AFI’s Europe Top 20: Kiel Tops Dresden, Northern Italian Teams Shake Up Rankings
Week 4 of AFI’s Top 20 presents the weekly ranking of the Top 20 best American football teams in Europe in 2015. Let’s review the moves! Many thanks to Jarle Magnus Henriksen from Norway’s Amerikansk Fotball for his invaluable input.
The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns are still at #1. The Unicorns remain undefeated in Germany after dominating the Munich Cowboys 68-22. The Unicorns have earned a place in the Eurobowl final this Saturday, June 20 where they will face last year’s finalists, the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions.
The very same Braunschweig New Yorker Lions are still at #2 even though they did not play this past weekend. With Casey Therriault back at quarterback they looked dominant again in their win over Dresden two weeks ago.
The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes stay at #3 after beating a tough Dresden Monarch team 21-17 at home in Kiel. After their loss to Braunschweig in the season opener they have built up steam. They are an outstanding ball club and could get on a roll.
The #4 Swarco Raiders overcame the Prague Black Panthers 33-27 and are firing on all cylinders now.
Sweden’s Carlstad Crusaders move up to #5 after demolishing the Vasteras Roedeers 63-0 in Sweden. They are beginning to return to their 2014 form.
The Saint Ouen l’Aumône Cougars (#6) of France have moved up a notch although they were idle. They will face off against the #9 Thonon-les-bains Black Panthers in the French championship final this Saturday June 20.
The Vienna Vikings (#7) beat the Graz Giants while the Prague Black Panthers (#12) fell to the #4 Swarco Raiders 33-27 thus slipping a couple of spots.
The Tyreso Royal Crowns #10 in Sweden dismantled the STU Northside Bulls 63-7 and are playing at a very high level.
The London Blitz (#11) who were idle again this past weekend, and have slid down to 11. They will play the London Warriors this weekend in a game everyone in Great Britain has been looking forward to.
The Prague Black Panthers (#12) dropped after their loss to the Swarco Raiders 33-27.
The Stuttgart Scorpions remain at #13 after beating Marburg handily 38-0..
The Wroclaw Panthers (#14) from Poland have finished their regular season undefeated at 10-0 averaging almost 50 points a game while allowing a mere 8 points a game. They also have one of the best running backs in Europe in Marcus Sims.
The Parma Panthers enter the rankings at #16 after they dominated the Bologna Warriors 43-14 in the Italian playoffs. The Milano Seamen (#19) also join the Top 20 teams in Europe with their 48-12 whipping of the Roma Grizzlies. In fact all the northern Italian teams won their playoff games against teams from the South division. Both the Lazio Marines and Ancona Dolphins were eliminated and dropped out of the rankings.
The London Warriors did not play and stay at #17. They will face their crosstown rivals the London Blitz in a highly anticipated matchup this weekend. The Warriors acquitted themselves well two weeks ago against the Swarco Raiders in a Battle4Tirol matchup.
Switzerland’s Calanda Broncos are on a roll in that country and after trouncing the Luzern Lions 44-6 to avenge an earlier loss to the Lions, they have entered the Top 20 at #18.
Finally, the Turku Trojans in Finland, with Robert Johnson at quarterback, thoroughly destroyed defending champion the Helsinki Roosters 57-21 and come in at #20.
We are certain you have plenty of comments and we would love to hear them. If you don’t like our rankings LET US KNOW!
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