As the Spanish season enters its second half, the Badalona Dracs look impossible to topple. They have won all four games in Spain by lopsided scores and surprised France’s Thonon Black Panthers in the first round of European Football League action. The second place Valencia Firebats have a 3-1 record but have had to battle in all three games and come from behind twice in the last minute to win.
The Barbera Rookies have a 2-2 record and played well in all games except against the Dracs. The Reus Imperials, despite turmoil with their imports leaving suddenly, have managed to pick up a win and could very well make the playoffs. The Valencia Giants are suffering through a dismal season although they had high hopes after finishing in the playoffs in 2015.
Badalona Dracs (4-0) – Reus Imperials (1-3)
The Dracs enter this game as overwhelming favorites as the only undefeated team in Spain. Head coach Oscar Calatayud has his troops firing on all cylinders. The offense led by quarterback Mike Box has scored a total of 209 points in four games while allowing only 39. These two teams met in the opening game of the season and it turned into a rout as they destroyed the Imperials 62-18.
However, this is a slightly different Reus team with the departure of quarterback Allan Bridgford along with Vailele Peko and Blake Berresford. They have been replaced by quarterback Norman Eduardo Contla two-time Mexican university league MVP (University of the Americas Aztecs (UDLAP) and defensive back/receiver Darian Yahyavi (Murray State) who scored two touchdowns against the Valencia Giants in his first game.
Nevertheless, Dracs receivers Robbie Jackson and Drew Clausen have been dominant and Joan Carles Bartraand has proven to be a highly versatile player for Badalona along with running back Javi Fernández.
Valencia Firebats (3-1) – Valencia Giants (0-4)
The Firebats enter this game against crosstown rivals the Giants after a month’s rest. They haven’t played a game since March 3 and have had time to recover from injuries. The Firebats defeated the Giants in their opening game 16-0 and cannot take the winless Giants lightly.
Firebats quarterback Thomas Murphy has played extremely well this season with the only hiccup against the Dracs. He has excellent targets like Josh Helmkamp and Alejandro Silvestre. At running back Hector Pertegaz is a key.
For the Giants, this is a pivotal game. They need a win to have any chance at all of making the playoffs. They have the Imperials only one game ahead of them and a strong second half of the 2016 season. Quarterback Cody Enman and import linebacker Ralph Pineda , who helped the Giants make the playoffs in 2015, need to find a way to lead this team to at least two wins in the final four games.
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Kickoff Saturday, April 2, 5 PM (11 AM EDT)
