The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns cam from behind twice and then had to score in overtime before they could overcome a stubborn Berlin Rebels squad 31-24 Saturday in front of almost 2,000 fans at Optima Sportpark in Schwäbisch Hall .
Despite taking a 14-0 lead early in the game, the Unicorns could not maintain control of the game as the Rebels kept coming back.
Unicorns quarterback Marco Ehrenfried threw two touchdown passes to Tyler Rutenbeck and one to Nathaniel Robitaille while Maurice Schüle scored on a 13 yard run in overtime and Tim Stadelmayr added a game-tying 25 yard field goal along with four PATs for the win.
Rebels quarterback Terell Robinson scored on an 11 yard touchdown run and running backs Chris Smith and Lawrence McCoy added touchdowns. Phillip Friis Andersen kicked a 47 yard field goal as well all three PATs.
Despite a huge advantage in offense including twice as many first downs and yards gained, the Unicorns could not put away a Berlin team that kept coming back. Rutenbeck scored both his touchdowns on the first two Schwäbisch Hall drives but Berlin finally struck back with Robinson closing the gap to 14-7.
Then Friis Andersen kicked a field goal late in the second quarter and the Unicorns held a 14-10 lead at the half.
Berlin finally took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter as Smith capped the Rebels first drive of the third quarter with a six yard plunge. Ehrenfried responded with a 47 yard touchdown pass to Robitaille and the Unicorns retook the lead 21-17 going into the fourth quarter. Berlin answered as McCoy hauled in an eight yard pass from Robinson giving the Rebels a 24-21 lead late in the fourth.
Then, with only 26 seconds left, Stadelmayr kicked a 26 yard field goal to send the game into overtime.
Schwäbisch Hall had the first possession and scored on Schüle ‘s 13 yard run. Then, after Berlin made a first down, the Unicorns defense stiffened, keeping the Rebels out of the end zone and Schwäbisch Hall moved on to the German semifinals.