The Marburg Mercenaries posted their seventh win of the year beating the Ingolstadt Dukes last week 40-22 to mark their best season start since 2014.
Coming off of back-to-back dismal seasons (2-12, 3-11) the Mercenaries have undergone a resurgence in 2017 under new head coach Dale Heffron.
With their current 7-3 record and four games left in the regular season, Marburg is on pace to post their best record in four years.
For this game, the Mercenaries relied solely on their air attack. The offense posted 421 yards of passing and 31 yards rushing.
Quarterback Chad Jeffries completed 26 of 40 passes for 421 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another 34 and a touchdown. Wide receiver Andreus Lindley caught 184 yards in receptions and two touchdowns. Phil Lanieri caught seven passes for 99 yards and a touchdown while Charles Joseph added 76 yards and a touchdown on six receptions.
The Dukes posted impressive offensive numbers in a losing cause with quarterback Rick Webster throwing for 333 yards and three touchdowns. Richard Samuel had 10 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns while Lorenz Regler hauled in four for 49 and another touchdown.
Marburg WR Andreus Lindley was the main target for QB Chad Jeffries Photo: Norbert Schneider, Foobi Sportsfotos
Both teams started off cautiously with Marburg striking first on a Hendrik Schwarz field goal. Then, after driving all the way to Marburg’s two yard line, Ingolstadt turned the ball over on downs and then forced a safety. They scored on their next possession with Regler hauling in a Webster 16 yard touchdown pass giving the Dukes a 9-3 lead.
That’s when Jeffries found his rhythm hitting a streaking Lindley for a 74 yard touchdown on the very next play to regain the lead, 10-9. Then, late in the second quarter Jeffries connected with Joseph for a six yard touchdown pass giving the Mercenaries a 17-9 hafltime lead..
The Dukes struck back early in the third with a Samuel 54 yard touchdown reception closing the gap to 17-15. But the Mercenaries restored the two score lead with another long Jeffries to Lindley touchdown pass, this one 57 yards giving Marburg a 24-15 lead. Webster responded again with a short touchdown pass to Samuel and the lead was only two, 24-22 late in the third.
That’s when Jeffries and the Mercenaries offense found another gear, striking three times with Jeffries running one in himself from 11 yards out, and Schwarz kicking a 28 yard field goal to extend the lead to 34-22 with seven minutes left. But the Marburg defense held fast and Jeffries threw a 12 yard touchdown pass to Lanieri with a minute left to put the game away.
Needless to say, Dale Heffron was happy with his team:
“We have worked for 10 months to turn the Mercenaries into a respectable team after the last 2 horrible years…We beat a very good Ingostadt team and we did it the way I said we were going to play..Our offensive line is has 3 d lineman on it..so they can pass block and we will throw..it is fun when it works!”
Photos: Norbert Schneider, Foobi Sportsfotos