LIVE STREAM: Bolzano Giants v. Bergamo Lions (3p CET, 10a EDT)

AFI | Bergamo Lions | 03/19/2017

Today the Bergamo Lions (0-2) travel to their northern Italian rivals in week 3 of Italy’s Campionato 1a Divisione.

The Bolzano Giants (1-1) will host the game at Stadio Europa in Bolzano at a start time of 3p CET, 10a EDT. The Giants, 2016 Italian finalists, opened the 2017 season in style with a convincing 28-7 win over the Torino Giaguari (Jaguars) from Turin.

The Giatns are lead by import American quarterback Dustin Hawke-Willingham. Hawke is a native of Boulder, Colorado and played at the University of Arkansas before transferring to Southwest Baptist University (NCAA Div. II).

He is a true veteran of American football in Europe having played in Germany, (Hamburg Huskies), Austria (Salzburg Bulls) and Norway (Nidaros Domers, Oslo Vikings) before arriving in Italy. With the Oslo Vikings, he led the team to the Norwegian championship in 2016.

The Bergamo Lions, under new head coach Adam Rita, are trying to get on the path to victory after struggling through 1-9 season in 2016. So far they’ve been unsuccessful dropping their opening game to the Lazio Marines and falling to the Milano Seamen last week.

The Lions are led by quarterback Giorgio Bryant who had a hugely successful season in Brazil with the Vila Velha Tritoes and also played for Poland’s Warsaw Sharks and the Curtain Saints in Australia.