Europe’s Top 20 – 7/18/14

| 2014 European Championships | 07/20/2014
This is the Top 20 for July 18, 2014. Val Gunn, head coachof Ferrara in Italy, provided assistance and much needed guidance for this one. It has been a tumultuous two weeks since that last one. Three championship finals were decided two of which had extremely surprising endings. The rankings will change. With wins and losses worth more the rankings are more flexible.

Braunschweig has looked solid in German league play while Berlin’s loss to Kiel drops them down to six. Vienna moved up to second in beating Prague and Stuttgart is now undefeated at 8-0 and pops up to third. Schwabisch Hall with the top offense in Germany continues to move up and has won five in a row. Cologne’s hot and cold play has dropped them again.  Sweden’s Carlstad Crusaders are playing great football and it shows by the scores. Switzerland’s Basel Gladiators have won the Swiss championship for the first time in their history and in impressive fashion. The same applies to the Copenhagen Towers at 17.

You may not like the changes and have a different idea. Or you don’t agree at all. But let us know. Send us an email.  If coaches wish to contribute, by all means do so. In brackets, we have added each team’s overall record, including IFAF, EFAF and transcontinental play.

If you have more information, along with comments or criticism, we welcome it. Please email me at roger@eurosportsscouting

RankingLogoClubOverall RecordCountrySince last week
1Braunschweig New Yorker Lions(6-1)GermanyEmbarassed Berlin Rebels 62-6. Improving each week.
2Raffeisen Vienna Vikings(7-3)AustriaBeat Prague Black Panthers in Austrian semi-final to advance to Austrian Bowl
3Stuttgart Scorpions(8-1)GermanyStill the only undefeated team in German leageu play
4Dresden Monarchs(5-3)GermanyDreseden but beat Cologne two weeks ago
5Kiel Baltic Hurricanes(7-3)GermanyBeat Berlin Adler 28-20 are second in Germany North
6Berlin Adler(6-2)GermanyLost to Kiel 28-20 after getting caught off guard by Kiel offense and falling behind early.
7Swarco Raiders(8-3)AustriaBeat Danube in Austrian semi-finals 34-0
8Schwabisch Hall Unicorns(7-2)GermanyFound an offensive rhythm and have won five in a row
9Helsinki Roosters(4-0)FinlandWon IFAF Champions League
10Cologne Falcons(3-2)GermanyLost to Berlin Adler 38-27. They are playing hot and cold football right now.
11Prague Black Panthers(10-5)Czech Rep.Lost to Vienna in Austrian semis but won Czech championship over the Bobcats 40-0
12Vukovi Belgrade(11-2)SerbiaIFAF Champions League finalists and advanced to the Serbian final. Also playing for CEFL title against the Ljubjana Silverhawks.
13Carlstad Crusaders(5-1)SwedenUndefeated in Sweden and definite favorites to win title
14Thonon-les-bains Black Panthers(10-2-1)FranceLost in the Champions League semi-finals to Vukovi 19-7
15Basel Gladiators(12-2)SwitzerlandWon Swiss championship
16Danube Dragons(3-5)AustriaLost to Swarco in Austrian semis 34-0 to end their season.
17Copenhagen Towers(6-2)DenmarkTotally dominating the Danish league, this time beating the Gold Diggers handily.
18Marburg Mercenaries(5-2)GermanyBeat Munich 42-6
19Milano Seamen(11-1)ItalyWon Italian championship handily
20Parma Panthers(9-3)ItalyLost to the Milano Seamen in Italian championship 33-3 two weeks ago

 

Roger Kelly is an editor and a writer for AFI. A former PR Director the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League for 7 years, he now lives in Sweden writing about and scouting American Football throughout the world.