Germany: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns pound out win over Straubing Spiders

The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns (4-2) methodically overpowered the Straubing Spiders (1-5) 35-19 in a German Football League South clash, leveraging a revitalized rushing attack and timely defensive stops to secure their fourth win of the season.

Ground dominance sets tone
The Unicorns’ rushing game erupted for 142 yards, with Cristian Santos-Insua (2 TDs), Mathis Harang (1 TD), Jerome Manyema (1 TD), and quarterback Josh Taylor (1 TD) sharing scoring duties. Santos-Insua’s back-to-back first-half touchdowns erased Straubing’s early lead, while Taylor’s 2-yard sneak late in the fourth quarter sealed the win. Ten penalties for 85 yards disrupted drives, but the Unicorns dominated time of possession (33:36).

Defensive resilience seals victory
Samuel Grinfeld and Justin Ford intercepted Spiders quarterback Ewan Lewandowski, with Ford’s fourth-quarter end-zone pick halting Straubing’s final rally. Noah Lorieri blocked Benedikt Holmer’s second-quarter field goal attempt—his fourth blocked kick of 2025—to preserve a 14-7 lead. The Unicorns limited Sidney Gibbs (66 rushing yards, 2 TDs) to 3.8 yards per carry outside his 30-yard scoring dash.

Key moments define contest
After Straubing’s opening TD, Santos-Insua’s two rushing scores and Harang’s 8-yard TD catch gave Schwäbisch Hall a 21-7 halftime edge. Enrique Aspinall’s 95-yard kick return narrowed the gap to 21-13, but Manyema’s 6-yard TD run and Taylor’s QB sneak extinguished the comeback.

Looking ahead
The Unicorns face the Marburg Mercenaries in Week 7, aiming to solidify playoff positioning. Straubing, now five losses deep, travels to the Munich Cowboys seeking to reignite postseason hopes. Schwäbisch Hall’s balanced offense (169 passing yards, 142 rushing yards) and red-zone efficiency (5 TDs in 6 trips) position them as GFL South contenders.

Scoring summary (Unicorns listed first)

• 0-7: Sidney Gibbs 2-yard run (PAT: Benedikt Holmer)
• 7-7: Cristian Santos-Insua 4-yard run (PAT: Toni Trefzer)
• 14-7: Cristian Santos-Insua 3-yard run (PAT: Toni Trefzer)
• 21-7: Mathis Harang 8-yard TD reception from Josh Taylor (PAT: Toni Trefzer)
• 21-13: Enrique Aspinall 95-yard kickoff return (PAT failed)
• 28-13: Jerome Manyema 6-yard run (PAT: Toni Trefzer)
• 28-19: Sidney Gibbs 28-yard run (2PC failed)
• 35-19: Josh Taylor 2-yard run (PAT: Toni Trefzer)