German playoffs get underway this weekend

The 2017 German Football League quarterfinals kick off this weekend with three games Saturday, September 16 and one game Sunday, September 17.

Kiel Baltic Hurricanes #2 GFL North (10-4) – Marburg Mercenaries #3 GFL South (8-6)

In the first game of the playoffs the second place team in the GFL North, the 10-4 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes will host the 8-6 Marburg Mercenaries, who finished third in the GFL South. This is the Hurricanes 10th straight trip to the quarterfinals while Marburg has not made the playoffs since 2014. Kiel reached the semifinals in 2016 after beating the Frankfurt Universe in the quarterfinals, but they were defeated by the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions who went on to win the German title.

Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns – #1 GFL South (14-0)  – Berlin Rebels #4 GFL North (8-6)

The undefeated Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns will welcome the Berlin Rebels to Optima Sportpark in Schwäbisch Hall Saturday in the second game of the playoffs. The Unicorns finished first in the GFL South during the regular season with a perfect 14-0 record while Berlin (8-6) qualified for post season play on the second last weekend of the regular season. They finished fourth in the GFL North. Schwäbisch Hall have qualified for the playoffs every year since 2009 while the Rebels are only in their second ever GFL playoff game. These two teams met in last year’s quarterfinal with the Unicorns prevailing 24-14.

Braunschweig New Yorker Lions #1 GFL North (14-0) – Ingolstadt Dukes #4 GFL South (7-7)

The 14-0 New Yorker Lions, who finished first in the GFL North await the GFL South fourth place finishers, the Ingolstadt Dukes (7-7) Saturday, September 16 at Einstracht Stadion in Braunschweig. The Lions have won the past four German titles while this is the first trip to the German playoffs for a Dukes team making its debut in the GFL.

Frankfurt Universe #2 GFL South (12-2)  – Dresden Monarchs #3 GFL North (10-4)

Frankfurt, second place finishers in the GFL South with a 12-2 record, will take on the Dresden Monarchs who finished third in the GFL North with a 10-4 record on Sunday, September 17. Frankfurt is appearing in the playoffs for the second straight year. Last year, they were eliminated in the quarterfinal round by the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes. The Monarchs are making their sixth consecutive trip to the playoffs. In 2016, Dresden were beaten by the Schwabisch Hall Unicorns in the semifinals.