Germany: Kiel Baltic Hurricanes stage late comeback, salvage tie with Cologne Crocodiles

The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes needed two fourth quarter touchdowns and had a chance to win it late but still could not earn their much needed second victory of the German Football League season finishing in a 22-22 tie with the visiting Cologne Crocodiles.

The crowd of 2,127 at Kilia Stadium in Kiel, were on their feet for most of the final quarter as the Hurricanes staged a miraculous comeback after trailing 22-7 early in the fourth quarter.

Newly-signed quarterback Lenorris Footman threw one touchdown pass to Jean-Claude Madin Cerezo and also scored on a 62 yard run to pace  the Hurricanes. Running back Khris Francis, rushed for 95 yards and scored a touchdown and also added a two-point conversion while Tim Albrecht kicked two extra points.

For Cologne, Shayeen Edwards continued to dominate the rushing column in the GFL with 166 yards on the ground, scoring two touchdowns and quarterback Brad Strauss threw a touchdown pass to Olaf Fries. Dominique Martin scored a two-point conversion and Noah Plöttner added two extra points.

The Crocodiles silenced the raucus Kiel crowd early scoring two first quarter touchdowns to take a 15-0 lead heading into the second period. Edwards proved why he is the leading running back in the German Football League scoring from 20 yards out. Martin added the two-point conversion and Cologne took an 8-0 lead. With the Crocodiles defense keeping Kiel in check, Strauss went back to work finding Fries for a 24 yard touchdown pass and Cologne led 15-0.

That’s when Kiel head coach Dan Disch replaced starting quarterback Chad Turner with Footman. On the first possession of the second quarter, Footman found a seam and raced 62 yards to close the gap to 15-7.

The Crocodiles defense stiffened and in the third quarter Edwards struck again, this time from 30 yards out and Cologne extended the lead to 22-7.

Early in the fourth quarter, Francis brought the crowd to their feet, finding a hole and outrunning the Crocodiles defenders on the way to a 73 yard touchdown.

The Kiel defense then trapped Cologne deep in their own zone and the ensuing punt dribbled out of bounds at the Kiel 43. Footman marched his team on an eight play drive, finishing it with a 26 yard touchdown pass to Cerezo to pull the Hurricanes even with four minutes left in the game.

However, that was as close as either team could get. Neither team could gain a first down and Footman had a deep pass picked off with a minute remaining.

With the tie, Cologne remains in third in the GFL North while the Hurricanes are mired in sixth with the unbeaten Dresden Monarchs up next.