European League of Football kicks off kicks off inaugural season!
The European League of Football kicks off its highly anticipated inaugural season this weekend with all eight teams in action.
The eight team league is divided into two, four-team divisions, North and South with the Berlin Thunder, Hamburg Sea Devils, Leipzig Kings and Wroclaw Panthers in the North and the Barcelona Dragons, Frankfurt Galaxy, Cologne Centurions and Stuttgart Surge in the South.
Each team will play a 10-game regular season, with the first and second rounds against teams from their own conference and against two teams from the other conference. The regular season winds up September 5 and the semifinals are scheduled for September 11-12. The championship game – ELF Bowl – is set for Sunday, September 26.
Check out AFI writer/researcher Alex Malchow’s lists of the key players on each team.
North Division
Berlin Thunder: HC Jag Bal, OC Marcus Herford
Offense: QB Calvin Stitt (UK, Allgäu Comets, Copenhagen Towers), RB Jocques Crawford (USA, Turku Trojans, Tennessee Tech NCAA D1 FCS), WR Seantavius Jones (USA, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts), QB Ashley Bailey (UK, Prague Lions), WR Tino Ndongo (Finland, Kuopio Steelers), OL Lane Acheampong (Germany, Potsdam Royals), TE Nicolai Schumann (Germany, New Yorker Lions), OL Deon Mutsvanemoto (UK, Murcia Cobras).
Defense: DL Kolin Hill (USA, Texas Tech NCAA D1) DB Jamaal White (USA, New Yorker Lions, Northwestern State College NCAA D1 FCS) DB Maxime De Falcis (France, Kuopio Steelers, Dresden Monarchs) DL Marcel Behm (Germany, Berlin Rebels) DL Aaron Boadu (Germany, Kiel Baltic Hurricanes) DB Iiro Pekkarinen (Finland, Kuopio Steelers) DB Paul Seifert (Germany, Berlin Rebels) LB Louis Achaintre (France, Concordia University U Sports)
Wroclaw Panthers: HC Jakub Samel
Offense: QB Lukas O’Conner (USA, West Liberty NCAA D2, Bratislava Monarchs), RB Mark Herndon (USA, University of Florida NCAA D1), WR Bartosz Dziedzic (Poland, Wroclaw Panthers), RB Phileas Pasqualini (France, Cannes Iron Mask), RB Konrad Starczewski (Poland, Wroclaw Panthers), OL Murilo Silva (Brazil, Thonon Black Panthers).
Defense: DL Karlis Brauns (Latvia, Hildesheim Invaders, Cologne Crocodiles), LB William Lloyd (USA, Troy University NCAA D1), DB Darius Robinson (USA, Clemson University NCAA D1 Swarco Raiders, NYL), DB Goran Zec (Serbia, Schwabisch Hall Unicorns), LB Kamil Ruta (Poland, Wroclaw Panthers), LB Jarosław Lewszyk (Poland, Wroclaw Panthers), LB Hubert Ogrodowczyk (Poland, Wroclaw Panthers).
Hamburg Sea Devils: HC Ted Daisher
Offense: QB Jadrian Clark (USA, Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns, Weber State NCAA D1 FC), RB Xavier Johnson (USA, South Alabama NCAA D1), OL Keanu Ebanks (UK, Stockholm Mean Machine), TE Adria Botella Moreno (Spain, Sollerod Gold Diggers).
Defense: LB Kasim Edebali (Germany, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos), DB Justin Rodgers (USA, UTEP NCAA D1), DL Evans Yeboah (Germany, New Yorker Lions), DL Nelson Imasuen (Germany, Berlin Rebels), DB Marloshawn Franklin Jr. (USA University of California NCAA D1), LB Jan Phillip Bombek (Germany, Colorado State NCAA D1).
Leipzig Kings: HC Fred Armstrong
Offense: Michael Birdsong (USA, X-League Japan, Tennessee Tech NCAA D1 FCS ), WR Athony Dable-Wolf (France, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants), WR/QB Jaleel Awini (USA, Hildesheim Invaders, Colorado University NCAA D1), WR Yoshito Omi (Japan, X-League IBM Big Blue), RB Raymond Sobowale (UK, London Warriors), RB Jason Aguemon (France, Flash De La Courneuve), P/WR Jacob Templar (Australia, Hildesheim Invaders).
Defense: DB Alpha Jalloh (USA, Wasa Royals, Liberty University NCAA D1 FCS), DE Kyle Kitchens (USA, Potsdam Royals, Catawba College NCAA D2), DB Daniel Docal (Spain, Hildesheim Invaders), DL Lance Leota (New Zealand, Grossmont Junior College JC), DB Roedion Henrique (Netherlands, Hildesheim Invaders, New Mexico State NCAA D1), DL Vincent Buffett (France, Seinäjoki Crocodiles).
South Division
Stuttgart Surge: HC Martin Hanselmann
Offense: QB Jacob Wright (USA, Averett University NCAA D3), Samuel Shannon (Germany, Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns), WR Fabian Weigel (Germany, Stuttgart Scorpions), TE David Meza (USA, Fan Controlled Football, Carroll University NCAA D3).
Defense: LB Anthony Morris (USA, Munich Cowboys), LB Dale Warren (USA, Buffalo Bills, Winnipeg Blue Bombers UT Chattanooga NCAA D1 FCS), DL Marcel Furst DL (Germany, Dresden Monarchs), DL Jai Jackson (UK, Hertfordshire Cheetas).
Barcelona Dragons: HC Adam Rita
Offense: QB Zach Edwards (USA, St. Scholastica NCAA D3), WR Jean Constant (USA, Stony Brook NCAA D1 FCS), RB Adrian Jimenez (Spain, Osos Rivas), RB Alejandro Herrero (Spain, Gijon Mariners), WR Mario Flores (Spain, Osos Rivas, Hildesheim Invaders), OL Jan Raus (Czech Republic, Prague Black Panthers ), OL Carlos Carrasco (Spain, Las Rozas Black Demons).
Defense: LB Myke Tavarres (USA, Philadelphia Eagles, UIW NCAA D1), DB Brandon Brooks (USA, Regina U Sports), DB Niko Lester (Germany, Badalona Dracs), DB Jordi Brugnani (Spain, Badalona Dracs), DB Lucas Masero (Spain, Badalona Dracs).
Frankfurt Galaxy: HC Thomas Kösling
Offense: QB Jakeb Sullivan (USA, Marburg Mercenaries, South Dakota School of Mines NCAA D2) WR Anthony Mahoungou (France, Philadelphia Eagles, Purdue NCAA D1) WR Cheikhou Sow (France, Dresden Monarchs) RB Justin Rodney (Germany, Frankfurt Universe) OL Joachim Christensen (Denmark, Wagner University NCAA D1 FCS) WR Marvin Rutsch (Germany, Marburg Mercenaries) RB Gennadiy Adams (Russia, Bemidji State NCAA D2, Potsdam Royals)
Defense: DB Desmond Cooper (USA, UNC Charlotte NCAA D1 FCS), DL Anthony Hor (Germany, Frankfurt Universe), LB Kadel King (UK, St. Francis Xavier U Sports, Frankfurt Universe), DL Ville Valasti (Finland, Eastern Michigan NCAA D1, Helsinki Wolverines), LB Precious Ogbevoen (Austria, Vienna Vikings), DL Wayne Drew (UK, Seinäjoki Crocodiles), DB Omari Williams (USA, Samford NCAA D1 FCS, Dresden Monarchs), DB Sebastian Silva Gomez (Columbia, Frankfurt Universe), LB Jhonattan Silva Gomez (Columbia, Frankfurt Universe), LB Sebastian Gauthier (Sweden, Helsinki Wolverines, Frankfurt Universe).
Cologne Centurions: HC Kirk Heidelberg
Offense: RB Chriz Ezeala (Germany, Baltimore Ravens, Allgäu Comets), QB Danny Farley (USA, Carlstad Crusaders), RB Madre London (USA, Michigan State NCAA D1), WR Quinton Pounds (USA, University of Washington NCAA D1), WR Ramin Akhlaghi (Germany, Cologne Crocodiles).
Defense: Dartez Jacobs (USA, Georgia State NCAA D1, Kirchdorf Wildcats),, DL Matz Peters (Germany, Murray State), DL Julian Volker (Germany, New Yorker Lions), LB Marius Kensy (Germany, Cologne Crocodiles), DB Jannik Seibel (Germany, Langenfeld Longhorns), DB Richard Grooten (Germany, Dusseldorf Panthers).
