Spanish League of American Football set to kick off
The Spanish League of American Football kicks off the new season this coming weekend with eight teams vying for the title.
Originally, the 2020 season lasted five game before it was canceled earlier in March 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic with the Badalona Dracs and Las Rozas Black Demons both leading their respective divisions with 5-0 records.
Now, the LNFA will be split into two divisions again with the LG OLED Las Rozas Black Demons, Osos Rivas, Gijón Mariners and Fuengirola Potros forming the Western Division. The Eastern Division will include the Dracs along with the Murcia Cobras, Mallorca Voltors and Zaragoza Hurricanes.
The season kicks off with four games this weekend and runs until April 18, 2021 with the top two teams from each division qualifying for the semifinals, scheduled for the weekend of May 1 and 2, 2021. The Spanish Bowl will take place May 15 or 16.
Saturday, December 12, Madrid Osos Rivas @Gijon Mariners
The Gijón Mariners heads into this season, like the last, without an import on the squad. Under head coach Daniel Castañón, and with QB Marcos Martínez and running backs Javier Castañón and Miguel Quince the team will battle to improve on their winless 0-5 record.
Osos Rivas have a new head coach, Ricardo Martín, who takes over from Jesús Sánchez, and a number of well-known players returning including WR Álvaro Guitián as well as Mexicans Johnny Escobar (defensive line) and Jorge Juárez (defensive back). Another key signing is also imminent.
These two teams played each other once in the spring with Osos Rivas prevailing, 46-20.
Saturday, December 12, Mallorca Voltors @Murcia Cobras
The Murcia Cobras will be trying to rebound from a disappointing season earlier this year and have signed top Div. III QB Robert Cuda who spent the 2019 season with the Munich Cowboys II team in Germany. Head coach Alejandro Sotomayor has added tight end Alberto del Cerro and running backs Antoni Montón and José Antonio Sotomayor .
The Voltors may have been the most improved team in the league before the season ended prematurely,and have signed a number of imports including German-born RB/WR Josh Richter, as well as Hula Bowl All Star WR Jaylon Hibbs, British Olineman Sam Troth and outstanding LB Kadel King. American DB Josh Aleaze and Swiss offensive lineman Gerard Lusenti round out the imports.
In the interrupted season, Mallorca won the only game between the two, 41-16.
Sunday, December 12 – Badalona Dracs @Zaragoza Hurricanes
The Zaragoza Hurricanes managed to win one game during the shortened season but suffered a 52-14 defeat at the hands of the Dracs.
Zaragoza head coach Isaac Buján has signed Rubén Ochoa and Carlos Romero and will again have the American receiver Denzel Duchenne.
The Badalona Dracs have won the last four Spanish titles in a row and face this new season with the aim of continuing their dominance. The Catalan team is again led by head coach Óscar Calatayud who has brought in Austrian LB Dustin Illetschko and Italian-German LB/RB Nikolas Knoblauch. Sergi Gonzalo will again be behind center.
Sunday, December 13 – Las Rozas Black Demons @Fuengirola Potros
Fuengirola Potros head coach Nacho Ponce will be looking to improve on his team’s 2-3 record from the shortened season and has signed Finnish quarterback Henri Väänänen (Helsinki Roosters) as well as Polish DL Michal Kusyk.
The Las Rozas Black Demons were the only other team outside of Badalona who went unbeaten earlier this year and will be intent on continuing that trend.
They have signed former Clemson DB Darius Robinson who has won the Austrian title with the Swarco Raiders (2019) and played for the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions in the German Football League in 2018. Canadian QB Chris Merchant will be behind center for the Black Demons.
In the only meeting between the two teams earlier this year, Las Rozas came out on top 55-19.
