Top seeds all advanced as Road to German Bowl XLI moves into semifinals

AFI | American Football | 09/24/2019

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

The four top teams in the German Football League – the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions, Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns, Frankfurt Universe and Dresden Monarchs – all won their quarterfinal matchups and advanced to the GFL semifinals this past weekend.

Braunschweig New Yorker Lions 70 – Stuttgart Scorpions 3

Lions RB Christopher McClendon scored 5 TDs Photo: Fabian Uebe

This was a game Stuttgart would like to forget. Lions RB Christopher McClendon was an unstoppable force as he rushed for 182 yards and five touchdowns in one half of football. He scored on Braunschweig’s first five possessions leading his team to a 42-3 lead at the break. Quarterback Brandon Connette barely had to break a sweat, throwing for 75 yards by halftime before being relieved by Sonny Weishaupt and Mike Frieze. The Lions racked up 375 yards rushing with Meril Zero adding 85 yards and a touchdown while eight other rushers added to the total. This game was over in the first quarter with McClendon running at will through the porous Scorpions defense.

Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 45 – Berlin Rebels 24

The Unicorns built a 21-7 second quarter lead only to watch Berlin move closer, 21-17 early in the third quarter, before pulling away for the win. Schwäbisch Hall scored three touchdowns and a field goal in the last 13 minutes of the game to secure a spot in the semifinals for the sixth time in six years. Quarterback Jadrian Clark threw for 375 yards and five touchdowns, three of those late in the game. Nate Robitaille caught seven passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns and Tyler Rutenbeck four for 105 and a touchdown to pace the Unicorns. Berlin was simply worn down late in the game and could not match Schwäbisch Hall’s firepower.

Frankfurt Universe 28 – Hildesheim Invaders 7

Photo: Karlheinz Herbert

The Frankfurt Universe fell behind 7-0 early to the Hildesheim Invaders but scored two second quarter touchdowns adding one each in the third and fourth quarters to defeat the Invaders. Quarterback Steve Cluley threw for 282 yards and all four touchdowns. Wide receivers Anthony Brooks (120 yds/1 TD), Sebastian Sagne (66 yds/1 TD), Anthony Mahoungou (52 yds/1 TD) and George Robinson (16 yds/1 TD), inflicted most of the damage. The key to the game may well have been the Universe defense that held explosive Hildesheim quarterback Casey Therriault to just 14 completions for 115 yards and no touchdowns.

Dresden Monarchs 39 – Marburg Mercenaries 22

Photo: Dresden Monarchs Timeline

The Dresden Monarchs managed to hold Marburg quarterback Jake Sullivan, the league most prolific passer, to a mere 208 yards passing and three touchdowns while Glen Cuiellette threw for 276 and RB Glenn Toonga rushed for a season-high 200 yards and a touchdown.

The Monarchs number one ranked pass defense kept the league’s most explosive offense at bay, especially in the second half. Guiellette threw touchdown passes to Kevonn Mabon (112 yds/1 TD) and newly acquired Italian WR Jordan Bouah (103 yds/2 TDs).