Germany’s Braunschweig New Yorker Lions Wrestle Down Strong Berlin Rebels

It took until the second half for Europe’s top team,  the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions to pull away and topple the Berlin Rebels 31-9.

The game began furiously in favor of the Lions. After the kick-off by the Berlin Rebels, QB Grant Enders found WR Niklas Römer, for a 50-yard completion. Römer was brought down short of the end zone and the Lions were unsuccessful on the next three downs and settled for a 26 yard field goal from Tobias Goebel.

The first period was mainly dominated by the two defense lines. Both offenses struggled to put drives together. The Lions did not even make over mid-field and the Berlin Rebels only came close to drawing even after a chaotic Braunschweig punt gave the Rebels a 35-yard field goal attempt, but it was off-target.

Only shortly before the end of the first quarter, the Rebels managed the first successful drive of the game. With runs from RB Larry McCoy and passes from QB Darius Outlaw to Gregor Lietzau, the hosts closed in on the Braunschweig end-zone. As the second quarter began, Rebels QB Outlaw completed 19-yard TD pass to tight end Joey Kruger (PAT no good). To make matters worse, Lions player Benjamin Krahl suffered a serious leg injury and had to be admitted to the hospital for further investigation.

On offense, the Lions remained stuck in neutral and found the aggressive Rebel defense keeping them under pressure. It wasn’t until the second half of the second quarter managed QB Grant Enders to finally have a successful drive. Starting from their own 44 yard line they started with runs by McCants and Enders, and then a 22-yard pass from Enders on his tight end Evan Landi down to the Rebel’s 4-yard line. After a holding penalty brought back a touchdown run by Jabari Johnson, two plays later Enders hit his tight end Lukasz Omelanczuk from 8 yards out to regain the lead to 6:10 guide (PAT T. Goebel). With the clock expiring, the Lions had one more opportunity with a 43-yard field goal by T. Goebel’s lead, but the ball sailed left past the goal posts.

New York Lions head coach at Troy Tomlin appeared to have the right words at half-time, as the Lions offensive engine came out roaring. After a punt by the Berlin Rebels, the Lions offense launched their offense from their own 5-yard line. A run of McCants 6 yards followed by a 89 yard bomb from Enders to WR Anthony Dable, which thus extended the Lions lead 6-17 (PAT T. Goebel). The Rebels attempted to counter immediately. A long pass from Outlaw to Lietzau and powerful runs from Outlaw and RB McCoy brought Berlin to Lions’11-yard line. The defense stepped up and on two consecutive plays Jacob Schridde and Simon Bohlmann sacked Outlaw, pushing the Rebels’ offense out of the red-zone.

After a Berlin penalty, the Rebel’s settled for a 48-yard field goal from Maximilian von Wachsmann and 9-17 score. Later in the quarter, and following a Dable fumble on a previous drive, Enders hit Dable for 60 yard pass to bring the score to 9-24 (PAT T. Goebel).

The Berlin Rebels offense desperately tried to move the ball against the overwhelming defensive bastion of the New York Lions. The were unsuccessful and Lions RB David McCants, of a first down at his own 25 yard line took over. His increased the lead on an unreal 72-yard TD run, 9-31 (PAT T. Goebel).

Neither team scored through the rest of the quarter and after the final whistle it was all smiles for the New Yorker Lions. It was a hard-fought victory now after the difficult start to the game. Even head coach Troy Tomlin was satisfied, particularly with the second half.

Scoreboard

0-3 26 yard field goal Tobias Goebel
6-3 19 yardDarius Outlaw TD pass to Joey Krueger (PAT no good)
6-10 8 yard Grant Enders TD pass to Lukasz Omelanczuk (PAT T. Goebel)
6-17 89 yard Grant Enders TD pass to Anthony Dable (PAT T. Goebel)
9-17 48 yard field goal Maximilian von Wachsmann
9-24 60 yard Grant Enders TD pass to Anthony  Dable (PAT T. Goebel)
9-31 72 yard TD run David McCants (PAT T. Goebel)

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