Kiel Baltic Hurricanes pound Cologne Crocodiles behind 6 TD performance from RB Chris McClendon

The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes continue to impress in the German Football League’s North division as they remained undefeated in handing the Cologne Crocodiles a 65-41 defeat in a game filled with offensive firepower.

Kiel running back Chris McClendon was unstoppable scoring six touchdowns. He rushed for 239 yards and four touchdowns and caught two touchdown passes. Quarterback Jared Stegman threw for 342 yards and five touchdowns on 15 of 23 passing and no interceptions. In fact, this was the third game in a row that Stegman has not thrown an interception. Wide receiver Xavier Mitchell was outstanding catching eight passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns.

Crocodiles running back Kevin Parks was also superb rushing 17 times for 199 yards and one touchdown to pace Cologne. Quarterback Benjamin Mentges completed 14 of 25 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another two.

The game gave the Kiel fans everything they could ask for in a football game – except defense.

In the first half alone, the teams traded the lead four times with Kiel taking a 13-0 lead before Cologne’s offense could get untracked. The score at the end of the first quarter was 14-13 Cologne on touchdowns by Parks and Mentges. McLendon scored both Hurricanes touchdowns.

The second quarter saw more of the same offensive onslaught from both teams.

After Stegman hit Diego Sanchez for a 36 yard touchdown, Mentges scored another one himself giving Cologne a 21-19 lead still early in the second quarter. Then Stegman found Mitchell for the first of his touchdowns and McClendon (who else?) rushed for his third touchdown of the game giving Kiel a 32-21 lead.

The half was not over though.

Mentges hit Olaf Fries for a 52 yard touchdown and McClendon scored again, this time on a nine yard touchdown pass from Stegman. Halftime score: 39-27 Kiel.

The teams each added two touchdowns in the third which ended 52-41.

Kiel scored twice more early in the fourth as McClendon caught a 31 yard pass from Stegman and then raced 75 yards for his sixth touchdown of the day with just under five minutes left. Cologne could not answer even after Mentges was replaced by Trevor Vasey at quarterback.

With the win, Kiel remains undefeated with a 3-0 record but sits fourth in the tight North division race behind the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions, Dresden Monarchs and the Berlin Rebels.

Photo credit: Hans Kaestle