Germany: Braunschweig New Yorker Lions rebound with big win over Dresden Monarchs

Behind a two touchdown performance from Nicolai Schumann, the 5-1 Braunschweig New Yorker Lions rebounded from last week’s surprising loss to the Berlin Rebels, as they defeated the 6-2 Dresden Monarchs 44-24 in German Football League North action at Dresden’s Heinz-Steyer Stadion.

Quarterback Jadrian Clark threw three touchdown passes and ran one in himself with Schumann catching two and Justus Holtz one. Lennies McFerren scored  as well and Tobias Goebel kicked a field goal and five extra points. Defensive back Pierre Courageux  collected two key interceptions.

For Dresden, quarterback Trenton Norvell threw three touchdown passes one each to Brice Coquin, Mike Schallo and Mitchell Paige. Florian Finke kicked a field goal and all three PATs.

Dresden opened up the scoring as Norvell connected with Coquin for a 60 yard touchdown pass giving the Monarchs an easily 7-0 lead. The Lions responded through with McFerren finishing a drive off with a two yard run two possessions later evening the score at 7-7.

Clark capitalized on a missed field goal by Dresden, with another big play as he hit Schumann for a 52 yard touchdown pass giving Braunschweig a 14-7 lead still in the first quarter.

The Monarchs equalized as Norvell hit Schallo for a 16 yard scoring pass early in the second quarter. Then Dresden’s defense first got a stop and then Norvell drove them down into the Lions red zone and Finke kicked a 24 yard field goal to retake the lead, 17-14.

Lions running back David McCants then silenced the home crowd with a 90 yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Two plays later, Clark carried the ball in himself from five yards out giving Braunschweig the lead back 20-17.

With just under three minutes left in the first half, Courageux picked off Norvell for the second time and Clark capitalized. Starting from midfield with a minute to go, he marched the Lions to the three yard line and finished the drive off with a touchdown pass to Holtz as time expired giving Braunschweig a comfortable 27-17 halftime lead.

After the break, the Lions moved into field goal range and Goebel kicked a 39 yard field goal to extend the lead to 30-17. Unfortunately, McFerren suffered an arm injury on the drive and will be lost to Braunschweig for an indeterminate length of time.

The Lions offense now seemed to gain momentum and Clark engineered another drive, capping it with a nine yard touchdown pass to Schumann, his second of the game, increasing the lead again, this time to 37-17.

Dresden’s offense finally responded with Paige hauling in a 65 yard touchdown pass from Norvell to narrow the lead to 37-24 early in the fourth quarter.

Clark then took the Lions on a beautiful, clock-eating drive and punched the ball in himself late in the fourth quarter from four yards out for a 44-24 lead which the Lions would not relinquish.

Defensive back Tissi Robinson snuffed out a final Dresden drive with an interception.

Next up for Braunschweig are the Potsdam Royals, who stunned the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 50-21. Dresden will take on the Cologne Crocodiles.

Photos: Fabian Uebe