In a low scoring game, the Saarland Hurricanes held the Allgäu Comets offense at bay to secure their fourth win of the season, beating the Comets 17-7 to move into first in the GFL South standings.
Both teams entered the contest boasting explosive offenses but it was the defenses that ruled the day.
Allgäu received the opening kickoff but the offense stalled early despite the efforts of running back Glen Toonga in both the run and pass games. The Hurricanes took over at midfield after a shanked punt and Saarland quarterback Josh Goldin went to work. He guided the team down into the redzone relying on running back Kai Hunter, but the Comets front seven dropped Goldin for a pair of losses forcing a 47 yard field goal, giving Saarland a 3-0 lead.
After the ensuing Comets drive also stalled, Goldin and the Hurricanes went back to work on the Allgäu defense. Underneath routes and throwing on the run was the theme for the day for Goldin as he capped the drive off with a 20 yard crossing route to Hunter who ran through the Comets’ secondary to increase the lead to 10 – 0, still in the second quarter.
Comets RB Glen Toonga #7 Photo: Sarah Philipp
Neither side would produce much in the way of offense for the rest of the second quarter until Saarland threatened late in the half. But Goldin overthrew Victor Wharton III on an out route and the ball fell straight into the waiting arms of Comet Julius Tager who returned the interception 60 yards before being pushed out at the ten yard line by Goldin.
Despite the drastic change of field position the Comets were unable to gain a single yard and instead settled for a 25 yard field goal attempt that sailed wide left. However, a personal foul by the Hurricanes gave the Comets a breath of life, and two plays later Toonga powered the ball over the line for Allgäu’s first score to make it 10 – 7.
Both teams came out in the third quarter just as they had in the first half. The Comets were not able to do much offensively as Saarland did a great job bottling up Toonga. The Hurricanes on the other hand, were able to move the ball down the field with an unorthodox but effective style of offense. The second Hurricanes touchdown came in the fourth quarter off a smoke screen to German receiver Marcel Baumbach who ran 30 yards straight through the Comets defense to extend the lead to 17 – 7 midway through the fourth quarter and that is how the game ended.
With the win, the Hurricanes improved to 4-1 and the GFL South lead ahead of the unbeaten Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns (3-0) who they won’t face until August 28, while Allgäu dropped to 2-1 and fifth in the standings.