The defending champion Dacia Vienna Vikings open the 2018 season in the Austrian Football League at home playing host to the Traun Steel Sharks.
The Vikings have won the Austrian title 14 times but last years championship was the first since 2014.
This year’s team could well be the equal of that team. At quarterback head coach Chris Calaycay has signed Garrett Safron. The 6’1″, 200 lb native of Santa Monica, California spent the 2017 season with the Dresden Monarchs in the German Football League throwing for 3,463 yards and 45 touchdowns while rushing for 884 and another 14 touchdowns. In 2016, he guided Italy’s Milano Seamen to the Champions League final as well as the Italian semifinals where they lost by a single point to the eventual champions, the Milano Rhinos.
Calaycay has also added All American WR Reece. Horn. The 6’3″, 215 lb Horn, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, helped the Milano Seamen win the Italian title in 2017. He had a huge game in Italy’s championship catching five passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns as the Seamen defeated the Milano Rhinos 37-29.
A graduate of the University of Indianapolis (NCAA Div. II), Horn set single-season and career records for receptions (272) and receiving yards (3,562) while racking up 108 catches for 1,396 yards in 2015, another school record. He was named an AFCA All American in 2015 as well.
The Steelsharks suffered through a 1-9 season in 2017, their first in Austria’s top league.
To help improve, head coach Keith Sealund has signed 6’1″, 210 lb quarterback John Uribe. Uribe spent the 2017 season with the Hamburg Huskies leading them on a four-game winning streak to end the season, helping them stay in the German Football League. He posted 2,300 pass yards while throwing 21 touchdown passes. In 2016, Uribe quarterbacked SBBVukovi Belgrade to the Serbian title game and was named most outstanding quarterback in the league in 2016. He threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 59 touchdowns in 15 games.
In his final year at Lindenwood University (NCAA Div. II) , he threw for 2,200 Yards and 19 touchdowns in 10 games.
Although Traun is the heavy underdog in this one, Vienna will not be taking them lightly.
Watch the game live here. Dacia Vienna Vikings v. Traun Steel Sharks, Sunday, March 25, 3p (9a EST)