By Brad Duff
The 2-4 Solent Thrashers will host the 3-1 SGS Bristol Aztecs in the tenth week of British American Football Association National League action on Sunday June 11th.
The Aztecs’ last outing saw them face the 1-4 Cambridgeshire Cats, handing them their fifth loss with a 41-33 victory.
Bristol’s run game was what set apart the two offensive units, with over 300 yards and five rushing touchdowns from a stacked running back rotation headlined by Karekin Brooks (USA, University of Pennsylvania, NCAA DI, UWE Bullets) and Hosam Alzahrani (Bristol ‘Cuda). The Aztecs recently added to their backfield depth, picking up former Great Britain u19 standout and, more recently, Solent Thrashers Lewis Munt.
FB: Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week…@PENNfb Karekin Brooks! #IvyFootball https://t.co/0bO667aYrx pic.twitter.com/FyemO9vGgs
— The Ivy League (@IvyLeague) September 25, 2017
Defensively, the Aztecs have been turnover machines, picking off the Cats a ridiculous eight times; two were claimed by Manny Crispin (USA), with one going back to the house for six. LB Ryan Davies (Cardiff Cobras) also got himself a pick-six, and fellow Cobra Dan Bates added to his impressive season tally, snagging himself another interception.
The Thrashers are coming off a substantial win over the ever-struggling Kent Exiles, in a game that ended 53-6 to Solent, giving the Exiles their fifth consecutive 40+ point loss.
With head coach Steve Rains bringing in a handful of players from his Bournemouth University Bobcats side, on top of the plethora of local talent, there’s is no shortage of ballers on the Thrashers roster, from 2x BUCS All-Star and ex-GB u19 quarterback Alfie Birks to former Tirol Raiders RB Titi Geas. The Thrashers’ two big wins have shown the potential of the side; however, they have shown major inconsistencies, blowing out the Cats 41-20 in game one before falling 45-20 to the same team two games later; Solent will need to be clicking on every level to give the Aztecs a competitive game.
In the two matchups between the Aztecs and Thrashers last season, the Aztecs went 2-0 with an 11-0 away win followed by a 43-13 home victory. The Aztecs will need to continue this streak to keep their playoff hopes alive after falling to the London Blitz, while Solent will be looking to upset the visiting team in an effort to flip their season.
SGS Bristol Aztecs @ Solent Thrashers, June 11, 16:00 CET (4 pm, 3 pm BST, 10 am EDT)
