LIVESTREAM Germany: Straubing Spiders @ Allgäu Comets, May 22, 14:45 CET (2:45 pm, 08:45 am ET)

AFI | Allgau Comets | 05/22/2022

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

The Allgäu Comets will be looking to improve on a fourth-place finish in the 2021 German Football League South season when they open their 2022 campaign at home in Illerstadion Kempten facing the newly promoted Straubing Spiders.

The Comets reached the GFL quarterfinals for the first time since 2018 but were eliminated by the eventual champions, the Dresden Monarchs 50-13. They will definitely be aiming to continue their climb up the GFL South standings. Meanwhile, Straubing won the GFL2 South and were automatically promoted when the Stuttgart Scorpions defaulted in the relegation games.

To help the offense, Comets head coach Elias Gniffke has signed quarterback Kenyantte Allen Jr (Robert Morris Eagles, NAIA). During his time as quarterback for the Eagles, he threw for over 5,500 yards and 60 touchdowns. The Comets have also re-signed wide receiver Brandon Kohn (San Diego State, NCAA Div. I) who led the team in 2021 with 35 catches for 388 yards. Allgäu had the ninth best offense in the GFL last season and Gniffke no doubt will build on that.

Defensively, the Comets, with the second-best defense in the GFL last year, have re-signed veteran linebacker Niall Padden (USA/Ireland), the team’s leading tackler for the past seven years straight and one of the top five in the entire league during that time span. They have also added Swiss All Star linebacker Fabio Rothmund.

For Straubing’s head coach Maximilian Macek, this will be a big day as it is the team’s first foray into the top league in Germany. His quarterback, Raleigh Yeldell (Newberry NCAA DII), played for the Comets in 2019 throwing for 1,807 yards and 18 touchdowns. With Yeldell behind center, the Spiders had the best offense in the GFL2. The signing of running back Lamar Carswell (Trine NCAA DIII) will no doubt help. Carswell ripped up the Finnish Maple League in 2020 averaging 9.3 yards a carry en route to leading the Kuopio Steelers to their first ever Finnish title. Macek has also signed two other standouts from Finland, Finnish wideout Kristian Natunen ( Porvoon Butchers) and German receiver Jan Hochschild (Wasa Royals).

Defensively, the team, which had the top defense in the GFL2 as well, has made two quality additions with the signing of linebacker Donavon Hayden (Bethany NCAA DIII) and defensive back Demario Donnell (Tennesse Tech NCAA DI FCS). The signing of German defensive back Jonah Schneider and defensive lineman Robin Rogoss.

This game will be hard to predict. The Comets will definitely be an improved team, particularly on offense while Straubing is still a new team and an unknown quantity.