Braunschweig New Yorker Lions back in stride, beat Potsdam Royals easily

The 6-1 Braunschweig New Yorker Lions, Europe #2,  are back in dominating form after crushing the 4-4 Potsdam Royals, Europe #8  45-14 this past weekend at Eintracht Stadium on Hamburger Straße in Braunschweig.

This was the first ever meeting between the Lions and Potsdam who are playing in the German Football League for the first time this year.

Braunschweig quarterback Jadrian Clark was an efficient 16 of 27 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing seven times for 30 yards and a touchdown. Justus Holtz had four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown while Niklas Romer and Nicolai Schumann also caught touchdown passes. Running back David McCants rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown. Defensive back Darius Robinson added a 77 interception return for a touchdown and Tobias Goebel kicked a field goal and six extra points.

For the Royals, quarterback Austin Gahafer struggled under the relentless Braunschweig defensive pressure throwing for 102 yards and a touchdown but he was picked off twice, once for a touchdown. Paul Zimmerman, who replaced Gahafer in the late in the third quarter  threw for 46 yards and a touchdown. His brother Max Zimmerman led all receivers with 135 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Tyvis Smith, the second leading rusher in the GFL, was held to just 62 yards on the ground.

The Royals were playing without their leading receiver, Frederik Myrup Nielsen.

There was never any doubt about the outcome in this game as Braunschweig imposed their will early and often roaring out to a 35-7 halftime lead. The teams traded touchdowns early on with Schumann scoring on a a 43 yard pass from Clark and then Gahafer finding a streaking Max Zimmerman for a 73 yard touchdown reception.

The Lions then took the game over. McCants finished a 70 yard drive with a two yard touchdown. Then Darius Robinson picked off Gahafer and raced 77 yards to give Braunschweig a 21-7 lead, still in the first quarter.

With the Lions defense shutting down the high scoring Potsdam offense, Clark engineered another scoring drive, this time ending it himself with a one yard plunge. A minute into the second quarter the Lions held a 28-7. lead. Tissi Robinson intercepted another Gahafer pass and the Braunschweig offense capitalized scoring on the next drive with Clark hitting Romer from two yards out.

With six minutes left in the first half, the Lions led 35-7.

Goebel added a field goal in the third quarter and then Zimmerman, who stepped in for a struggling Gahafer, threw a touchdown pass to his brother Max to close the gap to 38-14.

Clark answered on the very next possession with a 50 yard scoring strike to Hotlz.

Turnovers marred the rest of the fourth quarter as Potsdam threw two interceptions and Lions running back Max Merwarth fumbled as neither offense go move the ball effectively.

With the win, the Lions have reasserted themselves while Potsdam now needs a big win over the Hildesheim Invaders in their final game before the month long break.