The 1-4 Allgäu Comets will be looking for win #2 Sunday, June 30, when they host the powerful 5-1 Frankfurt Universe in Kempten, Germany as the German Football League hits the midseason mark.
The Comets had notched their first win of the 2019 season three weeks ago when they downed the Ingolstadt Dukes 28-26 at home in Kempten. However, Allgäu dropped a close one to the Kirchdorf Wildcats 27-25 in their last outing. The Comets were blanked in the opening game of the season 20-0 by the Frankfurt Universe and then dropped two in a row to the Munich Cowboys, 31-16 and 21-18.
The Comets offense, which had looked better in the win over the Dukes, sputtered in the loss to Kirchdorf. Quarterback Calvin Stitt was held to 74 yards passing and a touchdown although he did run for 82. The week before against the Dukes, he threw for 147 yards and a touchdown. He has a total of 495 yards passing on the year. Running back Lennies McFerren had a breakout game in the win, rushing for 143 yards and two touchdowns and is now averaging 71 yards a game, good for fifth in the GFL. His contribution will be needed today against a tough Frankfurt run defense which is ranked second in the country.
Defensively though, Allgäu is the toughest team in Germany to run against having given up just 24.8 yards rushing in five games. This could be a huge factor in this game.
Frankfurt whipped Ingolstadt last week 63-13, rebounding from an embarrassing 31-0 defeat at the hands of arch rivals and defending German champions, the Schwabisch Hall Unicorns the week before. Frankfurt had opened the 2019 season with four wins, beating Ingolstadt 37-13, after getting by the Munich Cowboys the week before 24-17. They had downed the Comets 20-0 in their opening game and then defeated the Marburg Mercenaries 20-14.
For Frankfurt, Steve Cluley has thrown for 1,304 yards and 13 touchdowns with Antony Brooks (397 yds), Sebastian Sagne (339 yds, 8 TDs), ) and George Robinson (241 yds), as his leading targets. Running back Justin Rodney had a monster game against Ingolstadt rushing for 188 yards and 2 TDs boosting his totals to a team-best 308 yards. Oscar Nevermann from Sweden has a total of 223 yards rushing in the six games. Sebastian Silva Gomez leads Frankfurt in tackles with 33.
Frankfurt has the edge, and based on both teams’ records so far this year, should win this one. Although Allgäu will be tough to run against, Cluley should be the difference with his passing game.
