The 2-3-1 Kirchdorf Wildcats will look to avenge their defeat last week to the 4-3 Allgäu Comets June 30 at Energie Arena in Kirchdorf when they take on the Comets in the second game of a back-to-back series in German Football League North action.
The Comets defeated Kirchdorf 35-23 two weeks ago. In that game, the “Flying Circus” was on full display with quarterback Justin Sottilare completing 43 of 59 passes for 523 yards and four touchdowns. Wide receiver Féli Manoka, Jonatan Gihl, Jordan Paul and Martin Emos all caught touchdown passes and all surpassed 100 yards receiving. Manoka led the way with 148 while Gihl had 144, Emos 120 and Paul 101. The fifth touchdown came on a running play (!) as Sottilare scored from one yard out early in the first quarter.
Paul is the 2nd leading receiver in Germany with 850 yards while Emos is 4th with 697 yards and Manoka is 5th overall with 635 yards in 7 games.
Wildcats quarterback Cameron Birse threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns himself in that loss, with wide receiver Brandon Cox leading the way with nine catches for 162 yards. Clemens Erlsbacher had two touchdown receptions while Klaus Fischer had one.
Since then, while the Wildcats were idle, Allgäu dropped another surprising game, this time a 31-28 loss to the previously winless Munich Cowboys. In other words, the Comets have been unpredictable this season so far and is still looking for consistency.
Neither defense has excelled this season although Allgäu has been giving up more points per game, 30.7 compared to 24.6 for the Wildcats. One of the keys to this game could be turnovers. The Comets with 15 interceptions are second worst in Germany. That’s more than two a game. Nevertheless, Comets LB Niall Padden is the 5th leading tackler with 64.
Kirchdorf defeated the visiting Marburg Mercenaries 29-24 at home the week before Marburg beat the Comets 28-14. In fact, the Wildcats have only been beaten once at home this year, by the league-leading Schwabisch Hall Unicorns. They have tied one game and won the other two.
With home field advantage, Kirchdorf could surprise a Comets team definitely looking to atone for their loss last week to Munich.
