action but must travel to Prague to take on the Prague Black Panthers in an European Football League match. Next week, the Crocodiles travel to Berlin to face the Adler’s cross-town rivals, the Berlin Rebels who are coming off a Big6 victory over the Samsumg Frankfurt Universe.
Check out highlights from the Crocodiles 63-0 victory below.
