Around the Continent: Roger’s Corner – August 20th, 2014
Germany
North: The Braunschweig New Yorker Lions continued to roll through the GFL dominating the Cologne Falcons again, this time 59-7. Quarterback Casey Therriault was 10 of 11 for 22 yards and three touchdowns before giving way to James Peterson midway through the second quarter who threw for 147 yards. The Lions distribute the ball very well as eight different receivers caught passes. He leads the league in passing efficiency.The Berlin Rebels beat Dusseldorf again, this time with a lopsided 34-9 score. In the third game the Dresden Monarchs took a 20-10 halftime lead against the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes and never let the Hurricanes get any closer winning 27-10.
Braunschweig leads the North still with an 8-0 record. Kiel (Europe #6) remains in second at 6-3 with Dresden (Europe #3) in third at 5-3 and Cologne (Europe #14) in fourth, also at 5-3.
Braunschweig clinch GFL North title
South: The Schwabisch Hall Unicorns (Europe #5), second in the South made an emphatic statement in whipping the third place Marburg Mercenaries 49-14. Stuttgart beat the Rhein-Neckar Bandits 47-41 in a horse race. The teams combined for a total of 1,094 yards in offense as Stuttgart came from behind 27-17 midway through the third quarte,r scoring five second half touchdowns, to secure the win. Finally, the Munich Cowboys clung to a playoff hope in beating the winless Franken Knights 56-38.
Stuttgart (Europe #9) still leads the South at 11-1, with the Unicorns breathing right down their necks in second at 11-2. The Marburg Mercenaries (Europe #16) remain third at 8-3 while Saarland holds on to fourth place at 5-6.
The Schwabisch Hall Unicorns boast the highest scoring offense in the league with 604 points total while Braunschweig has the stingiest defense allowing only 113 points against in nine games (12.5 points per game). Luke Barthelmess, quarterback for Stuttgart, keeps on carrying him team. So far this year, of the Scorpions 68 touchdowns scored, he has accounted for 53 (18 rushing, 35 passing).
Stuttgart comes back to defeat Rhein-Neckar
Great Britain
Premiership North: In the final two games of the season in the North, Coventry beat the Sheffield Predators 9-8, while the Birmingham Bulls blanked the win-less Doncaster Mustangs 48-0.
So the East Kilbride Pirates have won the North at 9-0 with Tamworth second (8-1). Lancashire finishes third at 6-3 and the Coventry Jets are fourth with a 6-3 record.
Premiership South: The only game scheduled in the South was the London Olympians hosting Colchester but Colchester forfeited the game giving London the win. With that the London Warriors (Europe #20) have won the South with an 8-0 record with the Blitz in second at 7-1. The Bristol Aztecs finished third at 6-2 while the London Olympians are fourth at 5-3.
Playoff picture: The British quarterfinals take place this weekend. The top team in the North, the East Kilbride Pirates will host South #4, the London Olympians. Number one in the South, the London Warriors are at home to #4 in the North, the Coventry Jets. The London Blitz, South #2 will face North #3, the Lancashire Wolverines and finally the Tamworth Phoenix, North #2, take on South #3, the Bristol Aztecs.
