The Ancona Dolphins have continued their unlikely run for the Italian Football League title with a 49-18 win over the Lazio Marines.
Although Lazio is not considered a title contender, it is the dominance and consistency of the Dolphins that have their fans excited for the future.
Ancona quarterback Collin DiGalbo is also continuing to make a run for individual awards after leading his team to an unblemished record. He found the end zone himself to open the scoring to give the Dolphins a 7-0 lead heading into the second stanza. It was the only score of the opening quarter and gave the illusion that this game would be competitive.
That changed quickly early in the second as Mejdi Soltana hauled in a touchdown pass from DiGalbo to open the floodgates. The Marines‘ defense put the Lazio team on the scoreboard for the first time with a strip-sack touchdown from Jaren Banks. That only seemed to light a fire under DiGalbo as he went on a tirade of touchdowns throwing for two more while weaving his way into the end zone for another boosting the Dolphins lead to 35-7 going into the break.
Photo: @Lorenza Morbidoni
The onslaught seemed to continue in the third as Teo Flamini scored on a return touchdown to increase the lead to 42-7. That’s when it seemed that Ancona eased up allowing the Marines offense some breathing room. Both running back Thomas Alivernini and quarterback Austin Albericci found the end zone for the Marines, but it was too little, too late, as the Dolphins were well in control by then. DiGalbo found wide receiver Adalberto Rinaldi for the game’s final score late in the fourth quarter.
On May 5, in Varese, Ancona will take on the only other undefeated team, the Varese Skorpions, in a massive game that may decide the IFL. That will be one of the games of the year in Europe, and we are all looking forward to the build-up.
In other action in the Italian Football League, the Firenze Guelfi defeated the Torino Giaguari 14-7 to improve to 4-1.